A Guide To Eastern Europe Travel

Eastern Europe Travel

Anyone who has ever travelled through Eastern Europe by train or coach will probably tell you about the beautiful landscapes and architecture, but not so much about the joy of booking the trip. Most websites aren’t in English and none of the train operators allow you to book online, instead you need to visit their designated stations throughout the region. While researching a trip last year through Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary I found that there were no real sites that helped explain how to go about booking travel throughout the Eastern countries, and that the actual train and bus sites were a lot more confusing than I was used to, owing to them being either not in English, or badly translated into English.

So, to help anyone travelling to Eastern Europe in the future by train or coach, I’ve put together this short guide to help you overcome any issues in the booking process.

Eastern Europe Travel – Train

DB Bahn – This is a German rail booking site, but it also covers journeys for Eastern Europe. It will allow you to search for journeys by time and date, but you are unable to purchase tickets on line. Once you search for a trip between two cities the site will give you the name of the station so you know where you can buy your tickets.

Eastern Europe Travel – Coach

There are two sites for booking coach travel that I used for my trip – Student Agency Bus which has a comprehensive network throughout the region and Orangeways is a Budapest-based company which runs services to other cities in Eastern Europe from their base there. Both companies were good – very comfortable coaches and both inexpensive – for example, I travelled from Budapest to Krakow on Orangeways for around £15. When booking Student Agency journeys you will need to select your destination and date, fill in some details and you will then be contacted by the company if there is availability. If there is, you can then pay and will receive your tickets via email. For Orangeways you can book and pay on their website. Both websites use some English, which I found was enough to adequaltely make your booking.

Eurolines also offer a comprehensive coach travel network across both Western and Eastern Europe, so if you are travelling between the two this might end up being the most convenient and quickest.

If I had to choose between travelling by train or coach in the region, I’d choose a mixture of both. I really enjoyed the train ride from Bratislava to Budapest, and similarly driving along the roads and through small villages in Poland. My advice would be to see what is available for the legs you plan on travelling and then plan from there – you might find that you’ll have only one option for some journeys, while others you can chose based on your preference.

If you’re planning a trip to Eastern Europe in the future and have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Please note this is not a sponsored post, and I have in no way received benefit from this article. I am sharing only my experiences, opinions and recommendations.

Eastern Europe Travel

Eastern Europe Train And Coach Stations

If you are planning travel in the region, here is a summary of the train and coach stations in each main city.

Belgrade

Coach Stations  – Beogradska autobuska stanica (BAS) which serves the whole region outside the city, and Lasta for destinations around Belgrade.

Train Station – Glavna železnička stanica.

Bratislava

Coach Station – Autobusova stanica.

Train Station – Hlavana stanica.

Budapest

Coach Stations – Neglipet bus station for all international services and those from Southern Hungary; Stadionok Bus Station which serves destinations east of Budapest, and Arpad hid Bus Station for buses to the Northern Danube bend.

Train Station – Keleti station – International services from Vienna and other countries to the west of the city, plus domestic trains; and the Nyugati train station for Romanian and domestic services to the North and Danube bend. Additionally, there is Deli train station which services Lake Balaton and the south.

Bucharest

Coach Station – The city has several bus terminals depending on your destination –  Băneasa (located in the northern part of town), Obor (east), Filaret (south), Rahova (south-west), Militari (west), Griviţa (north-west).

Train Station – Gara de Nord.

Ljubljana

Coach Station – Avtobusna postaja.

Train Station – Zelezniska postaja.

Kiev

Coach Station – For services to Poland use Dachna bus terminal, all other services depart from the central station near Moskovs’ka Square.

Train Station – Kyiv Pasazhyrs’kyi, the main station is next to the Vokzalna metro station.

Prague

Coach Station – Florenc bus station.

Train Station – Praha-hlavani Nadrazi station.

Riga

Coach Station – Rīgas starptautiskā Autoosta.

Train Station – Centrālā stacija.

Sofia

Coach Station – The main bus station is Tsentralna Avtogara Sofiya, however some services depart from the Yug bus terminal or the Ovcha Kupel bus terminal.

Train Station – Tsentralna Zhelezopatna Gara Sofiya.

Zagreb

Coach Station – Autobusni Kolodvor.

Train Station – Glavni Kododvor.

Tallin

Coach Station – Autobussijaam Station.

Train Station – Balti Jaam Station.

Warsaw

Coach Station – Dworzec Zachodnia for international services and domestic buses heading south, north and west, and Dworzec Stadion for domestic services to the east and southeast.

Train Station – Warszawa Centralna  is the main station, however some domestic services also leave from Srodmiescie station or Zachodnia station.

Krakow

Coach Station -Krakow bus terminal.

Train Station – Krakow Glowny station.

