Prague, Vienna and Budapest
Prague, Vienna and Budapest, in a few days
Three imperial capitals linked by train: the cobbled lanes of Prague, the coffee houses of Vienna and the thermal baths of Budapest. Day by day, with the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Prague Days 1-3
- 2 Vienna Days 4-5
- 3 Budapest Days 6-7
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Prague
The city of a hundred spires, which came through the Second World War largely intact. Charles Bridge, the astronomical clock, and the castle above the Vltava.
- Prague Castle (ticket)2h · from €15One of the largest castle complexes in the world, with St Vitus Cathedral at its heart.
- Vltava river cruise1h · from €18An hour on the river beneath the bridges, best at dusk when they light up.
- Charles Bridge at dawn
- The astronomical clock and its parade of apostles
- Malá Strana
- Petřín Hill
Vienna
The Habsburg capital for more than six centuries: Schönbrunn, the coffee houses, and classical music on somebody's programme every night of the year.
- Schönbrunn Palace (ticket)2h · from €22The Habsburg summer palace, its state rooms and then its gardens, climbing to the Gloriette.
- Classical concertEvening · from €45Mozart and Strauss in the city where they worked, played in a palace hall or a church.
- St Stephen's Cathedral
- Walking the Ringstrasse
- The Belvedere gardens
- The Naschmarkt
Budapest
Two towns facing each other across the Danube, Buda on its hills and Pest on the plain, joined into one city in 1873. The neo-Gothic Parliament on one bank, the historic thermal baths on both.
- Széchenyi thermal bathsHalf day · from €25A neo-baroque bathhouse with steaming outdoor pools, open all year, where regulars play chess in the water.
- Danube cruise by night1h · from €20The Parliament and the bridges lit up, seen from the river.
- The Parliament, from outside
- Fisherman's Bastion
- The Chain Bridge
- Gellért Hill
Worth sorting before you go
The Railjet · Direct trains run from Prague to Vienna in about four hours and from Vienna to Budapest in about two hours forty. Book early for the cheaper fares.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Gulyás: in Hungary a paprika beef soup rather than the thick stew served abroad.
- Wiener Schnitzel: veal beaten thin and fried in breadcrumbs, served with lemon and potato salad.
- Svíčková: Czech braised beef in a creamy vegetable sauce, with bread dumplings and cranberries.
- Apfelstrudel and Sachertorte: the pastries of the Viennese coffee house, eaten slowly.
- Czech beer: pale lager was first brewed in Plzeň in 1842, and it is still the drink of Prague.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Refuse taxis without a metre in Prague and Budapest. Use an app or an official rank.
- Skip the street exchange booths promising no commission: use bank cash machines, and decline the offer to convert into your home currency.
- Book international trains ahead, as the cheapest fares go first.
- Carry local money: the Czech Republic uses the koruna and Hungary the forint. Only Austria is on the euro.
Words that help
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/prague-vienna-budapest
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.