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Planet Rail · Escorted rail cruise

Castles of Transylvania - Istanbul to Budapest

Seven-day private train cruise from Istanbul to Budapest via Transylvania castles

Illustration of Castles of Transylvania - Istanbul to Budapest

Planet Rail's Castles of Transylvania is a 7-day escorted rail cruise aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express, departing Istanbul and ending in Budapest. The private train carries you through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary, stopping at medieval castles and ancient towns. Day 1 begins in Istanbul with a welcome dinner at a five-star hotel; Day 2 combines a walking tour of the old city with your choice of the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia before boarding the train. Over the next four nights, you sleep in en-suite sleeper cabins while guided tours take you to Veliko Tarnovo's castle, Peles Castle's 160 rooms, Bran Castle (where you dine inside its walls), the UNESCO-listed medieval town of Sighisoara, and Sibiu's Germanic architecture. Day 6 includes a traditional Hungarian horse show before an overnight stay in Budapest at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace. This trip suits luxury seekers, history enthusiasts interested in Transylvania and Vlad the Impaler, repeat train travellers, and those who prefer guided, all-inclusive group experiences.

What to know before you look closer

  • The price from GBP 9,395 is for Deluxe Class cabins; Superior Deluxe cabins may cost more.
  • Budapest and Istanbul stays are marked 'or similar' for the final hotel, so your actual accommodation may differ from the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.
  • Single cabin pricing is not detailed; inquire with Planet Rail for the single supplement cost.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Istanbul

    Istanbul

    Arrive into Istanbul where you are met and transferred to a five-star hotel. This evening enjoy a Welcome Dinner and meet your fellow travellers. Your stay in Istanbul can be extended to explore more of the city.

    Meals: dinner

  2. Day 2railovernight: On board the Golden Eagle Danube Express

    Istanbul

    A walking tour through the old central quarters of the fabled city that spans Asia and Europe, followed by a Freedom of Choice visit to either the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque) with its six minarets and more than 20,000 Iznik tiles, or Hagia Sophia, built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian with its fine Byzantine mosaics. Early afternoon join the private Golden Eagle Danube Express to begin the rail journey through Bulgaria and Romania to Budapest.

  3. Day 3railovernight: On board the Golden Eagle Danube Express

    Veliko Tarnovo

    Climb over the Shipka Pass to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's ancient capital, its stone houses perched above the steep banks of the Yantra River. A tour includes the superbly preserved medieval Tsarevets Hill and Castle, with free time in the narrow alleyways of the ancient city. This evening relax in the Bar Lounge Car before dinner as the train crosses the Romanian border.

    Meals: dinner

  4. Day 4railovernight: On board the Golden Eagle Danube Express

    Sinaia & Brasov

    Overnight the train climbs over the Carpathian Mountains. This morning arrive in Sinaia for a tour of Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture commissioned by King Carol I, its 160 rooms adorned with European art, Murano chandeliers and Cordoba leather walls. After lunch on board, continue to Brasov to visit 14th century Bran Castle, perched atop a 200-foot rock and famed through Bram Stoker's Dracula, followed by a gala dinner inside the castle walls.

    Meals: lunch, dinner

  5. Day 5railovernight: On board the Golden Eagle Danube Express

    Sighisoara & Sibiu

    Arrive after breakfast into Sighisoara, a World Heritage site rumoured to be the birthplace of Dracula and one of the best-preserved fortified medieval towns in Europe, for a walking tour. Return to the train for lunch and continue to Sibiu, known for the Germanic architecture of its Old Town and the 13th-century Council Tower. Tonight a Farewell Dinner on board as the train crosses the Great Hungarian Plain.

    Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  6. Day 6overnight: Budapest

    Kecskemet & Lajosmizse

    Explore Kecskemét at the geographical centre of Hungary, then on to Lajosmizse for a spectacular 'Puszta' horse show. Arrive late afternoon in Budapest for a one-night stay at the five-star Four Seasons Gresham Palace hotel (or similar), an art nouveau landmark, with a farewell dinner this evening.

    Meals: dinner

  7. Day 7

    Budapest

    After an overnight stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, enjoy the final breakfast of the tour. Your stay in Budapest can be extended to explore the Hungarian capital at leisure.

    Meals: breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Walking tour of Istanbul's old quarters with a choice to visit either the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia, a 6th-century Byzantine cathedral built by Emperor Justinian.
  • Day 3Climb over the Shipka Pass to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's ancient capital, and tour the medieval Tsarevets Hill and Castle above the Yantra River.
  • Day 4Tour Peles Castle in Sinaia, a 160-room German new-Renaissance masterpiece, then visit 14th-century Bran Castle perched atop a 200-foot rock.
  • Day 4Enjoy a private gala dinner inside the walls of Bran Castle.
  • Day 5Walking tour of Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage medieval fortified town and reputed birthplace of Dracula, followed by exploration of Sibiu's Germanic Old Town and 13th-century Council Tower.
  • Day 6Witness a traditional Hungarian Puszta equestrian horse show at Lajosmizse on the Great Hungarian Plain.

Included

  • Arrival transfer in Istanbul
  • 1 night at a five-star hotel in Istanbul with Welcome Dinner
  • 4 nights aboard the private Golden Eagle Danube Express in an en-suite sleeper cabin
  • Guided touring as per itinerary: Istanbul walking tour with choice of Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia, Veliko Tarnovo, Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Sighisoara and Sibiu
  • Private gala dinner inside the walls of Bran Castle
  • Traditional Hungarian 'Puszta' equestrian show at Lajosmizse
  • 1 night at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, Budapest (or similar) with farewell dinner

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. The four-night journey aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express in an en-suite Deluxe Class sleeper cabin is included, as are all meals on board and guided tours at each stop.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Planet Rail operates this as an escorted group rail cruise with guided tours of castles and cities, a cabin attendant on board, and included transfers in Istanbul and Budapest.
What castles are visited?
The tour includes Peles Castle in Sinaia (a 160-room German new-Renaissance palace), 14th-century Bran Castle near Brasov, and the medieval fortified town of Sighisoara. A private dinner is held inside Bran Castle.
What are the accommodation options?
One night in a five-star hotel in Istanbul, four nights in an en-suite sleeper cabin aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express, and one night at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest (or similar).
When does this tour depart?
Planet Rail offers three departures in 2026: May, September, and October.
What is included in the price?
Hotel stays in Istanbul and Budapest, all four nights of sleeper-car accommodation, all meals shown in the itinerary, arrival and departure transfers, guided tours of Istanbul (with a choice between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia), Veliko Tarnovo, Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Sighisoara, and Sibiu, a private gala dinner inside Bran Castle, and a traditional Hungarian Puszta horse show.

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