Budapest is a beautiful city full of hot thermal baths, art nouveau architecture, and importantly for me, it’s where my sister and her family live.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit a few times, usually by air, but last year I took my first trip there by train. It was by far my favourite.
I had been feeling uneasy about my travel habits and their impact for a few years, and while I knew flying wasn’t good I just did it without too much thought. But then I discovered the flight free movement and, after looking at the numbers and reading about other people who had changed their habits, I decided to make a change.
Going flight free was the simplest way to massively slash my carbon emissions, and all the travel blogs I’d found, together with the website seat61.com, made it sound like an adventure.
Interrail was offering half-price passes for its 50th anniversary, which was an offer too good to miss, so my partner and I bought a one month global pass. We had previously had a short rail holiday to Italy and France, which allowed us to test the water and see what it was like, and we wanted to try somewhere a bit further afield. Using an Interrail pass meant we could incorporate some detours and stops en route, so we planned a three-week adventure to my family in Hungary for Christmas.
Going flight free was the simplest way to massively slash my carbon emissions, and all the travel blogs I’d found, together with the website seat61.com, made it sound like an adventure.
The first leg was from Sheffield to Vienna, where my sister and niece came to meet us. We spent a few days in the city, visiting Christmas markets and sightseeing (the natural history museum was a hit for all). Sheffield to Vienna is pretty straightforward, with a train to London, the Eurostar from London to Brussels, a quick stop for food, then onwards via the Nightjet to Vienna.
I’ve travelled on a few night trains before, and I find them time- and cost-efficient, while also providing a bit of child-like excitement from waking up in a new country. They have been of varying comfort but it’s always an adventure, so I was looking forward to this one. We’d made reservations for a four-person couchette but lucked out and ended up with a private sleeper for two. It was comfortable and while it’s not the best night’s sleep ever, it was easy enough to sleep. Waking up to snow outside and watching the landscape pass by as we travelled through Austria with a morning coffee ready to meet my sister was pretty special.
After a few days in Vienna we took a fast train to Budapest, just 2 hours 20 mins between the cities. We spent Christmas Eve relaxing in thermal baths, and enjoyed the quieter streets of the capital city in the holiday season. It’s surprisingly quick to get out into the countryside from the capital too. Hiking up the Danube bend between Nagymaros and Zebegény was an easy day trip by train.
With Christmas over, we said goodbye to the family and headed north and east to Eger for a few days of exploring and another thermal bath (this time with Turkish baths too). It’s the second largest city in northern Hungary but really compact, known for its vineyards and Europe’s northernmost Ottoman minaret.
Then it was back to Austria for a few days in Salzburg and Seefeld. I loved Salzburg, a real gem of a city with amazing festive markets and beautiful hills right in the city with great views of the castle and beyond. Coming from Sheffield I have an affinity with a hilly city.
We spent five nights skiing in Seefeld, an Austrian Alpine town, and tagged on a day trip to the German Alpine ski town Garmisch-Partenkirchen to watch a World Cup night ski slalom race. Think of a cross between a sports event and a party in the snow for the atmosphere. The trip to Garmisch-Partenkirchen was a last-minute decision but it was a real highlight, hopping over the border to Germany on a scenic train ride through the mountains. Seeing the lack of snow did bring home what’s happening to the climate in the Alps.
We spent the last days of our holiday in the Netherlands, first in Utrecht with all its historical charm, then Amsterdam to meet friends for a walk and coffee. The final leg was a direct Eurostar from Amsterdam back to London, then the train to Sheffield, which was easy and quick.
The whole trip felt quite ambitious train-wise but it went so smoothly. I was surprised how well everything went, and how it felt like we’d had so long off because of the variety of the trip. I found the train travel a much more enjoyable experience than flying – firstly, Sheffield doesn’t have an airport so travelling to Budapest involves two trains to Manchester airport, the flight, and a bus into the city, which is not exactly straightforward or relaxing, but also, with train travel you get a sense of the countries and landscapes changing.
It felt like we’d had so long off because of the variety of the trip. I found the train travel a much more enjoyable experience than flying – with train travel you get a sense of the countries and landscapes changing.
My tips for long train travel are similar to any trip: pack light, have a meal and snacks to hand, headphones, reading material and a pack of playing cards, and consult seat61.com. Plan and enjoy the journey but if possible be flexible here and there, those unexpected stops and side trips can be the best parts.
I’d recommend the Interrail pass as it’s so flexible and removes a lot of nervousness as you can often change plans or get on another route. It’s free for kids too so that’s great for families. Certain trains require you to book reservations in advance, for example the night trains and Eurostar, but a lot don’t. Trains in Hungary are pretty cheap if you’re just wanting to book tickets there.
Finally, I have coeliac disease which adds to the organisation of any trip! I always travel with some gluten-free essentials (gluten-free noodle/rice pots were great for trains, just ask the cafe for some extra hot water when ordering a drink) and I use online groups, websites, and an app called Find Me GF to help find places to eat.
The real joy of slow travel is with me now, and I’d encourage anyone to consider it.
Itinerary
- Sheffield
- London
- Vienna (overnight train)
- Budapest
- Eger
- Salzburg
- Seefeld
- Cologne
- Utrecht
- Amsterdam
- London
- Sheffield
Travel Budget PP
Total £376
- Interrail Global Pass 1 month £281 (at half price offer)
- Eurostar supplement London - Brussels £28
- Nightjet Brussels - Vienna £39
- Eurostar supplement Amsterdam - London £28
