More than 780,000 passengers purchased international train tickets through MÁV Group between January and July 2026, while digital channels continued to take a larger share of ticket sales.
64.8% of international passengers bought their tickets online, using either the jegy.mav.hu platform or the MÁV and MÁVPlusz mobile applications. That compares with 60.7% in the same period of 2025, while traditional ticket-office purchases have fallen to around 35%.
START Europa reaches 550,000 passengers
MÁV’s START Europa offer was used by 550,000 passengers in the first seven months of 2026, up from 522,000 a year earlier, an increase of around 28,000 passengers. The product is now available for travel to 16 countries and is designed as a discounted international rail fare for journeys from Hungary to destinations across Europe.
For many destinations, children travelling with an adult using a START Europa ticket can buy a second-class ticket for a fixed €5, while first-class child tickets cost €10. One adult can travel with up to three children aged 6-15 under the discounted arrangement, while children under six travel free.
International tickets move into MÁVPlusz
Another major change came in June 2026, when international tickets became available through the MÁVPlusz application. Passengers can currently use the app to purchase tickets for daytime international trains, while START Regio one-way tickets for cross-border regional journeys are also available digitally.
MÁV says Hungary currently has direct rail connections with 11 countries, including most neighboring states as well as destinations in Czechia, Germany, Poland and Switzerland.
The START Europa network itself covers a wider range of destinations through connecting services, including Austria, Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Ukraine.
Digital sales approach two-thirds of international traffic
The rise from 60.7% to 64.8% in the digital share of international ticket purchases means almost two out of every three MÁV international passengers now buy without using a physical ticket office.
That shift comes as MÁV continues to expand the range of international products available online and through MÁVPlusz, while START Europa remains the group’s dominant discounted cross-border offer with 550,000 users in just seven months.
