Europe Trains Guide Forum
General discussion => Train fares and tariffs => Topic started by: moomin on March 09, 2011, 03:04:37 pm
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Hi guys
I'm a solo female traveller going on my first backpacking trip around Eastern Europe in May. I need to get from Budapest to Belgrade and want to take the overnight train. Will this be safe? I've read a lot of forums but no one has mentioned this journey. I can't find any info on prices either apart from EUR15 for during the day. I'd want a bed in a single-gender sleeper/couchette. Are these even available? Would they be super expensive?
Any help would be much appreciated cos this is the one thing that's worrying me in all my planning... :s
Thanks,
julie
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Safety: it most cases scary stories about Central/Eastern European train travel a bit of exaggeration. Nowadays chances to get in trouble while traveling overnight in sleeper carriages are minimal (at least not higher than in Western Europe), especially if you follow general safety rules (not to leave your valuable unattended, not to drink alcohol with strangers etc.). Me personally and many of my friends traveled Budapest-Belgrade multiple times, including many journeys overnight and I can't remember any problem with safety ever.
Fares: 15 EUR it is a special one way fare for the route Belgrade-Budapest or vice versa, doesn't matter daytime or overnight, but it is for 2nd class only. If you intend to travel first class or single sleeper, then you will have to pay full fare 1st class ticket, which is 39.5 EUR.
Since the sleeper/couchette carriages in the overnight train are from Austrian railways, sleeper supplements tend to be rather expensive: 6 berth couchette - 16.4 EUR, berth couchette - 23 EUR, 3 bed sleeper - 39 EUR, 2 bed sleeper - 52 EUR, single sleeper - 101 EUR. In the overnight train #341 there is also a cheaper Bulgarian sleeper carriage going Budapest-Belgrade-Sofia. Previously it was possible to purchase sleeper reservation for it from Budapest to Belgrade, but not sure whether it is possible at the moment, but you can always ask. If yes, then by using it you can actually save quite a lot
In the afternoon "Avala" EC #344/345 there is also Russian sleeper carriage Moscow-Budapest-Belgrade, sleeper supplements there are much cheaper - 7 EUR for 3 bed sleeper, 10 EUR for double and 20 EUR for single.
As far as we remember, in the case of this train couchette carriages are usually not gender based, while sleeper compartments usually are, so while purchasing the ticket you just need to mention to the cashier that you need sleeper reservation for female compartment
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I forgot my password and didn't get an email reminder so registered again - thanks for this info! I feel a lot less worried now :)