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Budapest - Prague from 19 Prague - Budapest from 21 Prague - Bratislava from 15 Budapest - Bratislava from 14
Or take a RegioJet train between Prague & Budapest from 19.90
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Prague - Budapest from 16
Fast air-conditioned trains link Prague, Bratislava & Budapest every two hours, centre to centre with cheap tickets if you buy tickets using the right website. They are run jointly by Czech Railways (CD), Slovakian Railways (ZSSK) & Hungarian Railways (MAV) using railjet, comfortjet and EuroCity trains. There's also a safe, comfortable and time-effective sleeper train.
In 2020 these were joined by several competing RegioJet trains with 4 classes, free WiFi, cheap fares and excellent at-seat service.
Option 1, by railjet, comfortjet or EuroCity from 21
Option 2, by
RegioJet
from 19.90
Option 3, by sleeper train
from 39
Budapest Nyugati station
guide
Trains from Prague to
other destinations
Trains from
Bratislava to other destinations
Trains from Budapest to
other destinations
Train times southbound 2026
Train times northbound 2026
Notes for timetable
RJ = Railjet train with modern Czech carriages, restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
CJ = ComfortJet train with modern Czech carriages, restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Runs to/from Berlin.
EC = EuroCity train usually with Slovakian carriages, 1st & 2nd class with cafe-bar car.
Railjet, comfortjet & Eurocity trains are run jointly by Czech, Slovakian & Hungarian Railways, check times at www.cd.cz.
RegioJet = RegioJet train run by private operator RegioJet. Low cost, standard, relax & business classes, check times at www.regiojet.com.
In addition to these trains, RegioJet operates several competing Prague-Bratislava trains every day, see www.regiojet.com. More about RegioJet trains.
Prague to Budapest is 610 km (379 miles) by train. Prague to Bratislava 396 km (246 miles). Bratislava to Budapest 214 km (133 miles).
Which train to choose?
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Option 1: The fastest & most frequent option is to take a railjet, comfortjet or EuroCity train, these run every 2 hours, operated jointly by the Czech, Slovakian & Hungarian railways. They have air-conditioning, a restaurant car & free WiFi. What are railjets like? What are comfortjets like? What are EuroCity trains like?. See details for railjet & EuroCity trains.
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Option 2: RegioJet is a private operator competing with the national operators, taking slightly longer as their trains go via Vienna rather than Bratislava. But it's the cheapest option, especially at short notice when RegioJet fares remain low. RegioJet's older cars offer old-school comfort, free WiFi, a reserved seat included in the price, excellent at-seat service with complimentary water & Illy coffee in 3 of the 4 classes, and a complimentary sparkling wine in business class. You won't regret choosing RegioJet! What are RegioJet trains like? See details for RegioJet.
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Option 3: The sleeper train Metropol is the most time-effective option which also saves a hotel bill. Safe & comfy in a nicely-refurbished Czech sleeper. See details for the sleeper option.
Route map
Option 1, by railjet, comfortjet or EuroCity
The regular express trains on the Prague-Bratislava-Budapest route are provided jointly by CD (Czech Railways), ZSSK (Slovakian Railways) and MAV (Hungarian Railways). From December 2025, modern Czech railjet trains (and on one departure, an even newer Czech comfortjet train) are being introduced to this route, leaving just a handful of departures operated by classic Eurocity trains.
How much does it cost?
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Prague <> Budapest starts at 21 in 2nd class or 37 1st class.
Advance-purchase First Minute fares booked with Czech Railways, no changes, price varies like air fares, limited availability at each price level. Refundable less a service fee until the day before travel.
On the day, the unlimited-availability full-flex fare is around 69 in 2nd class or 103 in 1st class.
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Prague <> Bratislava starts at 15 in 2nd class or 28 1st class.
Advance-purchase fares booked with Czech Railways, no changes, price varies like air fares, limited availability at each price level. Refundable less a service fee until the day before travel.
On the day, the unlimited-availability full-flex fare is around 44 2nd class or 66 1st class.
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Bratislava <> Budapest starts at 10.50 in 2nd class or 19 1st class.
Advance-purchase fares booked with Hungarian Railways, no refunds, no changes, price varies like air fares, limited availability at each price level. Alternatively, it costs 18.40 in 2nd class bought on the day at the station, good for any train, a permanent unlimited-availability round trip special offer which is cheapest even for a one-way trip. However, there is no 1st class version.
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But you must buy tickets as shown below!
