Subjective? Perhaps. But for travel from eastern to western Europe in a time-efficient way, this is the train for you!
The EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’, is a sleeper train from Budapest bound for Zรผrich in Switzerland and Stuttgart in Germany. The train is named after the Hungarian composer of operettas, Emmerich Kรกlmรกn.
The train departs from the Hungarian capital’s cathedral-like Keleti, or eastern, station in the evening, typically at 20:40. The train then stops in Vienna late evening, (actually where Kรกlmรกn later emigrated to). The train then travels through the night stopping in Salzburg. Here the train splits into the two portions – one to Zurich (arriving 08:20) and one to Stuttgart (arriving 09:28).
The Stuttgart portion continues across the German border, stopping in Munich’s east station early morning. This is followed by Ausgburg, Ulm and Gรถppingen, before arriving at Stuttgart. It is the same in the opposite direction.
The chances are if you perform a journey search from eastern to western Europe, and vice-versa, this train will appear. As well as serving those who live on the train’s route, of course, this train also allows passengers to travel conveniently from further afield. Anyone travelling from the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, for example, to Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania would benefit.
During a chilly evening in Budapest in November 2024, I boarded the EuroNight number 50462 ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ for a prompt 19:40 departure. I travelled in a private sleeping compartment as far as Munich in the carriage destined for Stuttgart. The scheduled arrival time was an early 05:50 – the following morning.
The journey departed one hour earlier than its normal scheduled time, due to recent flooding in Austria. This had led to the normal route being closed. This timetable alteration was indicated at the point of purchase. It is always worth checking anyway prior to departure, just in case of any last minute surprise amends, due to engineering work, for example.
Here is the all important route map for the full journey from Budapest to Stuttgart.
Departure from Budapest Keleti
It’s always advised to arrive in plenty of time for a long-distance train journey. This is especially important when it’s a once-a-day night train. When departing from Budapest Keleti you have another reason to arrive early and that’s to soak in the sights and sounds of the station itself. I always recommend a visit to friends and family, even if they aren’t taking a train!
The cathedral like train-shed is the focal point of the station but also the side entrance is something else. A tourist attraction in its own right!
MรV Premium Lounge, Budapest Keleti
Another reason to arrive early with a ticket for the sleeping car is the station Premium Lounge. A list of required ticket types to enter the lounge is provided on a poster outside the entrance. This might have been to save any embarrassment at reception.
The lounge offers a relaxing retreat from the hive of station activity. It’s perfect for a quick refuel stop with catering provided.
As it happened, I was the only patron in the lounge, operated by MรV’s catering partner Utasellรกtรณ, and I was outnumbered by the three staff. This did mean I was served straightaway which was nice. The lounge offers a free and paid-for offering (see the menus below), including sandwiches, snacks and drinks.
I opted for the cheese scone from the free menu, washed down with a multi-vitamin fruit juice. The singular cheese scone turned out to be a larger offering than expected. I was handed a plate with not one but seven! An eating challenge accepted and completed.
Highlights in Budapest City
Budapest is one of my favourite cities to visit with an array of attractions and experiences to enjoy. Most attractions are situated around the river on both the Buda and Pest sides.
During my visits to Budapest, I recommend:
- Fishermanโs Bastion for views across the Danube
- Szรฉchenyi Chain Bridge
- Szรฉchenyi Thermal Bath
- Hungarian Parliament Building
- Shoes on the Danube Bank
- Keleti station
- Grab a Kรผrtลskalรกcs, or chimney cake, at kiosks around the city
Onboard the MรV EuroNight from Budapest to Munich
The EuroNight from Budapest to Stuttgart and Zurich is operated by MรV, the Hungarian railways. These carriages were adorned with the company’s new modern blue and white livery. Some of the carriages display large graphics of the carriage’s accommodation types on their exteriors. These advertise what they offer and are italicised to show movement in a slightly comical way. A great way to advertise amentities to prospective customers en-route, I think!
As is common with sleeper trains across Europe, there is a range of accommodation available on the EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ from Budapest to Stuttgart and Zurich. These are seated, couchette and sleeping cars – the latter two with exterior graphics to match. The sleeping car displays a picture depicting a person lying down in a sleeping car berth (see picture below). Inconsistently, the couchette exterior depicts an apparent bodyless person wearing a party hat. Or no person. Or maybe a howling dog. Boarding and bedtime beckoned.
EuroNight train carriages, like their daytime EuroCity counterparts, are typically hauled by locomotives of the national operators. These are normally replaced at each border. The EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ unusually uses locomotives of one national operator, irrespective of the country operated in. These were Austrian railways (รBB) types for the full trip. This, at least, results in efficiency in saving the swapping of locomotives at each border. This was a time saving that was very much needed for this trip as I explain later…
MรV EuroNight Sleeping Car
The most premium accommodation on the EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ is the sleeping car. Each sleeping car contains eleven compartments with three beds in each. On this trip I had a private compartment, booking solo occupancy – an option for an additional charge upon booking.
