Search

Tailor Made Rail · Independent rail holiday

Berlin, Krakow & Budapest

Twelve-day rail loop London to Vienna via Berlin, Krakow and Budapest

Illustration of Berlin, Krakow & Budapest

Tailor Made Rail operates this 12-day independent rail holiday that stitches together four cities across Central Europe using named trains and two overnight sleepers. You start in London, board Eurostar to Brussels, connect via the modern ICE to Cologne and Berlin, then travel east on the EuroCity Wawel to Krakow. The trip's signature moments arrive on the Chopin sleeper, a private double compartment that departs Krakow in the evening and wakes you in Hungary with views of the Danube Bend before arrival in Budapest. From there, a RailJet reaches Vienna, and a second sleeper returns you to London via Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris. Each city offers free days: Berlin includes Museum Island and the TV Tower; Krakow holds Wawel Castle and the main square; Budapest invites you to the Chain Bridge and thermal baths. Hotels include breakfast and rooms for one to three nights depending on the stop. This suits independent explorers comfortable navigating cities on their own, couples wanting private sleeper cabins, and repeat rail travellers drawn to a multi-train itinerary.

What to know before you look closer

  • The final hotel and sleeper departure city (Vienna to Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris) depend on the day of week you travel
  • Hotels are listed as 'or similar', meaning your accommodation may differ from the named properties

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Cologne

    London to Cologne

    Board a Eurostar bound for Brussels, then change onto a modern InterCity Express (ICE) service across the German border to Cologne for a 1-night stay.

  2. Day 2overnight: Berlin

    Berlin

    Take one of the hourly ICE services heading east from Cologne through the Ruhr area to Berlin for a 2-night stay. Visit Museum Island, the DDR Museum or Checkpoint Charlie.

  3. Day 3overnight: Berlin

    Berlin

    A free day to explore Berlin, including the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) on Alexanderplatz or a cruise along the River Spree.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Krakow

    Berlin to Krakow

    Take a EuroCity train named Wawel from Berlin, crossing into Poland over the Oder river, with lunch available in the Polish restaurant car. Arrive at Krakow Glowny for a 3-night stay.

  5. Day 5overnight: Krakow

    Krakow

    A day at leisure in historic Krakow, with its Rynek Glowny main square, 15th-century town hall tower and Cloth Hall.

  6. Day 6overnight: Krakow

    Krakow

    Explore Wawel Royal Castle, or take a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau or the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Sleeper train

    Krakow to overnight sleeper

    A final day of sightseeing in Krakow before boarding the Chopin sleeper train in the evening for the overnight journey through southern Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Budapest

    Overnight sleeper to Budapest

    Wake in Hungary, catching views of the Danube Bend, with a simple breakfast served in the cabin before arrival into Budapest's Nyugati station around 8:30am. Check in for a 3-night stay.

  9. Day 9overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

    A free day in Budapest, dissected by the Danube with the 'Buda' and 'Pest' banks connected by historic bridges including the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.

  10. Day 10overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

    Visit Budapest Castle, Heroes Square, the Parliament Building, or one of the historic thermal spas such as the Széchenyi or Gellért Baths.

  11. Day 11railovernight: Sleeper train

    Budapest to Vienna, overnight sleeper

    A 3-hour journey on an Austrian RailJet train to Vienna, where you board a sleeper service to either Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris (depending on day of week) to connect with your Eurostar home.

  12. Day 12rail

    Arrive London

    Connect from your sleeper's arrival city onto the Eurostar back to London.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4The EuroCity Wawel train crosses the Oder river from Germany into Poland, with lunch available in the Polish restaurant car
  • Day 7Board the Chopin sleeper train in the evening for the overnight journey through southern Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Budapest
  • Day 8Wake to views of the Danube Bend as the sleeper arrives into Budapest's Nyugati station around 8:30am
  • Day 11Travel three hours on a RailJet to Vienna, then board a sleeper to Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris for the Eurostar connection home

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
  • 9 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Two overnight sleeper journeys in a private double compartment
  • Comprehensive directions to your hotels
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. The package includes Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations on Eurostar, ICE, EuroCity, Chopin sleeper, and RailJet trains, as well as the return sleeper to London
Is this a guided or independent tour?
It is an independent rail holiday. You receive travel documentation and directions to hotels, and most days in each city are free to explore on your own
Are the sleeper trains included?
Yes. Two overnight sleeper journeys in a private double compartment are included: Krakow to Budapest and Vienna to London (via Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris)
What is included in the price?
Standard Class rail travel, nine nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast, two sleeper compartments, comprehensive travel directions and documentation, and ticket despatch
How many nights do you spend in each city?
One night in Cologne, two in Berlin, three in Krakow, and three in Budapest. Two nights are spent on sleeper trains
Can I upgrade to First Class?
Yes, all daytime rail journeys can be upgraded to First Class for an additional GBP 200 per person

Similar journeys