MÁV launches direct Retro Istria Express to Adriatic beach towns

The Hungarian railway operator MÁV has reintroduced the Retro Istria Express night train, offering a direct, no‑transfer service from Budapest‑Keleti to popular Slovenian and Croatian Adriatic coastal cities. The service runs nightly until August 30, stopping in Székesfehérvár, Veszprém, Ajka and Zalaegerszeg before reaching Ljubljana and then continuing along the Adriatic coast to destinations such as Koper, Opatija, Rijeka, and Pula. Three cabin classes are available – standard seats with 6‑8‑person compartments, sleeper cars with 4‑6‑person berths, and premium sleeping cabins with 1‑3‑person berths – with tickets starting at €16 to Ljubljana, €20 to Koper, and €25 to the other resorts. A mandatory place‑fee of €2‑3 applies, and Interrail holders can use their tickets for the place‑fee.

Alongside the train service, travel guides highlight a range of inexpensive last‑minute European holiday options. Cities such as Kraków (Poland), Belgrade (Serbia), Timișoara (Romania), Milan (Italy), Malta, Athens (Greece), Prague (Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria), various Croatian coastal towns, Porto (Portugal) and Copenhagen (Denmark) are presented as affordable destinations accessible by train or low‑cost flights.