European Peace Walk: Budapest to Trieste !
Budapest: How to get there
Budapest is so easy to get to from Vienna or Bratislava. The train journey is under 3 hours and about 14euros direct to Budapest KELETI Train Station. It is a magic city and well worth spending a good few days here before your EPW, soaking up the culture, ambience, baths, cuisine, wine, people and incredibly friendly prices (compared to Vienna and Bratislava). There are so many super hotels and hostels to choose from in the City Center!
How to get out of Budapest and onto the EPW path.
It is time to leave Budapest and get on to the starting point of the European Peace Walk. LENTI is a town in the South-West corner of Hungary and from here you will start walking the EPW. So, there are 2 main ways to get from Budapest to Lenti.
Taking a Bus to Lenti:
Népliget This is the word you must memorize. Népliget is a metro station, on the U3 blue line in Budapest.
It is also where the main BUS Station is: Volánbusz
Go to the bus station. Every week-day (Monday to Friday) and at 13:00 there is a bus direct to LENTI. It costs 5,000 forints (15euros) one way and arrives in LENTI at 17:00. Perfect! A short stroll of 600ms to Hotel Denis in Lenti, say hello to Renata, check-in and then to the super Thermal baths literally next door. The thermal baths in Lenti are 2200forints (after 5pm) and are open to 8pm daily. So, plenty of time to relax and soak up the good vibes. Then back to Hotel Denis for a slap-up meal and a deep sleep.
In the morning ,,,,,,,,, you are walking.
Taking a Train to Lenti:
For the more adventurous, or for those determined to leave Budapest on a weekend, you can take a train to LENTI. You would have to make your way to Zalaegerszeg firstly. This town is 44 kms from Lenti and is the capital of Zala county. The buses and trains mostly go to Zalaegerszeg.
In Zalaegerszeg you need to change trains, to go onwards to Lenti. It is more of an adventure, but it is possible and a great way to see the Hungarian countryside from a train window.
When you arrive in Lenti train station, you are beside Hotel Denis (100ms away).
To Recap:
A couple of nights in Vienna/Bratislava, then off for a few nights in magic Budapest. Then a bus direct down to Lenti, Hungary. Into thermal baths for an evening dip, dinner, then sleep and then walking the next morning? Yes! Correct. And if you think that is a good start; your first day walking will be: Breakfast in Hungary, lunch in Slovenia and dinner in Croatia.
All in all, a cool way to beginning to your trans-national adventure!
