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Reserving seats on Hungarian trains

  • May 19, 2026
  • 10 replies
  • 31 views
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I am hoping to travel from Vienna to Timisaora on 21 May

My perfect train solution is 
9.40 from vienna on the RJX269 to Budapest Kelenfoeld arriving 12.05

The next leg is Budapest Keleti Timisoara at 13.10 on the IC377 arriving Timisaora at 19.29.

The PROBLEM is that the second leg requires a seat reservation and I can’t seem to get it through Interrail.
Hungarian railways don’t seem to be issuing online reservations !
If there was more ime between the two trains it’s possible that I could negotiate a reservation at Budapest Keleti , but as there is only 30 minutes between trains that seems very unlikely .

Is it possible to choose a later train from Budapest to Timisaora that would allow me time to get the reservations sorted - I can’t see how to do it in the Interrail app.
If I built a delay into the travel would that count as 2 separate journeys on my Interrail pass ?

Bit stuck.

Complete newbie at this and I’m alreat having a nervous breakdown 

Best answer by rvdborgt

Making a reservation on the MÁV website works fine for me:

This is on the page with the "Pay” button. At which exact step do you get stuck?

10 replies

R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • Answer
  • May 19, 2026

Making a reservation on the MÁV website works fine for me:

This is on the page with the "Pay” button. At which exact step do you get stuck?

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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  • Digby
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • May 19, 2026

Well I can’t even get the MAV seb site to recognise the name Timisaora for starters !!

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  • Digby
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • May 19, 2026

And the journey time between the two Budapest stations sounds dangerously slim too.

 

R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • May 19, 2026

Do you have a slow internet connection? That can make a difference. Let the MÁV page load for a bit first.

It should also be possible to get a reservation from the ticket office in Vienna; price is then €3.50 instead of ~€2.11.

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.
R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • May 19, 2026

And the journey time between the two Budapest stations sounds dangerously slim too.

The metro (M4) takes 13 minutes. If you want to have more time, then take the 8:40 from Vienna.

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.
D
  • Digby
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • May 19, 2026

I’ll look into that purchasing of the Reservation from Vienna tomorrow - thanks for that tip.
I had thought of making the journeys gap larger by selecting a later train from Budapest but I can’t see how to separate the two journeys in the Interrail app. THey seem stuck together.

R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • May 19, 2026

I had thought of making the journeys gap larger by selecting a later train from Budapest but I can’t see how to separate the two journeys in the Interrail app. THey seem stuck together.

Just search for the two legs separately. If you don't, then the planner will look for the fastest journey possible.

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.
    D
    • Digby
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • May 19, 2026

    Still can’t get Timisaora to show up and I have a reasonable internet connection here.

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    • Digby
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • May 19, 2026

    Thanks for all your help rvdborgt

    I’ll see if I can sort this out tomorrow Bed calls . Worn myself out with these logistics 

     

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    • Digby
    • Author
    • Right on track
    • May 22, 2026

    Thanks all finally sorted it out.

    It worked on my phone but not on my computer 😣

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