Huddersfield to Hungary (via Warwick)

[wellhouse]

I'm introducing some friends to the pleasure of European rail travel on an expedition to Hungary, with stops en route. We'll be joining other chums who have flown out to be in Budapest for the spectacular fireworks on the National Day (20th August) and then heading south to the wine area near Pecs and Lake Balaton.

We've added an extra day on the front to be on board when our West Midlands chums join at Nuneaton. Then a bit of a pub crawl across to Harwich.

Thursday 15 August

0930 Huddersfield
0949 Leeds

1011 Leeds
1125 Derby

1253 Derby
1401 Leamington Spa

1432 Leamington Spa
1437 Warwick

Friday 16 August

1003 Warwick
1035 Birmingham Moor Street

1121 Birmingham New Street
1251 Stamford

1500 Stamford
1553 Ely

1632 Ely
1714 Stowmarket

1829 Stowmarket
1852 Manningtree

2005 Manningtree
2024 Harwich International

2300 Harwich Parkston Quay
Depart for Hoek van Holland

Saturday 17 August

0800 Hoek van Holland Haven
Arrive from Harwich

911 Bus
0826 Hoek van Holland Haven
0853 Schiedam Centrum

IC2233
0911 Schiedam Centrum
1025 Amsterdam Centraal

ICE123
1038 Amsterdam Centraal
1431 Frankfurt Hbf

ICE371
1450 Frankfurt Hbf
1747 Basel SBB

IC783
1807 Basel SBB
1900 Zurich Hbf

Monday 19th August

RJ165
1049 Zurich Hbf
2119 Budapest Keleti

Wednesday 21st August

E1864
1035 Budapest Deli
1120 Székesfehérvár

Tuesday 27th August

D857
1137 Székesfehérvár
1224 Budapest Deli

EC274
1340 Budapest Nyugati
2007 Praha Hlavni

Friday 30th August

EC176
0832 Praha Hlavni
1241 Berlin Hbf

ICE1848
1349 Berlin Hbf
1806 Dusseldorf Hbf

Sunday 1st September

EC7
0827 Dusseldorf Hbf
0850 Koln Hbf

ICE214
0943 Koln Hbf
1135 Brussel Midi

Monday 2nd September

IC3232
1047 Brussel Midi
1222 Kortrijk

IC712
1413 Kortrijk
1450 Lille Flandres

EST 9141
1535 Lille Europe
1605 St Pancras

1700 Euston
1905 Manchester Piccadilly

1917 Manchester Piccadilly
1947 Slaithwaite

 

[eastwestdivide]

Hope it all goes well. 17th is a long day with not much time spent stationary!
Do report back.

 

[30907]

I like the idea of rolling up at Bruxelles Midi and saying "Single Slawit, please..."

Seriously, I would be allow for a slight delay at Hoek and if need be head for Utrecht for the ICE.

Are you travelling on flexible tickets? If so, leaving Zurich 2 hours earlier and travelling to Innsbruck on the loco hauled EC Transalpin might be worth it (and possibly upgrade to the 1st class Panorama car).

 

[wellhouse]

I like the idea of rolling up at Bruxelles Midi and saying "Single Slawit, please..."

Seriously, I would be allow for a slight delay at Hoek and if need be head for Utrecht for the ICE.

Are you travelling on flexible tickets? If so, leaving Zurich 2 hours earlier and travelling to Innsbruck on the loco hauled EC Transalpin might be worth it (and possibly upgrade to the 1st class Panorama car).

Thanks for your thoughts. We're using Interrail passes, so we can flex if necessary.

The Utrecht option is already our plan B, as we can't be confident of the bus times from the very to Schiedam

 

[wellhouse]

As we start our return trip, a few observations. Generally a smooth, splendid experience.

Thursday 15 August
1253 Derby-Leaminhton Spa was overcrowded owing to am earlier cancellation.

Friday 16 August
Noticed severe corrosion on the door windows of the Chiltern Silver stock from Warwick to Birmingham.

Our chums joining at Nuneaton had to get a cab from Tamworth, as the wires were down on the WCML

Saturday 17 August
Interrail tickets not accepted on the 711 bus from Hoek Van Holland to Schiedam

Owing to engineering works, we joined ICE123 at Utrecht rather than Amsterdam.

A slightly claustrophobic journey to Frankfurt in the rear-facing First Class compartment behind the cab, with the partition frosted.

Smooth connections, with the last leg to Zurich on double-deck stock including lounge-style seating areas.

Monday 19 August
Just 5 empty Business Class seats on out Railjet, so glad we reserved for our group of 4. Catering supplies thin until replenished at Innsbruck. Litter collected en route with a neat wheeled trolley rather than bin bags. 5 minutes late into Budapest.