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Comments

  1. Ian [EagerExistence] says

    So glad you wrote about this. My first destination is Istanbul, Turkey (one-way ticket)… which is on the European-side of Turkey. Not even really Eastern Europe… but its so difficult to try and navigate the online train/bus systems when there’s no English translation. I haven’t managed to book anything out of the airport yet when I arrive, or figure out my way around from my keyboard back in Australia. But hopefully it will be easier when I get there. I’m sure there will be some lovely helpful people who will help me get around the city, and get out of the country when the time comes. 😮

  2. I will be heading to Europe in November and will be researching soon all of my travel options. This was a great article – Thank You!

  3. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Glad you found it helpful – have a great trip!

  4. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Wow, Turkey will be fab – I cant wait to go there! Hopefully this can help you with your bookings anyway! : )

  5. Useful post Nicole. Having spent some time backpacking around eastern Europe, figuring out the transport system is an adventure in itself! Well worth doing though – especially for budget travellers – as it’s so cheap compared to western Europe.

  6. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Nadia, thanks very much! Booking transport certainly is an adventure, so glad you found it helpful! : )

  7. Great post Nicole:) Information we will definitely need when we get full-swing into being full-time travelers!

  8. Yay, this is awesome! I will definitely use this as a reference when we’re planning our route through Eastern Europe.

  9. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Thanks so much, glad you like it! : )

  10. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Thanks Kim, hope it helps in some way on your trip! : )

  11. Boyko Blagoev says

    Hello from Sofia 🙂

    Both the Central Bus Station and the Central Railway Station in Sofia already have websites in English. They are not the best but people can find their way much easier now, I think:

    http://bdz.bg/index-en.php

    http://www.centralnaavtogara.bg (language can be switched in drop-down menu in the upper right side (where it says Език – Български)

    The South Bus Station in Ovcha Kupel unfortunately doesn’t have a website. This is where the only bus to Rila Monastery leaves every day at 10:00, as far as I know. You can try your luck at this phone number +35929555362 if you want to confirm schedules and timetables but no promise there would be anyone speaking English 🙂

    Cheers,
    Boyko Blagoev
    Free Sofia Tour
    http://www.freesofiatour.com

  12. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Boyko, thanks for this information – its very good to know!

  13. I have already been in Gallipoli actually and I enjoyed the staying in the old part of Troy for this time and visiting the historical monuments there. I took a private guide to visit gallipoli and troy I can say that these places are fantastic http://www.toursingallipoli.com I visited these places by recommendation of my friend and even I am not so interested in Historical places I was very affected by these monuments. These places are must while visiting gallipoli. I thought that these places are best attractions to see in gallipoli. You can just spend 4 hours for that. Thank you so much…

  14. Olin Fitterer says

    Well, well, well, what a great story. Hope you enjoyed it really as discribed. When I have been travelling, there were something always going against my plans. Right now visiting Portugal and lately will make a great post on my blog, well my friends sent me to Lisbon and even paid to see the my report, lol=)

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  16. Ashleigh Leigh says

    WOW! What a great article! This was so helpful to me during my travels! I recently did a 1-month train and bus tour of Poland, Slovakia, Czechoslovakia, Budapest, Serbia, and Montenegro and LOVED IT. But you’re right–it is SO difficult to book tickets in this part of the world! I don’t understand why I should have to go to the train station to buy a train ticket, and I certainly don’t understand why none of these websites are in English! I guess I’m glad I did it, but next time I think I will just take a Contiki tour. It’s so much easier and you meet a lot of cool people along the way.

    ps. I also read your EE Foodie review and loved it. I totally agree about Hungarian food–there is no traditional or authentic Hungarian food worth eating, so it’s usually best to go for something foreign. I don’t personally like Russian or Ukrainian food, but there are some really good gyros and Chinese buffets in Budapest!

  17. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Thanks Ashleigh! SO glad it was useful, as I know how hard it is travelling around that area! Glad you enjoyed your trip – sounds amazing! Thanks for stopping by! : )

  18. Verry, verry useful information. Thanks a lot for your article. I plan to travel to Europe, actualy in Prague – Czech Republic and Sofia – Bulgaria, and it’s a great idea to save money and enjoy more traveling with the train and coach, than with airplane.
    This year I have visited Moldova. This is a small country situated in the south estern Europe. I recommend you to go there, especialy to enjoy the rural tourism. I have visited a great place named “Satul Moldovenesc” resort. It is a rustic resort built in Moldavian style. There are more interesting places to visit, but I would like to fill this list, since I visited a country from Europe.
    The main city of this country is Chisinau – the capital.
    Train station – there is only one railway station named “Calea Ferata din Moldova” or as locals call “Gara Feroviara” – here you will find the schedule. Unfortunately, site hasn’t English version and you can by tickets only at the station. But if you will ask any one where is Gara Feroviara, certainly you will find it.

    Coach stations:
    Central Bus Station – 58, Mitropolit varlaam str.
    North Bust Station – 2/1 calea Mosilor str.
    South-West Bus Station – 145, sos. Hincesti str.
    It should be noted that not at any station can find international routes.