To get these prices, you must book direct with the Czech or Hungarian Railways. Resellers such as Rail Europe, Trainline or Omio have so far not connected to the Czech, Hungarian or Slovakian ticketing systems and cannot access these prices.
How to buy tickets
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Do you need to buy in advance?
Yes, if you want a cheap advance-purchase fare, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans, limited availability at each price level.
No, if you are happy paying the full-flex price. Full-flex tickets have unlimited availability so can never sell out, you can always buy one at the station and catch the next train, sitting in any empty unreserved seat.
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When does booking open?
Booking usually opens 60 days before departure, less than 60 for dates after the mid-December timetable change. More about when European train bookings open.
Tip: When using www.cd.cz, if you don't see a green button with prices, just Check price - By email, booking isn't open yet, wait!
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To buy tickets starting in Prague
Use the Czech Railways (CD) website www.cd.cz, see tips for using it.
This is the easiest site to use. The advance-purchase fares are called First Minute. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: Only one name & passport number is needed to support one print-at-home ticket, even if that ticket covers several people.
You can also buy tickets the Hungarian Railways (MAV) website www.mavcsoport.hu, see tips for using it.
Tip: If going to Bratislava, also check prices for the several daily competing RegioJet trains at www.regiojet.com.
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To buy tickets starting in Budapest
For Budapest to Prague:
Buy tickets at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, see tips for using it.
This is the easiest site to use. The advance-purchase fares are called First Minute. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: Only one name & passport number is needed to support one ticket, even if it's for several people.
You can also buy tickets the Hungarian Railways (MAV) website www.mavcsoport.hu, see tips for using it.
For Budapest to Bratislava:
Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways (MAV) site www.mavcsoport.hu, see tips for using it.
Or (easier!) buy in plain English at seat61.transport-ticket.com, this connects directly to ZSSK (Slovakian Railways) booking system, overseas credit cards no problem. It's powered by Distribusion, which is who you're buying from. Small booking fee.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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To buy tickets starting in Bratislava
For Bratislava to Prague:
Buy tickets at the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz, see tips for using it.
This is the easiest site to use. The advance-purchase fares are called First Minute. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: Only one name & passport number is needed to support one ticket, even if it's for several people.
Or buy at the Slovakian Railways website www.zssk.sk, but the Czech Railways website is easier to use. Tip: Also check times & prices for the several daily competing RegioJet trains at www.regiojet.com.
Or buy in plain English at seat61.transport-ticket.com, this connects directly to ZSSK's (Slovakian Railways) booking system, overseas credit cards no problem. It's powered by Distribusion, which is who you're buying from. Small booking fee.
For Bratislava to Budapest:
Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it.
Or (easier!) buy in plain English at seat61.transport-ticket.com, this connects directly to ZSSK (Slovakian Railways) booking system, overseas credit cards no problem. It's powered by Distribusion, which is who you're buying from. Small booking fee.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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To book the sleeper train, see the sleeper section below.
What are the railjets like?
From 14 December 2025, CD are replacing most older EuroCity trains with their modern railjet trains. Built by Siemens, railjets have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They are push-pull trains, which means they have an electric locomotive at one end and a driving cab at the other, so they can travel in either direction. Railjets have three classes, economy, first and business, in that order. Czech railjets have just 6 leather business class seats at one end of the train, see the photo below. To travel in business class, you pay a surcharge on top of any 1st class fare or pass. Railjets are capable of 230 km/h (143 mph), but they don't normally exceed 160 km/h (100 mph) on this route. See virtual tour inside a Czech Railways railjet. Czech railjet seat map.
A blue Czech Railjet train from Prague to Vienna, boarding at Prague Hlavni.
One departure on this route is operated by CD's (Czech Railways) latest type of train, a ComfortJet. Comfortjets are 9-car fixed-formation trains with two 1st class cars, six 2nd class cars and a restaurant car. Like railjets they're built by Siemens and have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. They are also push-pull, with a locomotive at one end and a driving cab at the other, so they can operate in either direction. Seat map for ComfortJet.
A ComfortJet train to Berlin at Prague Hlavni. Click the images below for larger photos.
What are the EuroCity trains like?
The few remaining EuroCity (EC) trains on this route use comfortable old-school air-conditioned cars usually provided by ZSSK (Slovakian Railways). 1st class seats are usually in an open-plan car like the one shown below, in 2nd class there's a choice of open-plan car or cars with classic 6-seat compartments. There's a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks and hot dishes.
