The service on Hungarian State Railways (MÁV), VI Andrássy út 35 (tel: (01) 371 9449; website: www.mav.hu), is relatively clean and comfortable, and services generally punctual. Not all express trains have dining or buffet cars so it's advisable for visitors to bring their own food and drink on long journeys. Tickets for international journeys should be purchased 24 to 36 hours in advance. You can make reservations on all international trains with MÁV. Seat reservations are strongly advised for all services. Tickets are also available from the MÁV booking office, V Andrássy út 35.

MÁV directs the three large international railway stations in Budapest - Keleti pályaudvar (eastern station), VIII Baross tér, Nyugati pályaudvar (western station), VI Nyugati tér, and Déli pályaudvar (southern station), I Krisztina körút. All three stations have exchange facilities and tourist information services. Keleti and Nyugati have 24-hour left luggage facilities.

Rail services: Direct rail links connect Hungary to over a dozen European cities, with over 50 international scheduled trains arriving at Budapest. Keleti is the principal terminus for international rail services from Western Europe. Nyugati is the main terminus for trains heading to Eastern Europe, for destinations such as Bucharest and Bratislava. There are also rail links to southern Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia, to destinations such as Zagreb and Ljubljana. The Orient Express (tel: 0845 077 2222, in the UK only; website: www.orient-express.com) also provides luxury rail safaris between London, Budapest and Venice.