We decided to walk to the Citadel on the Buda side and later go to the Keleti train station to get tickets for Vienna. Originally, the plan was take the hydrofoil on the Danube river to Vienna and train back to Budapest but in the end we chose the train, the so called Railjet which makes to Vienna in 2.5 hours.
The Budapest Keleti train station is the largest among the three stations in Budapest and and is located about two miles from Budapest's city center. The building was constructed in eclectic style between 1881 and 1884 and, at that time, was considered one of the most modern railway stations of Europe.
After figuring out the protocol of how to buy the tickets at the international ticket counter, we walked around the station to get familiarized with the train system at the station. Basically, you have to show up about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure and find the track number from the electronic board, then go to the track and board the designated car. You take your luggage with you on the train.
Railjet is one of the most modern and luxurious trains in Europe. It operates mainly in Austria, with international connections to Germany, Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The trains travel at 175 miles an hour and offer maximum comfort, such as ergonomic seats, free WiFi, dining, and a cinema corner to keep children entertained along the way.
The Budapest Keleti train station is the largest among the three stations in Budapest and and is located about two miles from Budapest's city center. The building was constructed in eclectic style between 1881 and 1884 and, at that time, was considered one of the most modern railway stations of Europe.
After figuring out the protocol of how to buy the tickets at the international ticket counter, we walked around the station to get familiarized with the train system at the station. Basically, you have to show up about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure and find the track number from the electronic board, then go to the track and board the designated car. You take your luggage with you on the train.
Railjet is one of the most modern and luxurious trains in Europe. It operates mainly in Austria, with international connections to Germany, Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The trains travel at 175 miles an hour and offer maximum comfort, such as ergonomic seats, free WiFi, dining, and a cinema corner to keep children entertained along the way.
We took the Big Bus to Gellert Hill which is situated about 600 feet above the city proper on Dolomite rock. The scenery is great with some of the best spots to take panoramic pictures of the city. Gellert Hill received its name after bishop Gellért who came to Hungary from Italy around 1000 AD. King St. Stephen invited him to help convert the Hungarians into Christianity. Some resisting pagans rolled him down the hill in a barrel into the Danube in 1046. A large statue commemorates the bishop on the northeastern slope of the hill, facing Erzsébet híd (Elizabeth Bridge).
The Citadel which is strategically located on the hill had significant military importance during WWII. Budapest was not properly armed or provisioned to be a front-line city during World War II, and most Hungarians – even the few leaders who actively supported the Third Reich – never expected to face Russian soldiers in their own backyards. However, as the Red Army had rapidly advanced across eastern Hungary by early December of 1944, and Hitler declared Budapest's Citadel as a fortress that should be defended to the death of the last man standing, the Hungarians were suddenly trapped between a fanatically desperate “ally” that forbade any evacuation and the Soviet Union’s overwhelming military might. The encirclement of Budapest was complete by December 26, yet the house-to-house battle continued until mid-February, by which point some 160,000 people were dead on both sides – including approximately 38,000 civilians.
The Citadel which is strategically located on the hill had significant military importance during WWII. Budapest was not properly armed or provisioned to be a front-line city during World War II, and most Hungarians – even the few leaders who actively supported the Third Reich – never expected to face Russian soldiers in their own backyards. However, as the Red Army had rapidly advanced across eastern Hungary by early December of 1944, and Hitler declared Budapest's Citadel as a fortress that should be defended to the death of the last man standing, the Hungarians were suddenly trapped between a fanatically desperate “ally” that forbade any evacuation and the Soviet Union’s overwhelming military might. The encirclement of Budapest was complete by December 26, yet the house-to-house battle continued until mid-February, by which point some 160,000 people were dead on both sides – including approximately 38,000 civilians.
We had to make a stop for an hour or so at the Szimpla Kert ruin pub. Budapest's first romkocsma (ruin pub), Szimpla Kert is firmly on the drinking-tourists' trail (you can even buy a T-shirt) but remains a landmark place for a drink. It's a huge building with nooks filled with bric-a-brac, graffiti, art and all manner of unexpected items. Sit in an old East German car, watch open-air cinema, down shots or join in an acoustic jam session. Most of the clientele are foreigners. The night we visited, there was a Hungarian band playing folkloric songs.
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