Pack your paperwork, including a valid passport and a pre-booked return ticket. If you are a U.S. citizen, you will probably not need a visa unless you are planning to stay in Romania for more than 90 days.
Choose your destination. There are 2 main destinations in Romania: Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. Both destinations have multiple trips per day by different routes, so be sure you pick the route for you. Also note that some trains require seat reservations.
Make sure you have adequate funds in Hungarian currency. Traveler's checks and credits cards will not be accepted. Train tickets from Hungary to Romania will range between 3,000 forints and 9,000 forints.
Pick a departure time. Official timetables are available on the Hungarian State Railway Web site, Elvira (see Resources). Keep in mind that a trip from Budapest, Hungary, to Bucharest, Romania, takes around 14 hours.
Decide between first-class or second-class tickets. Keep in mind that only second-class tickets will be available on some trains. First-class tickets generally cost about 1 1/2 times as much as second-class tickets.
Go to any train station in Hungary or the railway's central ticket office in Budapest. Communication will probably be easiest at the central ticket office.
Be as specific and clear as possible when booking the tickets to avoid confusion or miscommunication. State how many tickets you will need, the exact time and city of departure and what train you will be taking.