Fifteen or so minutes prior to departure, I checked in with the onboard Utรกsellรกto host. He was standing on the platform by the sleeping car entrance and checked my documentation. In a moment, I was directed to my booked compartment, number 31 of coach number 263.
First impressions of the MรV sleeping car is that the inside has been refurbished as well. This now features brighter lighting and the blue theme continuing from the exterior – along with dashes of yellow and gold in places.
Having located berth 31, I was greeted to a spacious compartment with just the one bed, the lower berth, made up for my booked private occupancy. The other two bunk beds had been folded away.
The air-conditioned compartment featured a washbasin, a small towel, a bar of soap, power sockets and a breakfast menu card. The host was about to collect the latter. There was also a redundant ladder for accessing the upper berths, as well as a cupboard with some departure treats – including a bottle of water and a juice. There was supposed to be, in NightJet style, a small bottle of sparkling wine, however that wasn’t offered on this occassion. It’s worth mentioning that unlike the NightJet, there are no useable showers onboard this train.
The host came down shortly after departure from Budapest Keleti to collect the completed breakfast card. He also explained the amentities onboard the train. This included two communal toilets at one end of the carriage, and a full demonstration on how to lock the compartment both on the inside and on the outside. I wasn’t quite ready for the warning that thieves join the train through the night, as if a certainty. He stressed that if I left the compartment through the night I should make sure it is locked.
Just before getting some rest, I checked the door a few times more than I’d normally check to make sure it was locked.
Soon, after departure, we started to rack up a delay as we approached the border with Austria at Hegyeshalom.
The DB Navigator app includes a feed of Austria’s real time information. Having woken up at 02:40, a quick search of the app showed we were more than two hours late. However, magically we would still be on time at Munich. How?
There’s two and half hours scheduled dwell, or waiting time, in Salzburg Hbf / Salzburg Main Station. This station is where the carriages to Zurich are detached and others join the train from Zagreb. Also, an apparent like-for-like locomotive replacement – at least how it looked on the outside. This process is always a fascinating watch, at least on daytime trains when sleep isn’t the priority!
Prompt decoupling and recoupling action at Salzburg ensured we were scheduled to be on time in Munich East station. This meant the need for the expected early alarm was still there. Before I knew it, there was a knock at the door at 05:00 with breakfast.
As per my choices, my breakfast consisted of a cappucino, a carton of juice, two bread rolls with ham, cheese and honey, and a muesli bar. Enough to set me up for the morning.
It was soon time to get off, so I set-up the compartment into daytime mode by folding the bed against the wall and packed my bag again. This was nothing more than curiosity and is not expected.
MรV EuroNight Couchette Car
The budget alternative lie-flat accommodation on the MรV EuroNight is the air-conditioned couchette car. Similarly, these are typically offered on other sleeper trains in Europe. The cosy compartments contain six berths, sold as shared accommodation for four or six passengers. A blanket, clean sheet and pillow is provided. As per the sleeper car, the couchette compartments can be locked from the outside and the inside.
MรV EuroNight Seated Carriage
The EuroNight ‘Kalman Imre’ offers seated accommodation consisting of compartments through to Stuttgart and Zurich.
There are also a couple of extra seated carriages bound for Salzburg only. These are classed as a ‘EuroCity’ daytime service, despite running unusually through well into the early hours of the morning. This consisted of a First Class compartment carriage and a Second Class open saloon carriage.
Arrival at Mรผnchen Ost
The EuroNight Kรกlmรกn Imre arrived on time into Munich East / Mรผnchen Ost station after a scheduled short night.
I then took a local ‘S-Bahn’ train to Munich Main Station / Mรผnchen Hbf. This was before taking the brand new RailJet through the Alps to Bologna. If you’d like to read that travel report, here is the link.
Booking and Fares
Compared to the NightJet, the EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ is usually a lower cost for a similar standard of accommodation. Here is what those fares are priced from:
| Journey Leg | Second Class Seat | Bed in a 6-berth couchette | Bed in a 4-berth couchette | Bed in a 3-berth sleeper | Bed in a 2-berth sleeper | Bed in a 1-berth sleeper |
| Budapest to Munich or Stuttgart | from โฌ29,00 | from โฌ54,00 | from โฌ64,00 | from โฌ79,00 | from โฌ104,00 | from โฌ179,00 |
Tickets are bookable on the MรV website for journeys to/from Hungary. For journeys to/from Austria, book on the รBB website. Tickets are priced according to demand and increase in price closer to departure. It is recommended to book as early as possible.
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Conclusion
The EuroNight ‘Kรกlmรกn Imre’ sleeper train from Budapest to Stuttgart provides a time-effective connection from eastern to western Europe. The train offers a range of accommodation options with the most premium, being the sleeping car. This is a comfortable way to travel, especially now the carriages have been refurbished with a more modern look. The delay encountered was made up with timetable padding which resulted in an on time arrival. It may not be ‘Europe’s most convienient’ train for you. However, as a lover of travelling across eastern Europe and living in the UK, this certainly is up there for me.
This travel report was first published in July 2025.
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