How to get cheap train tickets in Europe
So, I've only found a limited number of websites when trying to book train tickets in Europe. (no doubt a way to take advantage of people from outside of Europe.)
How do I get the best price when trying to book a train from Venice to Budapest VIA Vienna ?
I assume that there must be a trick. As they want me to pay about $300 US for two people one way, with a bed.
To be fair, for two people with a bed, that seems like a reasonable price.
Your best bet, depending on the time of year you're travelling, would be to just book your tickets at the train station in Venice. A few days before you leave just head to the station, book your tickets, and that's a lot easier than having to print out tickets and over-paying online.
You could also try booking directly on the train companies website rather than on a ticket affiliate or aggregate, I'm not sure where you're trying to book the tickets.
I just quickly looked and the cheapest I could find was $150 USD per person as well for the train. The bus would be much cheaper, around $60 USD per person for the trip. But that would require you to take a bus to Vienna and then one to Budapest which probably isn't as fun or comfortable as the train.