During a recent business trip to Sopron, Hungary, I booked flights through Budapest, supposing this to be the quickest way to the city of Sopron, way out on Hungary’s western border with Austria. I was wrong. Vienna would have been them logical choice.
No harm done. I purchased a Hungary Rail Pass through my US travel agent and had a delightful—if eventful—trip from Budapest to Sopron and by return.
The rail system’s schedule is conveniently available online. Locals may scoff, but I found that the trains generally arrived and departed on schedule.
There are some down sides that make rail travel in Hungary inappropriate for those who prefer a high degree of hand-holding. First, the country’s train station’s are not its strong suit. You won’t want to hang out in them. Arriving early to sit down and have a meal before departure is best reserved for another time and another place.
Second, English-speakers may find that, as a norm, very little English is spoken and, often, none at all. I was able to manage by resorting to German, particularly as we neared the Austrian border.
The inability to communicate with fellow travelers, ticket-takers, and the like— who would otherwise have been helpful—led to me getting off a train at the wrong station and then hurrying to make it back on just in time when I had realized my mistake.
Be aware of the distance between the quality of your ride that opens up between the ‘normal train’ and the plusher ‘InterCity’ machines. Unless you’re really in to local color, you’ll want the IC. Travel light if possible and be prepared to act as a good neighbor to the passengers with whom you’ll share a six- or eight-seat compartment.
On this, my first visit to Hungary, I was pleasantly impressed with the ease and comfort of getting around the country by train. Long live the rails!
Canter Bridge 
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