Golden Eagle Luxury Trains · Escorted tour

Castles of Transylvania

Seven-day luxury rail cruise from Istanbul to Budapest through Transylvania

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains runs this seven-day, six-night rail cruise between Istanbul and Budapest aboard its own train, the Golden Eagle Danube Express. After a first night in a five-star Istanbul hotel and a morning walking tour of the old city, the group boards the train and spends the following four nights on board as it crosses the Shipka Pass into Bulgaria, climbs the Carpathian Mountains into Romania, and continues across the Great Hungarian Plain into Hungary. Each day brings a new stop with a guided excursion, from Veliko Tarnovo's Tsarevets Hill and Castle to Bran Castle, where dinner is served inside the castle walls, and the medieval town of Sighisoara. The tour ends with a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest. An Experienced Tour Management team escorts the whole trip, which suits travellers who want a fully guided, single-ticket journey through Transylvania's castles and old towns without changing hotels every night.

What to know before you look closer

  • Cabin category changes the price materially: Deluxe Class starts at 11,800 euros per person twin share, while Superior Deluxe Class starts at 15,200 euros per person.
  • Single travellers pay well above half the twin rate: Deluxe Class single occupancy is 17,600 euros per person, and Superior Deluxe single occupancy is 25,300 euros per person.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Five-star hotel, Istanbul

    Istanbul

    Arrive into Istanbul, transfer to a five-star hotel. Evening Welcome Dinner.

    Meals: Dinner

  2. Day 2railovernight: Golden Eagle Danube Express (on board)

    Istanbul

    Walking tour of the old central quarters, with a Freedom of Choice visit to the Sultan Ahmet (Blue) Mosque or Hagia Sophia. Early afternoon, board the Golden Eagle Danube Express and depart for Bulgaria and Romania.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Golden Eagle Danube Express (on board)

    Veliko Tarnovo

    Climb over the Shipka Pass to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's ancient capital, with a tour of the medieval Tsarevets Hill and Castle. Evening dinner on board as the train continues into Romania.

    Meals: Dinner

  4. Day 4overnight: Golden Eagle Danube Express (on board)

    Sinaia & Brasov

    Climb over the Carpathian Mountains overnight. Morning tour of Peles Castle in Sinaia; afternoon visit to Bran Castle in Brasov, with a gala dinner inside the castle walls.

    Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: Golden Eagle Danube Express (on board)

    Sighisoara & Sibiu

    Walking tour of Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage medieval town rumoured to be Dracula's birthplace. Continue to Sibiu for its Germanic Old Town architecture. Farewell Dinner on board crossing the Great Hungarian Plain.

    Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  6. Day 6overnight: Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest

    Kecskemet & Lajosmizse

    Explore Kecskemet before a 'Puszta' horse show at Lajosmizse. Late afternoon arrival in Budapest for a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace. Evening farewell dinner.

    Meals: Dinner

  7. Day 7

    Budapest

    Final breakfast on tour after an overnight stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

    Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2After a morning walking tour of Istanbul's old quarters, the group boards the Golden Eagle Danube Express and departs for Bulgaria and Romania.
  • Day 3The train climbs over the Shipka Pass to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's ancient capital, for a tour of the medieval Tsarevets Hill and Castle.
  • Day 4After crossing the Carpathian Mountains overnight, the day's touring takes in Peles Castle in Sinaia and Bran Castle in Brasov, with a gala dinner served inside the castle walls.
  • Day 5A walking tour of Sighisoara visits the UNESCO World Heritage medieval town rumoured to be Dracula's birthplace, before the train continues to Sibiu and crosses the Great Hungarian Plain overnight.
  • Day 6The day includes a traditional Hungarian 'Puszta' horse show at Lajosmizse before the train arrives in Budapest for a stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

Included

  • Five-star pre and post tour accommodation
  • Private en-suite accommodation on the Golden Eagle Danube Express train
  • Cabin attendant service including evening turndown
  • Experienced Tour Management team
  • Services of a UK-registered Doctor and medical facilities on board
  • Arrival and departure transfers
  • All gratuities – on and off the train
  • Luggage porterage throughout the journey
  • Freshly prepared meals on board, using the finest local ingredients
  • Authentic dining experiences in local restaurants
  • Inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
  • 6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 6 Dinners
  • Expertly guided off-train excursions as detailed in the itinerary
  • Freedom of Choice touring options

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The trip is a rail cruise aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express from Istanbul to Budapest, with private en-suite accommodation on board included in the price.
Is it an escorted tour?
Yes, an Experienced Tour Management team escorts the group throughout, and a UK-registered Doctor and medical facilities are also on board.
Which train is used?
The Golden Eagle Danube Express, in either Deluxe Class or Superior Deluxe Class, travelling from Istanbul to Budapest.
What hotels are used?
One night in a five-star hotel in Istanbul before boarding the train, and one night at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest at the end of the tour.
When does this tour run?
The evidence lists 6 departures: May, September and October 2026, and May and October 2027.
How much walking is involved?
Guided walking tours are included in Istanbul and Sighisoara, along with castle visits at Peles, Bran and Tsarevets Hill; no strenuous activity is described.

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