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Tailor Made Rail · Independent rail holiday

Budapest, Vienna and Prague

Twelve-day rail loop through Vienna, Budapest, and Prague from London

Illustration of Budapest, Vienna and Prague

Tailor Made Rail's Budapest, Vienna and Prague holiday is a 12-day independent rail journey from London to Cologne that links three imperial Central European capitals. The itinerary departs London via Eurostar and high-speed rail through Paris and Stuttgart, then continues southeast on the Austrian RailJet into Hungary, arriving Budapest Keleti station in the evening of Day 2 for a three-night stay. Days 3 and 4 are free to explore Budapest's Parliament, Chain Bridge, thermal spas, and monuments. On Day 5, a short Austrian RailJet service carries you west into Austria for two nights in Vienna, with a full day to walk the Ringstrasse, visit St Stephen's Cathedral, and enjoy Sacher Torte in the historic center. The Austrian RailJet then crosses into the Czech Republic on Day 7, threading through Moravia and Bohemia en route to Prague for three nights. The return journey on Days 10 and 11 follows the ALEX regional train through Bohemian forests into Bavaria, stopping in the UNESCO-protected city of Regensburg, then continues north along the Rhine to Cologne before an Eurostar connection home.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels are listed as 'or similar': your final accommodation depends on availability and the tier selected at booking.
  • The package covers rail fares and hotels with breakfast, but meals beyond breakfast, entry fees to museums and monuments, and thermal spa visits in Budapest are not included.
  • This is an independent holiday with no guide or group escort; you navigate cities and make train connections on your own.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Stuttgart

    London to Stuttgart

    Eurostar to Paris, connect at the Gare de l'Est onto a high-speed TGV service across the German border to Stuttgart, for an overnight stay.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Budapest

    Stuttgart to Budapest

    A German train to Munich, then an Austrian RailJet service via Salzburg, Linz and Vienna into Hungary, arriving Budapest Keleti in the evening for a 3-night stay.

  3. Day 3overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

    Explore the Hungarian parliament, the Chain Bridge, Heroes' Square and Fisherman's Bastion; bathe in the thermal spas and try goulash with Tokay wine.

  4. Day 4overnight: Budapest

    Budapest

    A further full day exploring Budapest.

  5. Day 5overnight: Vienna

    Budapest to Vienna

    A late-morning service into Austria, under 3 hours, checking in for a 2-night stay in Vienna.

  6. Day 6overnight: Vienna

    Vienna

    Admire the architecture of the Ringstrasse and State Opera House, stop for Sacher Torte, visit St Stephen's Cathedral, or relax in Prater Park.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Prague

    Vienna to Prague

    An Austrian RailJet train, around 4 hours, crossing into the Czech Republic through Moravia and Bohemia, for a 3-night stay in Prague.

  8. Day 8overnight: Prague

    Prague

    Stroll the Old Town, cross the Charles Bridge, walk up to the castle, and visit the Franz Kafka Museum.

  9. Day 9overnight: Prague

    Prague

    A further full day exploring Prague, including Wenceslas Square.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Regensburg

    Prague to Regensburg

    A local ALEX train through the forests of Bohemia into Bavaria and the UNESCO-protected city of Regensburg, for an overnight stay.

  11. Day 11railovernight: Cologne

    Regensburg to Cologne

    A direct train to Cologne, arriving mid-afternoon, checking in next to the city's famous cathedral for an overnight stay.

  12. Day 12rail

    Cologne to London

    A high-speed service to Brussels, connecting with the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Explore Budapest's Parliament, Chain Bridge, Heroes' Square, and Fisherman's Bastion, then bathe in the thermal spas and dine on goulash with Tokay wine.
  • Day 5A late-morning Austrian RailJet service from Budapest to Vienna, under three hours, arrives in time to settle into a two-night stay in the imperial capital.
  • Day 7An Austrian RailJet crosses from Vienna into the Czech Republic through Moravia and Bohemia en route to Prague, a four-hour journey through Central European countryside.
  • Day 8Stroll the Old Town and cross the Charles Bridge in Prague, then walk up to the castle overlooking the city and visit the Franz Kafka Museum.
  • Day 10The ALEX regional train winds through Bohemian forests into Bavaria, arriving in the UNESCO-protected city of Regensburg for an overnight stay.

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 11 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included?
Yes. Tailor Made Rail includes all rail journeys in standard class from London to Cologne, with seat reservations where required. First-class upgrades are available for GBP 150 per person.
Which trains are used?
Eurostar (London to Paris), TGV (Paris to Stuttgart), Austrian RailJet (Munich to Vienna via Salzburg and Linz, and Vienna to Prague), and the ALEX regional train (Prague to Regensburg).
What accommodation is included?
Eleven nights in handpicked hotels with breakfast: one night each in Stuttgart, Regensburg, and Cologne; two nights in Vienna; and three nights each in Budapest and Prague.
How much time is unguided?
This is an independent tour. You receive easy-to-follow travel documentation and email-dispatched tickets but no accompanying guide or group escort. Days 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9 are free to explore each city on your own.
When does it run?
Tailor Made Rail operates this year-round. Low season (November to March) starts at GBP 1,449; high season (April to October) starts at GBP 1,549.
Can I add Berlin?
Yes. Tailor Made Rail offers optional nights in Berlin, reachable by a scenic journey north along the Elbe Valley under five hours from Prague.

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