The border checks on either side have now reduced to a cursory passport check with no stamping in/out. Your medication won't be an issue.
The journey from Arad to Budapest is pleasant enough. Cross-border traffic isn't huge either so its unlikely that the train will be rammed full. I've only done Timişoara-Arad on a sleeper train in the dark so unsure of scenery.
Thanks for your swift reply! That’s a relief to know regarding medication. A YouTube video of someone doing this journey must have been filmed before the changes.
Romania is in the Schengen area now.
I completely forgot this happened!
That part of Romania is part of the Banat plain and is very flat, and big on sunflower crops.
But there is some lovely scenery eastwards once you reach the Transylvanian hills or the Iron Gates on the Danube.
You might catch sight of ex-BR electric locos on freight around Szolnok.
The original Austro-Hungarian main line (StEG) from Budapest to Timișoara ran via Szeged and Kikinda (which is now in Serbia).
The current route avoids crossing Serbia.
Thanks for the description. I’d really like to see the Transylvanian hills, though this may have to happen on another trip.
interesting to know about the original Austro-Hungarian line - a look on OpenRailwayMap of the area is fascinating. And a look of images of the stations as seen on Google Maps shows the station buildings seemingly of that era, now a shadow of their former selves. The big station at Jimbolia being an example, seemingly having had EU funding, and with big lettering about being an EU Border Crossing Point - it looks like there are no trains to Serbia here, just a local train to Timisoara.
Booking: Romania-Hungary trains you can book with CFR international online and get PDF tickets directly.
Medication: border checks were passport-only. I carry prescriptions for mine but have never been checked within EU.
Arad-Budapest is roughly every 2 hours. Despite Schengen, times are unchanged: 20 minutes at Curtici followed by an hour at Lököshaza for you to admire how things used to be done (plus the new over-the-top station at Lököshaza, thanks EU funding, and the mile out shunt to attach the domestic portion). If you want more time in Budapest try Flixbus from Timisoara (not Arad, the stop is miles out on a tram route with 2 services per *day*).
To see a different, 'real', Hungary, find your way to Szeged (few coaches per day but beware Flixbus at Arad, or slowly by train via Bekecsaba), nice older centre, urban tram routes and tram-train that you could pick up at Hodmezövasarhely (=something-field-market town) on your way in from Bekecsaba. Szeged-Budapest is hourly.
Scenery: anywhere other than the Puszta is more interesting! Although the slow wander will help understand a bit more about Hungary than people who have only seen Budapest.
Return to UK might be from Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, Brasov ... depends on your days.
If sticking within Romania instead of Budapest, it's all very slow and often late. Bits of modern refurbished route, some work in progress and a lot of crap speed-restricted track with freight stuck in every loop and miles of locked axle damage.
Towards Bucharest via Drobeta-Turnu Severin takes you along the Danube gorge for 30 minutes then an unusual slow zigzag climb into the next valley. Of the routes towards Brasov, Sibiu is worth seeing (centre is medieval squares, outdoor buildings museum but the preserved tram line past it is derelict), beautiful climb up from Sebes class 60 or 62-hauled (can't remember which), or via Sighisoara (fortified town).
For trams, if you have not seen Budapest that's probably where you want. Otherwise Oradea to the north has a small system, Cluj-Napoca a single line (haven't been, don't know current fleet), Craiova has a single line (modern vehicles, Pesa?)
Invaluable info, thanks very much. The timetable of the train to Budapest looks rather ridiculous, for the reasons you state. It spends a lot of time at a few other stations too. I’m sure it’s useful to absorb any delays though. it has rather put me off using this train to be honest.
interesting To hear about Szeged - a further look at this place shows it to certainly be of interest. Beautiful architecture, tram-train, ex-Berlin/Potsdam Tatras, and classic Škoda 15Tr trolleybuses. There is just one Flixbus a day from Timisoara. I’d have to spend at least a couple of nights there I think, which would extend my trip, which makes me think I should visit Szeged another time in combination with Budapest.
Timisoara is a fascinating city - not sure how much they dolled it up when it became City of Culture in around 2017 - might have spoiled it a bit.
Historically, the different nationalities in Timisoara managed to get along, mostly. That made a difference.
The revolution in 89 was sparked by the protests to protect the ethnic Hungarian minister Laszlo Tokes (Turkesh - they say it like that) by all the nationalities in Timisoara. (Sadly, Tokes has become a ranting Hungarian nationalist since those halcyon days.)
If you are into modern history, make sure you go to the Museum of the 1989 Revolution - the only one in Romania. Originally founded by a group of volunteers with no state support whatsoever under a man named Traian Orban (a vet, no relation to that nice democratic leader in neighbouring Hungary). He, Traian, was shot twice in the legs, IIRC, in one of the December 89 protests in the city. Only saved his leg because he was taken to Austria by a volunteer team and they found the second bullet - which the Romanian doctors had missed. (Well, it was mayhem at the time, with bodies everywhere.)
If you are into football, you might want to visit the Phoenix Club Poli Timsioara. (I assume they still exist, you'd need to check.)
If you are into scenic rail journeys, you can forget Timisoara to Budapest. There is a reason the suicide rate is high on the Hungarian plain. Think travelling York - Darlington 10 times in succession at 70 mph.
Gyula (in Hungary) is an attractive city, but the main line avoids it. You'd have to go north of Arad to Salonta and catch the branch railbus across to Hungary to visit it. I think you'd have to pay an excess fare.
Fascinating historical and cultural info, thanks! I’m very much into Cold War history so that museum would be of great interest. I believe Timisoara protests then led to the Bucharest ones.
You haven’t exactly sold the train journey to me there - I think I’d get rather restless with an 8 hour train journey with monotonous scenery and excessively long stops at stations!
I’m still rather indecisive, but this info on here will certainly help. I’m not sure it will involve the Timisoara-Budapest train which is what this thread was mainly for!
I’m thinking:
Timisoara - Szeged - Budapest
Timisoara - Cluj Napoca
Timisoara - Oradea, possibly extended to either Debrecen or Budapest.
With this last option, I had never heard of Oradea before planning this trip. Looks like some beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, ex-Berlin Tatra trams. There are direct flights to London too, from HiSky, a Moldovan airline.
Trains to Budapest are fairly quick here, though requiring a change in Hungary - it doesn’t spend an age at the border either.
Easy to do in daytime, comfortable smart trains (double decker - I think they were second-hand French ones!) This was in about 2018
