Prague, Vienna and Budapest are the great triple act of Central Europe: three former imperial capitals, a few hours apart, each convinced it has the best coffee, the best views and the most beautiful bridge. They are all correct, which is why so many people want to see them in one trip. The cities themselves are the easy part. The real choice is how you travel between them: by coach with a tour director, by train with a small group, by bike along the Danube, or by river ship with dinner served on the way.
This guide lines up every tour we offer that links at least two of the three, with who each one suits and its honest drawback. One spoiler before we begin: the Danube flows through Vienna and Budapest, but not Prague, so no river cruise can do all three. Prague sits on the Vltava and is entirely unbothered by this.
The quick answer
- If you want all three with flights and a tour director, pick Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights.
- If you want three nights in each and no early starts, pick Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague.
- If you want to travel like a local, by bus and train, pick the Budapest to Prague Adventure.
- If you would rather pedal, pick Cycle Prague to Vienna or Cycle the Danube.
- If you want to unpack once, pick the Blue Danube river cruise (Vienna and Budapest only).
Every Prague, Vienna and Budapest tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All three cities | ||||||
| Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights – 8 Days | 8 | £1,507 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | First-timers, flights included |
| Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague – 10 Days | 10 | £2,588 pp | Low | Max 40 | No | A gentle pace, three nights each |
| Budapest to Prague Adventure: Bratislava, Vienna & Mikulov – 8 Days | 8 | £1,595 pp | Low | Max 18 | No | Small group by bus and train |
| Berlin to Venice: Prague, Budapest, Vienna & Bled – 15 Days | 15 | £1,951 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Berlin to Venice on a budget |
| Two of the three | ||||||
| Berlin to Budapest by Train: Dresden, Prague & Bratislava – 8 Days | 8 | £936 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Berlin to Budapest by train |
| Best of Central Europe: Vienna to Budapest – 15 Days | 15 | £2,865 pp | Medium | Max 15 | No | Vienna to Budapest via Poland |
| Prague to Belgrade: Kraków, a Slovak Castle Stay & Budapest – 12 Days | 12 | £5,225 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Comfort, Prague to Belgrade |
| By bike | ||||||
| Cycle Prague to Vienna: Bohemia & the Danube – 8 Days | 8 | £2,095 pp | Medium | Max 15 | No | Bohemia and the Danube |
| Cycle the Danube: Vienna to Budapest – 8 Days | 8 | £1,840 pp | Medium | Max 15 | No | Flat paths along the Danube |
| By river | ||||||
| The Blue Danube River Cruise with Flights – 8 Days | 8 | £1,899 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | A week on the Danube |
| Danube Discovery Cruise: Budapest, Bratislava & Vienna – 5 Days | 5 | £1,299 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | A short break on the Danube |
| Christmas | ||||||
| Christmas Markets by Train: Munich to Budapest – 8 Days | 8 | £1,743 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Advent by train |
| Danube Christmas Markets River Cruise with Flights – 6 Days | 6 | £1,349 pp incl. flights | Low | Not stated | Yes | Advent on the river |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
By coach: the classic way to do all three
Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights
Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,507 per person incl. flights
- Prague, Czech Republic to Budapest, Hungary
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Eight days with return flights from a choice of UK airports, four-star hotels, coach travel and a tour director: three nights in Prague with a guided walk through the Old Town and over the Charles Bridge, two in Vienna, then Budapest with a city tour and a Danube cruise. Breakfast is the only meal included, which is less a drawback than an invitation: these are three of the finest cities in Europe in which to find your own dinner.
Suits: first-timers who want the flights, hotels and transfers sorted in one go. The honest drawback: coach groups can be large, and several extras, from a Dresden day trip to a folklore dinner, cost more.
Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague
Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna & Prague – 10 Days
- 10 days
- From £2,588 per person
- Max 40 people
- Budapest, Hungary to Prague, Czech Republic
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Ten days at a deliberately unhurried pace, with three nights in each city, several late starts and a tour director throughout. Stylish central hotels, nine breakfasts and five dinners, from Hungarian delicacies with wine to a proper Viennese dinner and a progressive dine-around in Prague. Highlights include a tour of the Liszt Music Academy with a student recital, a private visit to Schönbrunn Palace with a local expert, a stop in fairy-tale Český Krumlov and Prague Castle.
Suits: music lovers, coffee-house sitters and anyone who hates living out of a suitcase. The honest drawback: coach groups can reach 40, flights are not included, and you see the three cities rather than much in between.
By train and bus, in a small group
Budapest to Prague Adventure
Budapest to Prague Adventure: Bratislava, Vienna & Mikulov – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,595 per person
- Max 18 people
- Budapest, Hungary to Prague, Czech Republic
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, August, September, October
Eight days the local way, by bus and train, with a tour leader and four to 18 travellers. One night in Budapest, then two in Bratislava with a day trip by train to Vienna, two in the Moravian wine town of Mikulov with the Lednice-Valtice palaces, a wine tasting and the old Jewish cemetery, and finally two in Prague. Breakfasts are included and all the travel between cities is arranged.
Suits: wine lovers, rail fans and solo travellers who want company without a coach. The honest drawback: just one night in Budapest, Vienna is a day trip, and you carry your own bags on trains.
Berlin to Budapest by Train
Berlin to Budapest by Train: Dresden, Prague & Bratislava – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £936 per person
- Max 16 people
- Berlin, Germany to Budapest, Hungary
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
The budget hero of the bunch: eight days in a group of up to 16, by city-centre trains from Berlin to Dresden, a short hike to the sandstone Bastei bridge in Saxon Switzerland, two nights in Prague with a brewery tasting, Bratislava and Budapest. You stay in simple, central hostels and hotels on a twin-share basis, with breakfast on most days and lots of free time.
Suits: independent travellers on a budget who want a leader and some company. The honest drawback: it skips Vienna, accommodation is partly in hostels, and most days are unguided.
Two longer small-group trips also link the capitals. Berlin to Venice (15 days) adds Vienna, Salzburg and Lake Bled to the Berlin–Budapest route, in hostels, hotels and guesthouses, with new travellers joining in Budapest. Best of Central Europe (15 days) runs from Vienna via Český Krumlov and Prague to Wrocław, Kraków with a guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a hike in Slovakia’s High Tatras and Budapest. It’s rated medium, with some long travel days. For more trains, see our guide to European rail tours.
By bike: the Danube cycle path
The stretch of Danube between Vienna and Budapest is one of Europe’s classic cycle routes: flat, well signposted and lined with cafés that understand the needs of a hungry cyclist. Two trips ride it, with bike hire, a leader and a support vehicle that carries your luggage.
Cycle Prague to Vienna: Bohemia and the Danube
Cycle Prague to Vienna: Bohemia & the Danube – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £2,095 per person
- Max 15 people
- Prague, Czech Republic to Vienna, Austria
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, August, September
Eight days for riders aged 14 and over, in a group of up to 15. A leader-led ride through Prague with a brewery stop, a ride from České Budějovice (home of the original Budweiser) to Český Krumlov, then the forests and lakes of southern Bohemia, the Danube cycle path, Melk Abbey and the vineyards of the Wachau before Vienna. Daily rides reach up to 70km.
Suits: regular cyclists, active couples and families with teenagers. The honest drawback: there are some hills in Bohemia, only breakfasts are included, and hotels are simple.
Cycle the Danube: Vienna to Budapest
Cycle the Danube: Vienna to Budapest – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,840 per person
- Max 15 people
- Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Eight days on mostly flat, dedicated cycle paths with a leader and up to 15: a guided ride around Vienna’s palaces and parks, then through the riverside forests of the Donau-Auen National Park into Bratislava, on to Győr and a village guesthouse, Komárom, the great basilica at Esztergom, the Danube Bend and Budapest. Six days of bike hire, seven breakfasts and a final lunch are included.
