Budapest to Split

Last minute before leaving for Croatia, I realize that I should exchange Hungarian forints for Croatian Kuna. I go to my bank in Budapest, but am surprised to learn that they don’t exchange for Croatian Kunas.

I’ve seen many “corner-store” exchange offices in Budapest, but had always been reluctant to use them, not knowing how legitimate they may be. There are a number of such exchange offices on Andrassy utca. I enter one, to watch a couple purchasing the last of that day’s Croatian Kunas.

I cross the street to another exchange office, and luckily am able to exchange there. I actually found that the exchange rate at these corner-store offices in Budapest is better than what my bank offers. Not just on the Croatian Kuna, but also for the Euro. So now, I exchange on Andrassy utca. Specifically I have been using Exclusive Change, at 45 Andrassy utca.

I am ready to start my trip to Split. During the summer months, there is a direct overnight train from Budapest to Split. Otherwise, the train connection is in Zagreb, and there are 2 direct trains daily, one morning train and one afternoon train. I opt for the 6am morning train, as early as it is, so that I can still connect in daylight in Zagreb onto Split. Amusingly, the 6am train is full of young travelers who have spent the night staying awake at Budapest bars in order to catch the morning train to Croatia. They quickly fall asleep in their seats, but I choose a window seat to enjoy the view south along Hungary’s Lake Balaton.

In Zagreb, I learn that I must buy a seat reservation for the Zagreb to Split train. With the Eurail Pass, the seat reservation costs 37 Kunas (approximately 6 US Dollars). Note that this train is small with only 3 cars, and runs only 3 times per day. So be sure to book a seat reservation ahead of time if you are traveling in the popular summer months.

This new train is Croatia’s pride and joy – it’s Croatia’s version of a high-speed train. ‘Version’ being the key-word. It’s a 6 hour direct train ride to Split, which is 2 hours less than the older train. The 3 car train feels a bit more like an amusement park ride than a train as it chugs along the single track through the hilly terrain of Croatia. But the views are beautiful – full of cornfields, mountain villages and abandoned abodes haunting the hillsides.

Benjamin Thomas