Travel tips
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1st or 2nd class?
2nd class is absolutely fine, there's no need to go 1st class unless you don't mind the extra cost. But see what prices you get because with dynamic pricing 1st class may not cost much more. 1st class simply means more leg and elbow room and a quieter environment. 1st class seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width, so there are solo seats and face-to-face tables-for-two on one side of the aisle, ideal for solo travellers & couples.
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Power sockets, WiFi & toilets
There are power sockets at all seats in both classes. Each car has at least one toilet, usually two. There's reasonable mobile data reception along most of the route. All ComfortJet and most Eurocity cars have free WiFi with unlimited data in the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary. The Slovakian cars used on a few trains may or may not have WiFi.
Luggage is simple, you take it with you and put it on the racks.
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Luggage
You can pretty much take what you like, nobody cares how much it weighs or what size it is. You take it onto the train and put it on the luggage racks, there's plenty of luggage space in both classes. The racks above your seat take anything up to backpack-size, the racks in each open-plan saloon car take large suitcases. In compartment cars, very large items just go on the floor. More about luggage on European trains.
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Seat reservations
A seat reservation is optional on the Prague-Bratislava-Budapest route, except for the EuroNight sleeper train Metropol. If you choose not to reserve, you sit in any unreserved seat - an electronic display (on ComfortJets) or small paper label (on Eurocity trains) above each seat shows whether it is reserved or not. However, a seat reservation is strongly recommended especially in summer or on Friday or Sunday afternoons at any time of year. You can add a seat reservation when you book for 3.
If you already have a ticket (or Eurail or Interrail pass) you can make a reservation-only booking for 3 per seat at www.cd.cz by running an enquiry, finding the train you want and changing Purchase a ticket to Purchase reservations only. This works for journeys to or from Prague.
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Seat selection & forward-facing seats
If you book at www.cd.cz you can choose your seat from a seat map for journey starting in Prague or Bratislava
On the fixed-formation ComfortJets you can choose a forward-facing seat as the direction of travel is shown. On Eurocity trains you can't, as the reservation system can't predict which way round each carriage will be.
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Seat maps: ComfortJet seat map. Czech railjet seat map.
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How to check your train formation
You can check the train composition and see the types of car used on each departure at www.vagonweb.cz. Select en for English, then click Train formations, then either search for your train number, or search for Metropolitan. You may find seat maps here if one is available, click the seat map icon under the relevant carriage.
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First class lounges & where to wait for your train
In Budapest, there's no first class lounge at Budapest Nyugati.
In Prague, there's a CD Lounge at Prague Hlavni but it's somewhat underwhelming. The best place to wait for your train is either the excellent Fantova Kavαrna (Cafe Fanta) or the upmarket Foyer Cafe, both upstairs in the historic station building.
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Boarding your train
As with virtually all European trains, there's no check-in. Just stroll into the station, find your train and get on, any time before it leaves. The doors may be closed a minute or so before departure.
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Restaurant car
The restaurant car is open to everyone and having a waiter-service meal served on proper china as the scenery glides by is a real treat. There are no table reservations, just go along and sit down. You can use the counter if you want to buy snacks or drinks to take back to your seat. On most Eurocity departures and all ComfortJets it's a Czech restaurant car run by catering subsidiary JLV, you can see current menus by route at www.jidelnivozy.cz if you use Google translate and hunt around a bit. Euros and Koruna are accepted in the restaurant car, as are major credit cards - but take cash if you can, as their credit card machine relies on mobile phone reception. Czech restaurant cars have designated happy hours when the prices are lower!
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Recommended hotels in Prague & in Budapest.
Useful links
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Map of Prague showing station - Map of Budapest showing stations.
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Left luggage lockers in Budapest & Prague - General advice & tips for European train travel.
Option 2, by RegioJet
In July 2020, private operator RegioJet started running 2 daily Prague-Budapest trains in competition with the regular service run by the various national rail operators. RegioJet is a private Czech travel company, part of Student Agency which also operates bus services to, from and within the Czech Republic. Under EU law, any company with the necessary licences can operate international train services in competition with the national operators. These two trains were created by extending two of RegioJet's successful Prague-Vienna trains to Budapest, so they go via Vienna, not Bratislava. With air-conditioning, free WiFi, power sockets and 4 classes, RegioJet is a good choice. There's no restaurant, but there's at-seat service in Standard, Relax & Business classes with complimentary water & Illy coffee. Watch the RegioJet video.
