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PTG Tours · Escorted tour

Budapest & Sarajevo Luxury Explorer

Eight-day escorted tour through Hungary, Croatia, and Bosnia by vintage rail and coach

Illustration of Budapest & Sarajevo Luxury Explorer

PTG Tours operates this 8-day luxury rail tour for travellers seeking comfort and history across Central Europe. The journey begins in Budapest with three nights of sightseeing, including a Danube cruise and visits to St. Stephen's Basilica, Parliament, and Buda Castle. On day three, passengers board the Continental Classic Express, a vintage train also known as the Hungarian Orient Express, and travel in First Class Pullman carriages through Hungary and Bosnia to Sarajevo. En route, champagne and four-course meals are served on board. Sarajevo becomes the home base for four nights, with guided tours of Ottoman architecture, the Franz Ferdinand assassination site, the Bascarsija bazaar, the Tunnel of Hope, and the ruins of the 1984 Winter Olympics bobsleigh track. Day six features a steam-hauled narrow-gauge ride on the Sargan Eight at Mokra Gora and a visit to the UNESCO-listed Bridge on the Drina at Visegrad. The return to Budapest on day seven is by Continental Classic Express, again with first-class meals. An experienced Tour Leader accompanies the group throughout.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one confirmed departure in May 2026; availability beyond that month is not listed
  • The from-price of GBP 3,345 is ground-only; flights from UK airports add GBP 275-325

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Budapest (2 nights)

    UK - Budapest

    Departing from selected UK airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester or Birmingham); transfer to the InterCity Hotel. Ground Only passengers travel independently and meet at the hotel.

  2. Day 2overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

    Hop-on/hop-off bus tickets to explore St. Stephen's Basilica, National Museum, Parliament Building and Buda Castle, plus a guided walking tour and a River Danube cruise.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Sarajevo (4 nights)

    Budapest - Sarajevo by Continental Classic Express

    Board the Continental Classic Express at Keleti Station, travelling in First Class Pullman carriages with welcome champagne, breakfast, four-course lunch and four-course evening meal served on board through Hungary and Croatia to Bosnia. Arrive Sarajevo, transfer to the Movenpick Hotel.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Sarajevo

    Sarajevo - Mostar by train

    Re-join the Continental Classic Express through 89 tunnels and the dramatic Neretva Valley to Mostar; free time to explore the Old Town and the UNESCO Old Bridge. Afternoon tea and cakes served on the return train.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Sarajevo

    Sarajevo

    Guided sightseeing walk of Sarajevo including Ottoman architecture, the site of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque and the Bascarsija bazaar. Afternoon visit to the Tunnel of Hope and the 1984 Winter Olympics bobsleigh track ruins, with a coffee stop at a former narrow-gauge railway station.

  6. Day 6overnight: Sarajevo

    Sargan Eight and Visegrad

    Travel to Mokra Gora for a steam-hauled narrow-gauge journey on the renowned Sargan Eight. Continue to Visegrad to visit the Bridge on the Drina River (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with a traditional lunch.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Budapest

    Sarajevo - Budapest by train

    Return journey to Budapest aboard the Continental Classic Express, First Class, with Adria Bar and a four-course lunch and evening meal on board.

  8. Day 8rail

    Budapest - UK

    Transfer to Budapest Airport for the return flight to the selected UK airport. Overland travellers join the 09:40 through train to Munich.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Danube cruise from Budapest viewing Parliament Building and Buda Castle by water
  • Day 3Board the Continental Classic Express at Keleti Station in First Class Pullman carriages with champagne and four-course meals served en route to Sarajevo
  • Day 4Travel on the Continental Classic Express through 89 tunnels and the Neretva Valley to UNESCO-listed Mostar; afternoon tea served on the return train
  • Day 6Steam-hauled ride on the Sargan Eight narrow-gauge railway at Mokra Gora, followed by a visit to the Bridge on the Drina at Visegrad

Included

  • 7 nights' bed & breakfast plus 4 lunches and 2 evening meals (9 nights' if overland by rail)
  • Services of experienced Tour Leader

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The tour includes travel on the Continental Classic Express in First Class Pullman carriages between Budapest and Sarajevo (both directions) and a ride on the Sargan Eight narrow-gauge steam railway at Mokra Gora.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. PTG Tours operates it with an experienced Tour Leader throughout.
What is included in the price?
Seven nights' bed and breakfast, four lunches, two evening meals on the train, services of the Tour Leader, sightseeing tours in Budapest and Sarajevo, and transfers. If joining by overland rail, nine nights' accommodation and meals are included.
Which hotels are used?
The InterCity Hotel in Budapest for three nights and the Movenpick Hotel in Sarajevo for four nights.
When does the tour run?
One departure is confirmed for May 2026. Check with PTG Tours for other dates.
How much walking is involved?
The tour includes guided walking tours of Budapest and Sarajevo, hop-on/hop-off bus exploration in Budapest, and free time to explore Mostar on foot. Fitness for moderate city walking is recommended.

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