Great travelling round Budapest flashing our passports (and later elsewhere) taking advantage of the Hungarian free public transport for over-65s.

Wednesday 21 August
Some time ago I read that MAV had abandoned catering on all domestic services, so I was delighted to discover a Restaurant Car. Good espresso served in China cup and saucer. 25 minutes late into Szekesfehrhervar. Interesting to observe how many 2nd class only services have just a single air-conditioned coach.

Watch this space next week for further observations after our return journey.

 

[wellhouse]

Now for notes on our return journey

We had to book tickets for friends who joined us for the journey up from Székesfehérvár to Prague. Tickets were bought at the fairly new Balatonfured station. Interesting to note there were 3 ticket windows, but just one ticket machine. The booking clerk was most helpful, and we were most fortunate in having a Hungarian friend with us to interpret.

The booking clerk advised that although we had planned sufficient time to transfer from Deli to Nyugati in Budapest, it might be wiser to assume a delayed arrival into Budapest, so we booked a train an hour earlier. We were advised to split tickets at Budapest, and there was a bit of a glitch with availability of the lowest tier of Advance Fares (much as can happen in the UK) MAV Start manage a whole circle of hell in fare intricacies with a complex range of discount entitlements that must be cross-referenced with supplements and reservation fees applicable to certain trains. Regular tickets are valid for a 4-hour departure window.

Our booked train to Budapest was indeed running laye, so we took a stopping service that left Székesfehérvár on time. This was a Desiro that unlike the Intercity Services, was fully air conditioned.The guard gave a dismissive wave when we presented our Interrail tickets, telling our |Hungarian friend ‘ I don’t understand those tickets’.

Nyugati is a disappointing terminus, notwithstanding the famous McDonalds; the impressive trainshed was designed by The Eiffel Company (yes, that one) but just about all retail and refreshment opportunities are now located in the Shopping Mall next door rather than inside the station,and the food hall is at the far end.

The journey to Prague was delightful, with superb scenery past the Danube Bend at Estergom. Friendly Restaurant Car staff and good reasonably priced food and drink. |iInterrail Passes examined and stamped in both Hungary and Slovakia. 25 minutes late into Prague.

The journey on from Prague to Berlin was again with Czech Railways, but on newer stock. The buffet counters even had pot plants and table cloths, but lacked the bar stools we had occupied on the run from Budpest. There were Czech and German ticket checks, and a second German full ticket examination as we approached Berlin (the service continues to Hamburg).

After a couple of beers at Berlin Hbf, we joined ICE1848 to Dusseldorf, and went straight to the Bordrestaurant for a splendid lunch.

From Dusseldorf we made the short connection to Cologne on IC7 headed for Interlaken, and faced an extended delay for the Brussels ICE. It was initially showing a 10 minute delay, but finally arrived 40 minutes late owing to a reported train fault.

For the final day’s trip home. We took an SNCB IC to Kortrijk for lunch before taking another connection to Liile. Although designated IC, the direct service from Brussels is far slower than changing trains at Ghent, and chugs along at a leisurely pace with stops at minor stations.

Check-In at Lille was the smoothest ever; we arrived about 30 minutes before departure, and there was nobody in front of us for check-in, security, or passport control. The Eurostar arrived 10 late from Brussels, and we reached St Pancras 7 minutes down.

A stroll along The Euston Road, and we were in good time for the 1700 Virgin service to Manchester, arriving on time. Our last train of the expedition left Piccadilly on time, but lost time approaching Stalybridge, so we reached Slaithwaite 5 minutes late.

All in all a splendid trip

 

[Segedunum]

Yes MÁV aren't particularly au-fait with Interrail passes though I should add that a few weeks ago I found that staff were rather more familiar and accepting of them than when I visited in 2018- many staff were genuinely angered at being shown one!

I can recommend continuing a little past Szekésfehérvar on a future trip down to Keszthely and along Lake Balaton. A genuinely lovely trip if a bit of a trundle! We managed to get ourselves the air conditioned IC carriage for the bargain supplement of about £1.40 each. I did notice however that locals were hopeless at sitting in the correct seats, and there was a lot of switching around!

Sounds like a great trip though, security is indeed a lot more relaxed and hassle free in Lille. I do recall when I went through there was a pompous older woman who refused to remove her sunglasses for border control which didn't go down well

 

[wellhouse]

We chose Szekésfehérvar as the most convenient car rental location. We were travelling around with Hungarian chums, staying first down south at Villany, near Pecs, and finishing at Balatonfured, in an AirBnb just along from the station. I did do a short run to Balatonalmadi, but have taken the train all the way from Budapest to Gyenesdias via Keszthely in the past.