I am on Baross Square and that's a statue of Baross Gábor, the Hungarian statesman who managed the feat of connecting the massive Austro-Hungarian railway into one efficient system that worked like a charm from the 1800s till today.
Behind that statue is Keleti Pályaudvar.
Pályaudvar means train station and Keleti is the main terminal where you can not only catch trains to international and interstate destinations , access the underground subway but also catch buses and 2 different tram lines on the outside as well.
Will you excuseeee the photobombed pic. Grrrr. Not funny mister. So not funny.
Now , if you walk down Rakoczi Ut and turn back , that will be your landmark.
Massive. Can't possibly miss it.
Let's say you continue walking all the way down Rakoczi Ut down to the river , the Danube River , you will reach...
....the Elizabeth Bridge.
That modern white bridge.
Beautiful yet different at all times of the day.
Anyway ...I'm standing inside the station and I am pretty aware of all the characters milling about . Head and opinion messed up by negative online reviewers ( yet again ! ) . And then I spot these trains ....one of which is Swiss and whatever nonsense I may be thinking of goes out the window.
I feel like a kid right now. This is amazing. The trains I mean.
Just as suddenly ...I am distracted and am not looking at the trains no more.
Why men in uniform make us women look more often than we should I don't know. It may be a universal affliction but I'm really not complaining.
Rightttt.....so , I was toying with the idea of going into Vienna or Wien as they call it here . The cost is just 29 euros one way. Made my way to the International Ticket counter after getting a queue number and then the nice lady handed me this schedule.
Vienna is just 2 and a half hours away by train.
You can buy the tickets on the spot when its not peak season.
Had to think this over . If I found the city boring or dreadful ...well , that would seal it. But lemme think it over first while I get my metro pass from the office below.
Took this picture from Welovebudapest website.
The ticket counter where you can buy city transport passes ranging from a day to a month , is at the bottom of the stairs, just opposite the umbrella stand.
You have to queue. Don't shout. Being polite , patient , generous with a warm smile and just being nice goes a long way in this city even if you think it is not reciprocated. I have found the Hungarian ladies in public service to be really helpful and warm .
For less than 5000 forints, the entire transportation network is at your disposal for one whole week ! You can ride every tram, train and bus you ever wanted within the city limits.
In fact , I even used this pass to get me all the way to the airport ! Just wonderful !
Hungarian Underground network system.
Actually snapped a picture of this and referred to the next connection point via my phone.
They don't print maps and distribute them at the station.
Very important that you carry a powerbank with you at all times if your memory is as bad as mine.
First line I took.
The M2 or the Red Line.
Those aren't the legendary ticket inspectors. They're in uniform. Ticket inspectors do not wear uniforms as they go undercover to catch naughty freeloading commuters .
Was so afraid that I would lose my one week travel pass which looked like a thermal receipt from Watson's.
Thus my Istanbulkaart holder came in very handy for this purpose. Stuffed the receipt right in and carried it in my purse.
Location : Budapest
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