- To Budapest from Riga by train
- How to get from Riga to Budapest by bus
- Choosing wings
- The car is not a luxury
The capitals of Latvia and Hungary are separated by a not small distance by European standards - more than 1500 kilometers. Despite this, many foreign tourists strive to see both countries in one trip, and therefore are looking for a way to get from Riga to Budapest in the most optimal way.
To Budapest from Riga by train
There are no direct trains between these cities and the most convenient option is a combined bus-train tour. The most popular route looks like this:
- The first stage of the journey is a bus from Riga to Vilnius.
- In the Lithuanian capital, there will be a transfer to a bus to the city of Graz.
- In Graz, Austria, you should take a train to Vienna at the railway station, where again change to a train to Budapest.
The enterprise is quite tedious, because you will have to spend almost 23 hours on the road. All tickets will cost at least 110 euros. Detailed information on timetables and ticket prices can be found at www.ticket.luxexpress.eu, www.elines.cz and www.fahrplan.oebb.at.
In the Hungarian capital, trains arrive at the city's main railway station. It is called Keleti and is located near the Keleti pályaudvar metro station (M2 red line of the Budapest metro). The station works around the clock. Passengers can find a taxi rank next to the building and use information kiosks and currency exchange offices inside the station.
How to get from Riga to Budapest by bus
The trip from Latvia to Hungary by bus takes even longer - from a day to 30 hours. The most popular offers of bus companies are as follows:
- Ecolines sells tickets for the Riga - Budapest flight for 110 euros. Its passengers will have to spend about 30 hours on the road. Departure from Riga at 18.00, arrival in the city on the Danube - at about midnight the next day. Schedules, reservations and other useful information are available on the carrier's website - www.ecolines.net.
- Traveling by bus through Vilnius and Krakow is much faster. You can find all the details you need and plan a route using the websites www.ticket.luxexpress.eu and www.eurobusways.com. The cost of the transfer will be about 130 euros, and the journey will take about a day.
European bus companies pride themselves on their service. All passengers during the trip are provided with the maximum range of services and amenities. The buses are equipped with modern multimedia and air conditioning systems, dry closets and coffee machines. Most flights have free wireless internet. Each seat has a socket for recharging phones and other electronic gadgets.
Buses depart from Riga Bus Station located at Pragas iela 1, Riga.
Choosing wings
European airlines often offer very competitive ticket prices. This is especially true for low-cost airlines. If you follow the situation and subscribe to the email newsletter, you can significantly save on moving from Riga to Budapest and fly away for only 30-40 euros.
Regular prices are significantly higher and a flight from the Latvian to the Hungarian capital will cost about 150 euros. The route involves connecting in London, Helsinki or Amsterdam, depending on the chosen company. You will have to spend 4 to 5 hours in the sky.
Riga International Airport was built just 10 kilometers from the historical center of the Latvian capital. Route 22 buses will help passengers to get to the terminals. The airport infrastructure will make it possible to spend time while waiting for departure with benefit and comfort. Riga air harbor offers a snack in a cafe, buy souvenirs and, among other things, the famous "Riga Balsam" in duty-free shops or exchange currency.
In Budapest, international flights arrive at Liszt Ferenc Airport. The easiest way to get to the center of the Hungarian capital is by bus route N200. The fare will cost 1.5 euros. Transfer by minibuses-shuttles provided by the airport will cost a little more. You will have to pay for the journey 6, 5 euros. In the first case, the bus starts from a stop located in front of each terminal. For shuttle transfers, you will need to check in at the counters marked AirportShuttle. The staff will tell you what to do next. Depending on the route chosen, both shuttles and buses will take passengers either to the old center of Budapest or to the final stop of the blue metro line (Köbánya-Kispest).
The car is not a luxury
When traveling across Europe by car, remember to strictly follow the traffic rules. Fines for violations both in Latvia and Hungary are very serious.
Useful information for car enthusiasts:
- The cost of one liter of fuel in Hungary and Latvia is about 1.20 euros. The cheapest gasoline can be found at gas stations near outlets and shopping centers. Gas stations along the Autobahns usually hold higher prices.
- There are no toll road sections in Latvia. You will have to pay two euros only for entering the resort area of Jurmala from April 1 to September 30, if you decide to look there on the way.
- But daytime parking in Riga costs money and it will be possible to leave the car for free only on Sunday or at night on other days of the week.
- To travel on the roads of Hungary, you will have to purchase a special permit. It is called a vignette and is sold at the checkpoint at the border of the country and at the gas station. The permit can be purchased online at www.virpay.hu.
- The amount of parking fees in Budapest and other cities in the country depends on the zone where the car is parked. On Sunday and in the evenings and at night on other days of the week, you can use the parking lot free of charge.
A lot of useful information for auto travelers is collected on the site www.autotraveler.ru.
All prices in the material are approximate and given as of January 2017. It is better to check the exact fare on the official websites of the carriers.
