Inspired by my 6 year old son, we took the night train from Budapest instead of flying.
I’m from Hungary but live in France, so airport hotels are my second home.
Due to delays and missed connections, I have slept in soulless rooms near the runway five times in the last year alone.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could magically transport yourself to your destination while you sleep?” I thought to myself.
It was my 6-year-old son who figured out how to make it happen. He was fascinated by picture books about trains, and came across one that depicted a family sleeping peacefully in a couchette.
This time I decided to take the night train.
Travel by train from Budapest to Lyon
There are no direct flights from budapest – Where I’m from – To Lyon, where I live. As a result, I’m used to agonizingly long layovers at airports across Europe.
Likewise, there are no direct trains between the two cities, and Europe’s train reservation system is fragmented, so finding a route took a little more effort.
I couldn’t book my entire trip with one provider; ticket One ticket from Budapest to Zurich and one ticket from Zurich to Lyon.
But once on board, the journey was a pleasant surprise.
On a crisp winter evening, we took the 8pm overnight train from Budapest to Zurich.Watching the rest Christmas The glitter of the decorations and ice rink was a magical experience.
hidden inside us sleeper compartment, there was plenty of space to stretch your legs. It was worth every euro to get a private room rather than sharing a berth for 4 or her 6 people.
My son fell asleep right after leaving the station, so I had to wake him up while we were eating breakfast. A selection of juices, hot drinks, rolls and jams were delivered to our rooms by friendly staff. train crew.
Although it was noisy compared to a plane, it was nice and comfortable to have our own “mobile” hotel room. I woke up several times during the night, mostly when I stopped at a certain location. Railway station. However, I felt refreshed in the morning as I enjoyed breakfast while watching the beautiful sunrise over a passing lake.
We arrived in northern Switzerland just before 3pm the next day. The next thing we took was T.G.V. TER from Zurich to Dijon and finally from Dijon to Lyon.
It was a total journey of 18 hours. This was difficult for his son. My son told me that given the situation, I should get on a plane next. faster.
Traveling by train felt easier and friendlier
long like us train The trip may be over, but there are countless reasons to want to do it again.
Benefits start before you depart.Because there are few Baggage restrictions, packaging has become easier. I didn’t have to shove my belongings into a small suitcase or decant liquids. 100ml container. I didn’t even have to wait in line for the security check.
One of the biggest benefits of traveling by train is how easy it is. There’s no need to travel out of town or arrive hours before your scheduled departure time. As the train leaves the platform, you can keep your loved ones nearby and wave goodbye as the train leaves the platform. From this perspective, it’s a more personal and family-oriented experience.
as parent, I thought it would be easier than getting on a plane for a variety of reasons. One is that my son slept most of the time during the trip. With fewer luggage restrictions, I was able to pack in lots of games for him to enjoy while he was awake.
The door could be closed and no strangers would sit next to you, giving you much more privacy.And we were not restricted from using the toilet turbulencethis can be a big problem when flying with kids.
How does it cost to take a train compared to taking a plane?
One of the biggest deterrents to train travel in Europe tends to be price. How can trains compete with low-cost airlines? But in my case, when traveling beyond busy times, Christmas period For disjointed routes, trains were much cheaper than planes.
Our train journey cost a total of 369 euros (the overnight train was 160 euros for me and 90 euros for my son). Air ticket price Prices for the same day start from around 250 euros per person. And it was his month and a half before the trip that he booked the train ticket.
Probably the flight cheap Even though it’s a relatively quiet time of year, I still think night trains are good value considering the cost of excess baggage and overnight hotel rates. For larger families, prices are more competitive as you can choose a more economical 4-seater or 6-seater booth. Moreover, unlike on a plane, children’s fares are much cheaper.
Not to mention that you can save money by avoiding the high prices of food and drinks at the airport.
Overall, for long term trips I would definitely consider using the following services: train Also. For short trips like the one I planned for April, I’ll use a combination of planes and trains.
The charm of flying has been lost
Practicality aside, I fell in love flight.
My mother worked for the Hungarian airline Malev from 1973 until it went bankrupt in 2012. I was used to flying long before her friends became affordable. Before there was a big change, safety This is a post-9/11, pre-low-cost airline problem.
It wasn’t just about flying. fastest It’s a way (and sometimes the only way) to get somewhere, but it was also a special occasion, at least for me.
I feel like it’s lost its charm recently.I can see the number of passengers increasing rapidly. cheatingthey don’t care about others and the airline service is also declining.
remember when you had meal Cutlery and drinks, coffee or tea are included even on 2 hour flights. Now, if you arrive at your destination on time, you are considered lucky.
It’s hard for me to let go of my nostalgia for airplanes, but I want to set a better example for my son. greener Offer alternatives as often as possible.