    I hope that my information will be useful. If you have any questions donn’t hesitate to ask me. I’ll be very happy to help you.

  19. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Patrick – wow, thanks! I hope to visit Moldova some day soon! Good luck with your travels!

  20. Thank you for wishes!!!
    I would enjoy more if my information will be useful.

    I have one more question?
    I don’t travel very long time and I have no idea what would be the best site for booking flight tickets. The best for me it means – that should be easy to use and find the cheapest tickets.
    I’ll be very glad if you will share your informations and experiences in this area.

    Thanks in advance

  21. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Patrick, sure – I always use Kayak to compare prices – they are generally the cheapest. Once you have found a couple of airlines you like go to their own websites and check if you can get any cheaper – sometimes you will, sometimes not. Good luck!

  22. Hi I am off backpacking for 3 months all around Eastern Europe starting next thursday!!! It is my first trip where i’ll be backpacking and moving from place to place quite often and i’m going alone!!
    This post is great thanks! I wondered if you have taken the route from krakow to budapest or budapest to vienna on Orangeways-
    these are the journeys I hope to take but i am seeing quite a lot of posts about buses not turning up.

    I would love to take the scenic route through the mountains from kracow so if anyone has done this route it would be great to hear about it 🙂

  23. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Roberta! Thats so exciting – you are going to have the best time! I travelled via an Orangeways bus from Krakow to Budapest and didn’t have any issues at all – I guess if you are worried you could always get in touch with them just to confirm the journeys will take place. I found them to be a good company, so hopefully everything runs smoothly for you! Have a great time, and make sure you try the potato cakes in Krakow, they are amazing!

  24. Hi,
    I intend to cover the below in May: How do I go about booking transportation cost effectively?

    WARSAW (POLAND)
    ST JOHN’S CATHEDERAL
    POWAZKI CEMETERY
    REDBRICK BARBICAN
    WARSAW UNIVERSITY
    OLD TOWN SQUARE
    GRAND THEATRE IN THEATRE SQUARE
    KRAKOW (POLAND)
    MAIN MARKET SQUARE
    FLORIAN GATE
    TEMPLE REFORMED SYNAGOGUE
    WAWEL CATHEDRAL
    BAROQUE CHURCH OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
    WIELICZKA SALT MINE
    TATRA MOUNTAINS (NEAR SLOVAKIA)
    AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP

    BUDAPEST (HUNGARY)
    DANUBE LEGEND RIVER CRUISE
    ROYAL PALACE AREA
    BUDA CASTLE (CASTLE DISTRICT)
    FISHERMEN BASTION
    STATUE PARK
    GELLERT HILL
    HUNGARIAN FOLKLORE DINNER

    CROATIA
    UNESCO LISTED PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK (16 LAKES)
    HOTEL: JEZERO

    VIENNA (AUSTRIA)
    STADTPARK – GOLDEN STATUE OF STRAUSS
    SCHONBRUNN PALACE
    ST CHARLES CHURCH
    KUNSTHAUSEWIEN
    PRATER ENTERTAINMENT PARK
    STATE OPERA HOUSE
    RINGSTRASSE

    PRAGUE (CZECH REPUBLIC)
    PRAGUE CASTLE (ST VITUS’S CATHEDRAL, GOLDEN GATE)
    VITAVA RIVER CRUISE
    STARE MESTO
    CHARLES BRIDGE & OLD TOWN SQUARE (ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK)
    GOLDEN LANE
    BLUE LIGHT JAZZ BAR IN MALA STRANA
    MECCA NIGHT CLUB
    OBECNI DUM (MUNICIPAL BUILDING)
    MAIN POST OFFICE
    KARLSTEJN CASTLE
    KUTNA HORA
    HOTEL – HOTEL CONRAD

  25. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Wow, thats quite the itinerary! I would recommend checking out orangeways and the rail websites to figure out your best and most cost effective route. Sounds like a great trip – all the best!

  26. Hello,

    My name is Torie and I’m a student who is looking to travel to Eastern Europe this summer. Truthfully I know very little about traveling and I would really like it if I could ask you some questions or get some advice about how to plan my trip. Is this possible?

    Thanks,

    Torie Apple

  27. WomanSeeksWorld says

    Hi Torie, absolutely! Feel free to email me via the contact form on the site.

  28. Thanks for finally writing about >A Guide To Eastern Europoe Travel <Loved it!

  29. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts and
    I will bee waiting for your next post thanks once again.

  30. This post is a great help! Thank you! So would you suggest not pre-buying any tickets like eurorail ect in advance online and just wait to see what fits best once there?
    Thank you

  31. Great post and useful info! I would add a little something. Since there are names of towns and places in Eastern Europe which are pronounced (and written) completely differently in English, I would suggest making little notes with the names of the places written in the local language. This will help if you end up at a bus station and the clerk doesn’t speak English.

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