Budapest to Bucharest Sleeper

[Train jaune]

On the 14th June I took the OBB RailJet service from Vienna to Budapest in the afternoon and then caught the overnight Sleeper from Budapest to Bucharest in Romania. Had a 2 berth sleeper in an Romanian sleeper car, (the wife and I think we're too old for couchettes anymore). The sleeper was showing it's age a bit but was still comfortable and had good crispy linen and pillows. The attendant was excellent throughout the journey, finding us extra pillows and towels and even a phone adapter to charge up our phones. The scenery wasn't too exciting in the evening but the following morning going through the Carpathian mountains was really good. It all added to our rail adventure through the Balkans. Took to our berths early and was woken about 11:30pm for Hungarian border control, followed half an hour later by their Romanian counterparts. Not too late at night to be woken up and unlike what I hear about the train to Istanbul when you're woken up in the middle of the night. The train journeys were a great way to get a feeling of local cultures and meet fellow travellers. I'd recommend this adventure to anyone.

 

[P Binnersley]

I remember the good old days (1980's) when the sleeping car attendant just took your passport and handed it back to you in the morning.

 

[Train jaune]

Me too Binnersley, I took a 30 hour train from Munich to Thessalonika back in 1984.

 

[The exile]

I remember the good old days (1980's) when the sleeping car attendant just took your passport and handed it back to you in the morning.

I think that still was done when I did Budapest - Brasov on the diverted Corona in 2016. (Ah, the good old days when that name didn’t have “that” association!)

 

[Richard Scott]

I think that still was done when I did Budapest - Brasov on the diverted Corona in 2016. (Ah, the good old days when that name didn’t have “that” association!)

It's still done. This one also conveys a MAV restaurant car, which I'd recommend to add to the occasion.

 

[The exile]

It's still done. This one also conveys a MAV restaurant car, which I'd recommend to add to the occasion.

Can only add to that recommendation - indeed, on the occasion, when I travelled, the full complement of passengers from the couchette and sleeping cars all availed themselves of the restaurant cars facilities just about at once - we couldn't quite all fit at one table! The night time atmosphere of a nearly deserted overnight train in the nearly deserted border station at Valea lui Mihai was incredible - the puttering of a CFR diesel; the barking of countless dogs, the wheeltapper and nothing else....

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I remember the good old days (1980's) when the sleeping car attendant just took your passport and handed it back to you in the morning.

Me too, although on one occasion the Customs Officials did visit in the middle of the night to quiz the two other occupants of the three berth sleeper compartment who as the conversation proceeded produced thick wads of banknotes but presumably all was in order as the officials seemed satisfied with whatever explanation was given in some language I did not understand.

 

[The exile]

Me too, although on one occasion the Customs Officials did visit in the middle of the night to quiz the two other occupants of the three berth sleeper compartment who as the conversation proceeded produced thick wads of banknotes but presumably all was in order as the officials seemed satisfied with whatever explanation was given in some language I did not understand.

The degree to which all was really in order presumably depending on whose wallet the wads of notes went back into!

 

[jamesontheroad]

The Budapest - Brasov 'Corona' is still a fine train. Almost completely deserted when I took it in late winter. Excellent timings from both sleeping and eating. Cheaper than the direct Bucharest train too, because it receives additional subsidies from the Hungarian government.