How much does it cost?
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Prague <> Budapest starts at 19.90 in Standard, 23.40 in Relax, 27.40 in Business class.
These prices increase a little as departure approaches and on busy dates & trains, but not hugely. For example as I write this, Standard class on tomorrow afternoon's train is only 33, Business class only 46, making RegioJet inexpensive even at short notice.
Tickets are only good for the specific train you book, but are fully refundable and can be cancelled or changed in their app up to 15 minutes before departure. Cheap and flexible!
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Children under 6 free, children under 15 go at the child rate.
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If you have an ISIC student card you get a 10% discount in Standard & Relax classes on RegioJet trains, but not in Business class.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets for RegioJet trains at www.regiojet.com.
Booking opens several months ahead, but there's no need to book more than a few weeks ahead, days ahead is fine, in fact there are almost always seats available at cheap fares even on the day of travel.
All tickets come with a reserved seat, you can select from a seat map when booking at www.regiojet.com. So in theory tickets can sell out, in practice you'd be very unlucky not to find places available even on the day, you can buy in their app up to 15 minutes before departure.
Tip: When booking to or from Budapest, type Buda... and select Budapest - Deli pu. not the generic Budapest, Hungary. If you use the generic Budapest, Hungary it assumes you want the out-of-centre Budapest Kelenfold, you want Budapest Deli as that is one of the city's central termini.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop, tablet or phone.
You probably won't need to show it: There's no check-in, no ticket check, just free & open access from street to train, board up to 1 minute before departure. Once on board, conductors have a seat map on their tablets and know which seats are paid for, so don't need to disturb you.
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At Prague Hlavni, RegioJet (Student Agency) has its own ticket office at the main entrance level.
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Interrail & Eurail passes are now valid on RegioJet, see the passholder reservation page for prices.
What are RegioJet trains like?
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RegioJet trains have 4 classes: Low cost, Standard, Relax & Business. All tickets include a specific reserved seat.
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Low cost class
Low cost has basic air-conditioned seating with a complimentary small bottle of water, but unlike other classes you don't get free coffee. You can order food & drink brought to your seat using the Regiojet app.
The Man in Seat 61 says: Low cost is fine for short hops, but for longer journeys such as Prague to Vienna I recommend paying a fraction more to travel in standard class - the free coffee in standard class justifies the extra few euros!
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Standard class
Standard class comes in two forms, regular and Astra. Regular standard class consists of seats in comfortable classic 6-seater compartments, with power sockets but without WiFi, see 360Ί photo.
Standard class Astra consists of open-plan seating in a positively glitzy open-plan car with leather seats, drop-down tables, power sockets, free WiFi and seat-back entertainment touch screens, see 360Ί photo. Seats in the Astra coach are arranged 2+2 across the car width. Incidentally, Astra is the name of the Romanian rolling stock manufacturer who modernised these cars.
In standard class you get complimentary Italian Illy coffee (Espresso, Lungo, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino) & bottled water, newspapers and magazines. You can order wine, beer, snacks and even sushi at remarkably cheap prices from the staff or using the Regiojet app. If you have kids, you can book seats in the children's compartment.
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Relax class
Relax class offers leather seats in a spacious 1st class arrangement 2+1 across the car width, carpeted and air-conditioned with free WiFi and power sockets at each seat. There is complimentary Italian Illy coffee (Espresso, Lungo, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino), mint tea & bottled water, newspapers and magazines. You can order wine, beer, snacks and even sushi at remarkably cheap prices from the staff or using the Regiojet app. One carriage attendant serves every two cars. See 360° photo.
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Business class
In Business class you get leather seats in classic 4-seat compartments, carpeted and air-conditioned with free WiFi and power sockets at each seat. There is complimentary Italian Illy coffee (Espresso, Lungo, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino), Oxalis or mint tea, sparkling wine, orange juice & bottled water, newspapers and magazines. You can order wine, beer, snacks and even sushi at remarkably cheap prices from the staff or using the Regiojet app. One carriage attendant serves every two cars. See 360° photo.
The Man in Seat 61 says, "I had a 4-seat business class compartment to myself on what was otherwise a very busy train. Staff were friendly and regularly popped their head around the door to ask if I needed anything from the menu. The complimentary Illy coffee was of course excellent (I'm a fan of Illy coffee) as was the complimentary Czech sparkling wine. Lunch was a tasty sushi set for a mere 3. Sushi on a train, who thought of that? Genius! A great journey, I can easily recommend RegioJet!"
