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Question

Night trains from Budapest via Bucarest to Istanbul - as of when can you book

  • April 19, 2026
  • 5 replies
  • 35 views
A

I want to go with my family (my wife and our 2 teenage daughters) from Belgium to Istanbul by train. We already have tickets for the night train to Vienna.

I have 2 questions.

  1.  Next step is to buy tickets for the night train from Budapest to Bucharest (we have an interrail pass), I understand you can book 90 days upfront.  And I see on this website under seat reservation that the extra reservation for the 4 person couchette is 20euro per person (euronight budapest-bucharest).  But when I try to book via this website one way, It seems I have to pay 340 euro for the 4 of us.  Is this correct or am I doing something wrong or missing something ?
  2. How long upfront can I book the train from Bucharest to Istanbul ?  Is this 90 days upfront ?  Can I book tickets online and if so what is the best website to do this ?  Via the eurail website It seems I cannot book.

thank you for your help !

5 replies

M
Railly clever
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  • Marvin Heer
  • Railly clever
  • April 19, 2026
  1. which website are you talking about? Check out this guide for the different methods to book reservations https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#How_to_make_reservations_at_the_Hungarian_Railways_website
  2. you can not book reservations online for that train. But it is apparently possible to book tickets online. 

You might want to check out this recent topic regarding the train options to istanbul. 

  2.  
I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • April 19, 2026

Please note that if you have a pass, then that is your ticket. You don't need to book any other tickets for trains included in the pass. You will need reservations for some trains. The price you were seeing sound like regular tickets instead of a pass reservation.

If booking a reservation doesn't work for you, then please also mention date and departure time. There are 3 night trains from Budapest to Bucharest and there are multiple possible reasons why it can fail.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
A
  • Alex C
  • Author
  • Rail rookie
  • April 20, 2026

Dear rvdborgt,

 

thank you for your fast answers !

We want to reserve a couchette for 4 on the he train from Budapest to Bucharest on Sunday 19/7 at 19:10  and we have already an interrail pass which we want to use for this trip- I think I am one day too soon to make a reservation - so I will try again tomorrow - it was not entirely clear via which page on the eurail website I can book the reservation - when I click on reservation for saturday 18/7 I get the price for it seems the full ticket.  thanks for helping me out.

 

Dear Marvin,

thanks for your fast reply for the train from bucharest to istanbul - the plan is to not use the interrail pass for this leg, but to just buy a ticket.  Ideally online - I will check out the link you send me.

M
Railly clever
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  • Marvin Heer
  • Railly clever
  • April 20, 2026

​@Alex C couchette should only be 20€ per person and can be booked via mav as described (but it only shows up till 18.7.2026)

 

 

I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • April 20, 2026

Indeed, best to book this train on https://jegy.mav.hu/

It may be a bit too early still.

​@Eurail Community Moderator 

The Interrail/Eurail booking website seems to be charging regular ticket prices for the Ister night train. Even a simple seat reservations is a whopping €85:

Could you please look into this? You'd better block booking this train instead of overcharging people.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
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