Suits: anyone who wants to cycle between capitals without a mountain in sight. The honest drawback: it’s just one night in Budapest, and you ride most days, so it’s not a city break.
By river: the Danube cruises
The Blue Danube River Cruise
The Blue Danube River Cruise with Flights – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,899 per person incl. flights
- Starts and ends in Budapest, Hungary
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Eight days on a first-class river ship from Budapest, with return flights, full board, a free drinks package and a cruise director. You sail upstream to Esztergom, Bratislava, Dürnstein and Melk Abbey in the Wachau, choose between a Linz walking tour and a Salzburg excursion, then have city tours of Vienna and Budapest, with a classical recital and a folklore show on board.
Suits: first-time river cruisers and anyone who dislikes packing. The honest drawback: no Prague, and some visits ashore are brief.
For a shorter taste, Danube Discovery spends five days on a five-star ship between Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna, with flights, full board and an all-inclusive drinks package. It’s a short break, so time in each city is limited.
In comfort, from Prague to Belgrade
Prague to Belgrade (12 days) is a premium small-group journey for up to 12, by private vehicle and train: Prague with a Pilsner tasting, Olomouc, Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kraków with a pierogi cooking class, two nights in a converted 13th-century castle in Slovakia with a pool and spa, Banská Štiavnica, Budapest, Subotica and Belgrade. It skips Vienna and has a few long driving days, but the castle alone may be worth it.
At Christmas
In December the three cities put on some of Europe’s finest Christmas markets. Christmas Markets by Train runs from Munich via Salzburg and Vienna to Budapest in a small group. The Danube Christmas Markets cruise does Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna from a festively decorated five-star ship, with flights. For more festive trips, see our guide to Christmas market tours.
How to choose
By time. Five or six days: the Danube Discovery and Christmas cruises. Eight days: the coach tour with flights, the Adventure, the train trip from Berlin, both cycling trips and the Blue Danube cruise. Ten to 15 days: Easy Pace, Prague to Belgrade, Berlin to Venice and Best of Central Europe.
By budget. Berlin to Budapest by Train is the cheapest, then the Adventure and Berlin to Venice. The trips with flights look higher but include the airfare. Easy Pace and Prague to Belgrade are the most comfortable, and cost the most. Live prices are in the table above.
By fitness. Everything is rated low except the two cycling trips and Best of Central Europe, which are rated medium.
By travel style. Coach with a tour director on the classic tours; trains and local buses on the small-group trips; a support vehicle on the bike trips; a river ship on the cruises.
When to go
Spring and early autumn are the best months: mild, bright and less crowded than midsummer, when the Charles Bridge becomes a contact sport. The cycling trips run from spring to early autumn, the river cruises from spring to late autumn, and the Christmas trips from late November to just before Christmas. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tour of Prague, Vienna and Budapest?
For first-timers, Prague, Vienna & Budapest with Flights covers all three in eight days, with flights. For a slower pace, Easy Pace spends three nights in each.
Can I visit Prague, Vienna and Budapest on a river cruise?
Not all three. The Danube flows through Vienna and Budapest but not Prague. The Danube cruises visit Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.
Can I do Prague, Vienna and Budapest by train?
Yes, the Budapest to Prague Adventure travels by bus and train with a small group, including a day trip to Vienna.
Can I cycle between the capitals?
Yes, Cycle Prague to Vienna and Cycle the Danube from Vienna to Budapest, with a support vehicle. Both are rated medium.
How many days do I need for Prague, Vienna and Budapest?
Eight days covers all three at a brisk pace. Ten days, as on Easy Pace, allows three nights in each.
Are flights included?
Flights are included on the coach tour with flights and on the river cruises. The other tours are land-only, and we can arrange flights.
Ready for the imperial capitals?
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Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
