Vienna to Budapest tour
“Taking in three capital cities, you'll get a taste of the 'Grand Tour' days travelling on characterful trains, visiting summer palaces and exploring the great outdoors.”
Highlights
Vienna | Cesky Krumlov | Prague | Family homestay | Teplice National Park | Auschwitz memorial | Krakow | Tatra Mountains walking | Budapest |Description of Vienna to Budapest tour
Take a journey through enchanting Central Europe, travelling through Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Explore the musical heritage of Austria, the castles and bohemian vibes of the Czech Republic, the romantic Old Town of Krakow and Slovakia’s striking Tatra Mountains. Conclude this adventure by taking a road trip into Hungary.Travelling in a variety of methods, including taxi, train and public bus, this small group holiday begins in Vienna and ends in Budapest. Architectural treats include Krakow’s Wawel Castle and medieval main square, the World Heritage-listed town of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic and the eclectic Ringstrasse in Vienna. Take a hike in the Tatra Mountains, arriving in its beautiful landscape via funicular, gondola and electric steam train. Enjoy a scenic walk along the banks of the River Danube in Budapest, too. Threaded with bridges and flanked by castles and historic city buildings, Europe’s second longest river is also one of its most beautiful. This trip is packed with cultural highlights, including Vienna’s rich offerings of art, history and music and Prague’s jazz bars and Kafka museum, and you’ll also take a sobering tour of the Auschwitz concentration camp museum.
This is a 15-day trip and despite travelling to five countries, the itinerary is carefully designed so you’ll never feel rushed. There are lots of optional activities, too, from canoeing to bike tours and a home cookery course in Krakow. Accommodation is a mix of hotels, pensions and private apartments.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need some help finding one we're here to help.
Check dates, prices & availability
Date
Price per adult
Basis
Status
20 Jul 2019
£1750
excluding flights
Full
27 Jul 2019
£1735
excluding flights
Full
03 Aug 2019
£1735
£1562
£1562
excluding flights
On Request
10 Aug 2019
£1735
£1562
£1562
excluding flights
On Request
14 Aug 2019
£1735
excluding flights
5 spaces left
17 Aug 2019
£1685
£1516
£1516
excluding flights
7 spaces left
24 Aug 2019
£1750
£1488
£1488
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
31 Aug 2019
£1765
excluding flights
5 spaces left
07 Sep 2019
£1835
excluding flights
6 spaces left
11 Sep 2019
£1925
excluding flights
4 spaces left
14 Sep 2019
£1885
excluding flights
4 spaces left
21 Sep 2019
£1870
excluding flights
5 spaces left
25 Sep 2019
£1815
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
28 Sep 2019
£1750
excluding flights
9 spaces left
05 Oct 2019
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
12 Oct 2019
£1685
excluding flights
9 spaces left
19 Oct 2019
£1770
excluding flights
6 spaces left
04 Apr 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
11 Apr 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
25 Apr 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
02 May 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
09 May 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
13 May 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
16 May 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
20 May 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
23 May 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
06 Jun 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
10 Jun 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
13 Jun 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
20 Jun 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
24 Jun 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
27 Jun 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
04 Jul 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
11 Jul 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
15 Jul 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
18 Jul 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
25 Jul 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
01 Aug 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
08 Aug 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
15 Aug 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
22 Aug 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
29 Aug 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
05 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
09 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
12 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
19 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
23 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
26 Sep 2020
£1820
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
03 Oct 2020
£1750
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
10 Oct 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
17 Oct 2020
£1685
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
Our top tip:
Pack light and use a pack which is easy to carry and store on public trains and buses.
Trip type:
Small group, max 12. Min age 15.
Activity level:
Moderate.
Accomm:
Hotel 8 nights, pension 3 nights, private apartment 3 nights. Some have shared facilities.
Solo:
Solos welcome; no supplement if prepared to share.
Included:
Transport, listed activities, all accomodation, guide.
Meals:
10 breakfasts. Budget around €450 for extra meals.
Vouchers
Accepted
“It’s a golden opportunity to get to know people. Try the food, listen to our recommendations. That’s what we’re there for.”
Learn more about this itinerary in Responsible Travel's interview with Matthew Starr, a tour leader on this tripRead full interview
Responsible tourism
Responsible tourism: Vienna to Budapest tour
We are committed to a style of travel that is environmentally, culturally and socially responsible. With your participation we aim to travel in a way that conserves the areas we visit and bring positive benefits to local communities while minimising any negative impacts.
Your group leader and the local guides we use along the way will help to break down barriers in your interactions with local people. Local Guides are highly recommended on any trip as they are the experts who can share a passion and knowledge for their homes like no else can. Throughout the trip you will have several opportunities to use the services of these local guides in places such as Cesky Krumlov and Budapest which will add to the whole experience of discovering Central and Eastern Europe.