Travel tips
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Station lounge in Prague
Regiojet passengers in all classes can use the Regiojet lounge at Prague Hlavni for up to an hour before departure. The lounge offers free coffee, free ice cream & free WiFi.
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Train composition & numbering
You can see each train's composition at www.vagonweb.cz - select the UK flag for English, click composition & look for RJ (= RegioJet).
A RegioJet train from Prague, arrived on platform 6 at Budapest Deli.
RegioJet train at Budapest Deli.
Option 3, by sleeper train
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The safe & comfortable sleeper train Metropol links Prague with Bratislava & Budapest in both directions, a time-effective option.
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The train has a comfortable air-conditioned Czech Railways sleeping-car with 1, 2 or 3-bed compartments with washbasin.
From early April until early September train also has one or occasionally two Czech couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
The Metropol also has ordinary seats cars which are fine for the evening Budapest-Bratislava or morning Bratislava-Budapest trip but not recommended for an overnight trip to or from Prague, always pay for a sleeper or couchette.
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Sleeping berths are sold individually, so you don't have to pay for sole occupancy if you're travelling solo. It's much cheaper to book one bed in a 2 or 3-bed sleeper and share with other civilised sleeper passengers of the same sex. General information about travel in a sleeper or couchette.
What's the sleeping-car like?
The Prague-Budapest night train has one (or at peak periods, two) comfortable Czech sleeping-cars, see the photos below. Car 363 runs all year, car 362 is additional at peak periods. Each air-conditioned sleeping-car has 10 compartments with washbasin, each of which can be sold as a single-berth, 2-berth or 3-berth. There are two toilets at the end of the corridor. All compartments have a security deadlock, and each compartment has a power socket for laptops & mobiles. Bottled water, soap & towels are provided, and there's free WiFi. A light breakfast with tea or coffee is included in the fare. In 2022, beautifully refurbished sleeping-cars like the one shown below were deployed on this route, these cars have a shower compartment at one end of the corridor.
The Czech sleeping-car from Budapest to Prague, boarding at Budapest Nyugati on a summer evening.
What's the couchette car like?
From early April until early September the train also has one (or occasionally two) comfortable Czech couchette cars with 9 compartments, each of which can be used as 4-berth or 6-berth. Clean sheets and a pillow are provided, the doors have a normal lock and security lock or chain. Toilets and washrooms at the end of the corridor. Couchette compartments are not segregated by gender, as you do not normally get fully undressed. See generic couchette car numbering plan. See larger couchette photo.
How much does it cost?
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Advance-purchase First Minute fares from Prague to Budapest start at around 39 including a couchette, 49 including a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, 69 including a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 80 in a single-bed sleeper.
These prices are only available direct from Czech Railways, booked online as explained below. Overseas agencies & websites such as Raileurope or Thetrainline can't access these cheap fares.
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If you buy at the station on the day you need to buy a full-price travel ticket for around 55 plus around 10 berth supplement for a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, 15 for a couchette in a 4-berth compartment or 22 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper. A bed in a single-bed sleeper requires a 1st class ticket for around 82 plus a 51 single-bed sleeper supplement.
How to buy sleeper tickets
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Buy tickets in either direction at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket, see tips & advice for using cd.cz.
Booking usually opens 60 days ahead, less than this for dates immediately after the mid-June & mid-December timetable changes. There is no need to book further ahead that this. You can usually get the cheapest fares even booking just weeks ahead and can find places even on the day.
Go to www.cd.cz, select the UK flag top right for English and book between Prague hl.n. & Budapest in the direction you want.
Find the overnight EN (EuroNight) train shown as without transfers (EN) in the search results, click on Price in the next step.
It'll say Price in next step, click that. You should now see a 2nd class ticket price. Click Continue.
Tip: If you don't see a green Price in next step button, only Check price - By email, booking isn't open yet. Just WAIT!!!!
Now the important bit. Click modify against Free reservations and change Seat automatically to a couchette or sleeper. Then click the edit pencil symbol to change the type of sleeper from 3-berth to double or single, or the type of couchette from 6-berth to 4-berth.
You can check the berth numbers before you pay. If you book 2 beds in a double sleeper then yes, you'll get one whole 2-berth compartment to yourselves. See the sleeper berth numbering plan here or couchette berth numbering plan here this will reassure you that you are all booked in the same compartment in spite of the non-sequential numbers!
