Is the train travel included in the price?

Yes. The from-price of USD 13,850 covers accommodation aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train, all meals, wine and beer with meals, and guided off-train tours.

Is this trip escorted or independent?

It is escorted. MIR Corporation provides an experienced Train Tour Manager throughout the journey, and local guides conduct all scheduled off-train tours.

Which train am I traveling on?

You travel the entire route aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express, a private train running from Istanbul to Budapest.

What hotels are included?

One night in Istanbul before boarding and one night in Budapest after the train journey. The remaining five nights are spent aboard the private train.

How much walking is involved?

The activity level is moderate. You will walk cobbled streets in Veliko Tarnovo, explore castle grounds, and stroll town squares in places like Sibiu and Budapest, but no strenuous hiking is required.

When does this trip depart?

MIR Corporation offers departures in May, September, and October in 2026 and 2027, with prices ranging from USD 13,850 to USD 15,600.

MIR Corporation · Rail Journey

Castles of Transylvania by Private Train

Seven-day private train journey from Istanbul through Transylvania to Budapest

MIR Corporation's Castles of Transylvania by Private Train is a seven-day luxury rail journey aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express, departing Istanbul and rolling north through Bulgaria and Romania's Transylvania region to conclude in Budapest. You begin in Istanbul, the historic meeting place of East and West, board the private train, and spend five nights aboard while guided excursions lead you to UNESCO-listed medieval towns, royal palaces, and castles steeped in European history. The journey visits Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, where you walk winding cobbled streets and view Royal Fortress ruins, then passes through Romania's Transylvania, home to Peles Castle, the summer residence of King Carol I, Bran Castle, immortalized in Dracula legend, and the medieval citadel of Sighisoara. Days in Kecskemet showcase Hungarian art nouveau architecture, and Lajosmizse offers a demonstration of traditional Puszta horsemanship. All meals, wine and beer service, off-train tours with local guides, and a Train Tour Manager are included throughout. This tour suits history enthusiasts, luxury travelers, and couples seeking a guided European escape without hotel changes.

What to know before you look closer

Single supplement is high: from USD 20,600 compared to USD 13,850 double, nearly 49% above half the double rate.
International airfare and surface transport to Istanbul are not included; arrange your own arrival.
Drinks beyond draft beer in the Bar Car and beer and wine at set meals cost extra.
The itinerary groups multiple destinations per day; some stops are brief excursions from the train rather than full overnight stays.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Istanbul
Istanbul (Turkey)
Begin in Istanbul, the former capital of two great empires and the historic meeting place of East and West. Board the Golden Eagle Danube Express for Bulgaria.
Day 2railovernight: Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Istanbul (Turkey)
Begin in Istanbul, the former capital of two great empires and the historic meeting place of East and West. Board the Golden Eagle Danube Express for Bulgaria.
Day 3railovernight: Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria)
Arrive in Veliko Tarnovo, inhabited since the Paleolithic Age and once capital of the 12th-century Second Bulgarian Empire. View remains of the Royal Fortress, and walk the town's winding, cobbled streets. Watch the countryside unfold as the train lumbers north to Romania.
Day 4overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Sinaia (Romania), Brasov, Sighisoara, Sibiu
Arrive in Sinaia, gateway to the beautiful Bugeci Mountains, and visit the summer palace of King Carol I, Peles castle. Explore the birthplace of Vlad Tepes the Impaler (Dracula) in the citadel of Sighisoara, and visit Bran Castle in Brasov, which served as Bram Stoker's model for Dracula's ancestral home. Stroll the Old Town Square in the Saxon town of Sibiu.
Day 5overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Sinaia (Romania), Brasov, Sighisoara, Sibiu
Arrive in Sinaia, gateway to the beautiful Bugeci Mountains, and visit the summer palace of King Carol I, Peles castle. Explore the birthplace of Vlad Tepes the Impaler (Dracula) in the citadel of Sighisoara, and visit Bran Castle in Brasov, which served as Bram Stoker's model for Dracula's ancestral home. Stroll the Old Town Square in the Saxon town of Sibiu.
Day 6overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Kecskemet (Hungary), Lajosmizse, Budapest
Explore Kecskemet's stunning art nouveau architecture and buildings, and enjoy a spectacular Puszta horse show in Lajosmizse. End the journey in genteel Budapest, Hungary's Hapsburg-style capital, with its renowned Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and splendid Opera House.
Day 7overnight: Budapest
Kecskemet (Hungary), Lajosmizse, Budapest
Explore Kecskemet's stunning art nouveau architecture and buildings, and enjoy a spectacular Puszta horse show in Lajosmizse. End the journey in genteel Budapest, Hungary's Hapsburg-style capital, with its renowned Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and splendid Opera House.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Board the Golden Eagle Danube Express in Istanbul, the former capital of two great empires, beginning your journey northward into Bulgaria.
Day 3Arrive in Veliko Tarnovo and view the remains of the Royal Fortress high atop Tsarevets Hill, then walk the winding cobbled streets of this 12th-century Bulgarian capital.
Day 4Visit Peles Castle in Sinaia, summer palace of King Carol I, explore Sighisoara's medieval citadel birthplace of Vlad Tepes, and see Bran Castle near Brasov, inspiration for Dracula's ancestral home.
Day 6Witness a Puszta horse show in Lajosmizse showcasing Hungarian horsemanship, then arrive in Budapest to explore the Royal Palace, Matthias Church, and Opera House.

Included

Accommodation aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train.
Hotel accommodation per the itinerary (1 night in Istanbul, 1 night in Budapest).
All meals starting with dinner on Day 1 until breakfast on final tour day.
A generous allowance of wine or local beer, soft drinks and water with all lunches and dinners.
Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water round the clock from your car attendant while on board the train.
Complimentary draft beer in the Bar Car for all passengers.
Arrival/departure transfers, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates and in the tour start/end cities.
All guided off-train tours per itinerary.
The services of an experienced Train Tour Manager, with local guides for scheduled off-train touring.
All gratuities.
Baggage handling.

Not included

International airfare or surface transport to the point of joining/leaving the tour.
Items of a purely personal nature (laundry, telephone, bar account, photography at museums, etc).
Optional pre- or post-tour extensions.
Drinks, beyond draft beer in the Bar Car, and beer and wine at set meals.
Visa fees, any excess baggage charges, airport departure taxes, vaccination or medical costs.
Travel and trip cancellation insurance.

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included in the price?: Yes. The from-price of USD 13,850 covers accommodation aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train, all meals, wine and beer with meals, and guided off-train tours.
Is this trip escorted or independent?: It is escorted. MIR Corporation provides an experienced Train Tour Manager throughout the journey, and local guides conduct all scheduled off-train tours.
Which train am I traveling on?: You travel the entire route aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express, a private train running from Istanbul to Budapest.
What hotels are included?: One night in Istanbul before boarding and one night in Budapest after the train journey. The remaining five nights are spent aboard the private train.
How much walking is involved?: The activity level is moderate. You will walk cobbled streets in Veliko Tarnovo, explore castle grounds, and stroll town squares in places like Sibiu and Budapest, but no strenuous hiking is required.
When does this trip depart?: MIR Corporation offers departures in May, September, and October in 2026 and 2027, with prices ranging from USD 13,850 to USD 15,600.

Similar journeys

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains