How to Get from Budapest to Prague (By Bus, Train & More)
One of my close friends lives in Prague, and when she invited me to visit her, I couldn’t say no. A chance to catch up with my friend and also explore a new place? Who could say no?
The options on getting from Budapest to Prague include taking the bus, train, flight, or you can even go by car sharing. I was on a tight budget so I decided to take the bus (Flixbus).
The bus and train takes around 7-8 hours, so almost the whole day. I love traveling by bus and train, so I can see the landscape from the window. I did find the bus ride to Prague a bit long, but a book and my playlist saved me to pass the time.
Here is how to get from Budapest to Prague!
Budapest to Prague Distance
Prague is 525 km from Budapest and it takes around 1 hour 15 minutes by plane, 5.5 hours by car sharing, 7 hours by train, and 7-8 hours by bus to get there.
How to Get from Budapest to Prague
The best ways to travel between Budapest and Prague is by flight, car sharing, train or bus.
The trains are generally the most popular and affordable way to get to Prague. The trains operate frequently, at a low cost and get to Prague in about 7 hours.
1. Budapest to Prague Bus
Travelling between Budapest and Prague by bus is one of the most affordable options.
The bus takes almost the same time as the train, so it is really one of the best options if you want to save some money.
Flixbus is one of the most popular bus companies for affordable bus rides across Europe. I also took Flixbus and I found it was reliable and good service for the price.
Flixbus has many buses every day that go between Budapest and Prague. There are buses that leave from the Népliget Station (Pest Side) and Kelenföld (Buda side).
Budapest to Prague Bus Time
There are regular, daily buses that go from Budapest to Prague. The buses go frequently from 7 am in the morning to around 11 pm. It takes around 7-8 hours to Prague by bus.
Budapest to Prague Bus Ticket Price
The bus ticket price from Budapest to Prague is between USD 35-60. It is best to book the ticket early as that’s when the cheapest tickets are available.
If you book the bus ticket last minute, you might not find such good deals – however, the prices will be pretty still affordable.
2. Budapest to Prague Train
Budapest and Prague are also connected by direct train services. One time, my Czech friend also came to visit me in Budapest, and she decided to take the train instead of the bus. She seemed pretty happy about her train ride, just take things with you to keep you occupied.
When leaving from Budapest to Prague, the trains leave from the Kelenföld Train Station, Nyugati Train Station, or Déli Train Station.
The Nyugati Train Station is on the Pest side, while Kelenföld and Déli Train Station is on the Buda side of Budapest – so you can leave from the one which is closest to where you are staying.
Budapest to Prague Train Time
There are daily, direct trains that go to Prague, with at least one train per hour.
The train takes around 7 hours from Budapest to Prague and they go directly, without you having to change trains.
Budapest to Prague Train Cost
The train ticket costs between USD 40-200. The cheapest tickets are for the standard seats.
The seats for first class usually cost around USD 200. If you book early, you may be able to get a deal for USD 55 for first class seats.
Budapest to Prague Train Ticket Booking
For booking train tickets between Budapest and Prague, check out RailEurope. It’s good to book the train ticket as far in advance as possible so you can get it at a better price.
🚂 Book train tickets from Budapest to Prague here:
3. Budapest to Prague Car Sharing
It is also possible to book car sharing from Budapest to Prague. BlaBlaCar operates a couple of cars per day although you can only book it about 1-2 days in advance.
Usually, the seats only open 2-3 days in advance, you you will only be able to book it last minute.
Budapest to Prague Car Sharing Time
The car sharing rides usually take around 5.5 hours between Budapest and Prague.
Budapest to Prague Car Sharing Price
The car sharing rides with BlaBlaCar costs around USD 35-40 between Budapest and Prague.
4. Budapest to Prague Flight
RyanAir, a budget airline in Europe, operates direct flights between Budapest and Prague. If you want to go by flight, RyanAir is the most affordable option.
Other airlines, such as LOT and Austrian Airlines, also operate flights between Budapest and Prague but those are not direct flights and tend to be more expensive.
There are direct flight between Budapest and Prague takes 1 hour 15 minutes and costs USD 100.
✈️ Book flight tickets from Budapest to Prague here:
Budapest to Prague Flight Time
The flight from Budapest to Prague takes 1 hour 15 minutes with RyanAir. RyanAir operates direct flights between the two cities and it is the fastest way to get to Prague.
Other airlines (LOT, Austrian Airlines) only have flights between Budapest and Prague with a layover, so the whole trip could take up to 6 hours with a layover. Due to the layover, I don’t recommend choosing this option.
Budapest to Prague Flight Price
The direct flight between Budapest and Prague by RyanAir costs around USD 100.
While, other airlines (LOT or Austrian Airlines) that don’t have direct flights between Budapest and Prague cost around USD 180-300.
Hotels in Prague
Not sure where to stay in Vienna? Check out my top recommendations for every budget:
📍 Budget Hotel: Luma Terra Prague Hostel
📍 Mid-Range Hotel: Old Prague Hotel
📍 High-Eng Hotel: Hotel Paris Prague
FAQs: How to Get from Budapest to Prague
What’s the best way to get from Budapest to Prague?
Prague is 525 km from Budapest, and the best ways to get there is by train, flight or bus. It takes around 1 hour 15 minutes by plane, 5.5 hours by car sharing, 7 hours by train, and 7-8 hours by bus to get to Prague.
What is the cheapest way to go from Budapest to Prague?
The cheapest way to go from Budapest to Prague is by bus. The bus costs around USD 35-60, but if you book it well in advance, you could get a bus ticket as low as USD 20.
Is it worth taking the train from Budapest to Prague?
Yes, taking the train is one of the best ways to travel from Budapest to Prague. My friend also took the train between Budapest and Prague before, and she was happy about the trip. The train takes around 7 hours to get to Prague and you can get train tickets for around USD 40.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the most popular ways to travel between Budapest and Prague is by buses, trains, car sharing or flights.
The distance between Budapest and Prague is 525 km and the two cities are connected by regular, daily buses, trains and flights.
The bus takes around 7-8 hours to Prague and costs USD 35-60, while the train takes 7 hours and costs USD 40-200.
There are also car sharing rides with BlaBlaCar that have cars operating between Budapest and Prague. The car sharing with BlaBlaCar costs around USD 35-40 and takes 5.5 hours to get to Prague.
Ryanair, one of the budget airlines in Europe, also operates direct flights between Budapest and Prague. The flight takes 1 hour 15 minutes and costs USD 100.
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