If you book this way you get a ticket with reservation included, which you print out and which is all you need to board the train. Don't forget the system only needs one name to support one ticket, even if that ticket is for 2 or more people. Got that? Good!
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Important booking tip if this sleeper train doesn't appear with a Price in the next step button
You might find that this sleeper train shows up in the search results without a Price in the next step button, or that Price in the next step appears, but seat reservation cannot then be changed to couchette or sleeper.
This is because www.cd.cz only sells special cheap advance-purchase fares for this train, it cannot sell regular full-price tickets. Sometimes the cheap fares for couchettes and sleepers on this route sell out or are simply not offered in the first place if the railways think they can sell them at full-price without the need to discount. Don't worry, here's the workaround.
In the search results, change Purchase a ticket to Purchase reservations only. Then click modify against seat reservation and change it to a couchette or sleeper and click the pencil symbol to change the type of sleeper from 3-berth to double or single, or the type of couchette from 6-berth to 4-berth. You are now making a reservation-only booking, paying the relevant couchette or sleeper supplement to safely book yourself on the train, with the necessary sleeper or couchette reservation but without the necessary travel ticket to go with it. However, this is no big deal as you can easily buy a ticket for around 61 at the station any time before departure, these full-price tickets have unlimited availability and cannot sell out.
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In the Budapest to Prague direction you can also book this train at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu. By all means compare prices on cd.cz and mavcsoport.hu, it's quite possible one will be cheaper than the other for this same train!
Travel tips
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Seat, couchette or sleeper?
Couchettes are cheap & comfortable enough, but a bed in the sleeper is a lot more comfortable for not a lot more money, so go for a sleeper. Never sit up all night in a seat, it's neither comfortable nor particularly secure, always book a safe & comfortable couchette or sleeper.
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Is the overnight train safe?
Yes. In a sleeper or couchette it's both comfortable and safe for families, solo females, or anyone. Look at the sleeper corridor above and see how quiet and civilised it is. Compartments in the sleeping-car have a security deadbolt which can only be locked and unlocked from inside. Couchette compartments have a normal lock (which can be opened from outside with a staff key) and a security lock or chain which can't be unlocked from outside - just make sure you use that bolt or chain as well as the normal lock, plus the same common sense you'd use in any hotel room. In couchettes I usually put my daypack with any valuables by my pillow. An attendant is on duty in the sleeping-car and couchette car throughout the journey. Sharing isn't a problem, if you don't want to pay for a whole compartment to yourself. You'll share with other passengers just like you, often fellow tourist or Interrailers or Eurailers. Sleeper compartments are single-sex when not booked in their entirety by people travelling together. Couchettes are mixed sex as you don't normally get fully undressed.
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How to check the train formation
You can see exactly which types of sleeper & couchette car are used on the Metropol to which destinations and in what order, using www.vagonweb.cz - select en for English, then click Train formations, then select EN next to Czech Republic then look for the Metropol.
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Luggage
You take your luggage with you into your sleeper or couchette compartment and simply stick it on the luggage racks above the window, over the door to the corridor, or on the floor. Nobody weighs it, measures it, or worries about how much you take. More about luggage on European trains.
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Power & WiFi
There should now be free WiFi in the Czech sleeping-cars, but probably not in the couchette car. Comfortline sleeper compartments have a power socket for laptops & mobiles, standard European 230v 2-pin type. It's located beneath the pillow end of the bed. Mobile data reception should work fine for most of the journey.
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Food & drink
The sleeper attendant can serve a limited selection of food and drink in your compartment from a room service menu including tea, coffee, snacks, wine & beer. In the morning, the sleeper fare includes tea or coffee plus a simple breakfast box with rolls or bread, butter, jam & orange juice. You are of course free to bring your own supplies with you, including snacks for a midnight feast and perhaps a bottle of wine. I recommend having dinner before you board.
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Dinner before you board?
In Prague, consider the remarkable Restaurant Zvonice (www.restaurantzvonice.cz), on the 7th & 8th floors of a historic gate-tower housing a bell that dates from 1518. It's a 5 minute 450m walk from the station, see a walking map. Don't worry, there's a lift! It's usually open until midnight so ideal if you're catching a sleeper. Expensive by Czech standards, but not by western standards, food & wine are great. Feedback appreciated.
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Map of Prague showing station - Map of Budapest showing station - Luggage lockers in Budapest & Prague.
Video: Bratislava to Budapest by train