In Cesky Krumlov you will be staying at a locally run pension that is full of charm and friendly service. The locals of Cesky Krumlov who own and run these pensions are very grateful for our business as they have had to compete with big groups coming into town the last few years who stay at bigger hotels.
Also in Prague you will be staying in private apartments in a local neighbourhood which is central to the old town square. This is your chance to live like the locals and experience a different style of accommodation. The apartments are privately run and owned which helps support the local businesses instead of giving money to internationally owned hotels.
6 Reviews of Vienna to Budapest tour
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 07 Jul 2013 by David Simpson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable for me was waking through the sandstone canyons in the Teplice National Park.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure that your leader explains carefully what is meant by "sharing an apartment" in Prague.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
No.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Good.
Reviewed on 07 Jul 2009 by Helen Spooner
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I loved the Czech Republic in particular and also walking in the Tatra mountians. I will be telling everyone that if they want to ski they should try Slovakia as a skiing destination. Cesky Krumlov and Prague are the most fascinating cities and I will definitely be returning to visit them again.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Read Michael Palin’s New Europe book before you go as it gives a brilliant insight into some of the history and culture of the whole area, not just the 5 countries we visited. Anyone who has the time would greatly benefit by reading up on any of the history of any of the places we visited.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We definitely spent our money in local businesses and used local transport etc.... As we were in big cities most of the time our impact on the local environment was certainly minimal.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent - will recommend it to others.
Reviewed on 23 Sep 2008 by fenella williams
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most memorable had to be the visit to Auschwitz . Every time we moved to a new location, there was the excitement of the unknown.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Check the weather: when I went temperatures varied from 30deg. down to 5 deg.C. so packing was a challenge. Take an umbrella anyway!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, we were certainly putting cash into the local economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Well thought out - good mix of free time and planned activities. V.good trip notes and information - really useful for planning what to see and how to get there. Covered an amazing amount of ground - it would have been nice to have had more time in some places; I'll just have to go again!
Reviewed on 09 Jun 2008 by Anthony Leeds
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
For me personally the walking in the high Tatra mountains was the highlight followed by the Adrspach rocky town area. But the whole experience was seeing the countries of the former eastern bloc and finding them to be so beautiful; the whole package was great.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Read the itinerary to make sure that you understand that you will be doing quite a lot of travelling by train, many hours in fact, but also the best way to see the country. I stood up by choice for many hours just looking out of the open windows, (yes lovely old rolling stock carriages).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Without doubt the local people very much benefited from the way that the holiday was organised, also with minimal impact on the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Just great, will be looking for another experience like this one.
Reviewed on 04 Oct 2006 by Nicole Muir
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I was advised to take a trip with this company by friends who travelled to Vietnam with them. I am extremely glad I took their advice and will travel with them again. I expected to be 'roughing' it a bit in terms of accommodation especially, however the accommodation was excellent and the local transport links that were organised by the tour leader were great. The most memorable parts of the trip were spending time in Krakow, hiking in the Tatra's and visiting Auschwitz - something I will never forget.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
No need to take a sleeping bag as the accommodation was far from 'roughing it'. The hotels/pensions were of a really high standard even for a bit of a germ-a-phobe like me!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I thought we were able to contribute to the local economy especially in the Tatra's and Teplice.
4. Any other comments?
A fantastic trip and I will definitely be booking another trip in the near future.
Reviewed on 22 Apr 2006 by Joan Prior
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I most enjoyed the visit to Cesky Krumlov - a great little place to stop and visit. Our hotel was quite remarkable, the mead outstanding, and the beer cheap! Although snow was the last thing I wanted to see, waking up to see snow falling on the rooftops and covering the trees was quite magical.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack light and/or use a pack which is easy to carry and to store. On the public trains and buses, there isn't a lot of room, so small / slim is good; heavy / bulky is bad. Plus there is quite a bit of walking to get to train and bus stops and/or to hotels, so your bag has to be suitable for that. (Wheelees are okay, but a good back pack is the best.)
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, because we used small, locally owned facilities and public transport.
4. Any other comments?
*** Very enjoyable - I have highly recommended it to friends, and enjoyed this one so much I am booking another with this operator.
Popular similar holidays
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania holiday
Journey through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 12 days
From £1399 - £1499 12 days including UK flights
Cycling holiday in the Baltics
Discover historical cities crossing Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
From £1419 - £1619 11 days including UK flights
Madrid to Marrakech holiday
Experience first-hand Spanish, Portuguese & Moroccan lifestyles
From £1732 - £2220 15 days excluding flights
Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro holiday
Multicultural diversity of 2 South- European countires
From €1000 - €4000 11 days excluding flights
protection
