Great Rail Journeys
Delights of the Danube: Budapest to Passau
11 daysfrom $3,605
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour
Grand Imperial Cities
Visit Europe's greatest cities Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin. Our Grand Imperial Cities tour includes rail travel, hotels and excursions.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Frankfurt
From London to Frankfurt
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Brussels, travelling in Plus class (light meal included). Continue by First Class rail from Brussels to Frankfurt, arriving early evening. Check in to hotel near the city's main shopping streets and enjoy a three-course dinner. Note: 27th April and 21st September departures travel Eurostar Standard without light meal and by Standard Class rail. Departures 11th & 18th May 2026 and 7th September 2026 stay in Nuremberg at NH Collection; 11th May stays in Regensburg at Novotel Regensburg Zentrum.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
- Day 2railovernight: Vienna
Vienna Calling
After breakfast, travel by train across Bavaria, following the Danube through historic Regensburg into Austria, arriving in Vienna this afternoon. Time to explore at leisure after check-in. Regroup in the evening for dinner at a local Austrian restaurant. Note: 11th May departure stays in Bratislava due to Eurovision Song Contest. 5th October departure stays at NH Wien Belvedere.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 3overnight: Vienna
Discovering Elegant Vienna
Morning sightseeing tour of Vienna's imperial architecture along the grand Ringstrasse, including the Vienna State Opera and Parliament. Visit Hofburg Palace and then Schönbrunn Palace for a guided tour of the state rooms, concluding with an apple strudel show, hot drink and tasting. Afternoon free to explore or relax. Dine independently this evening. Note: 11th May departure tours Vienna by coach then returns to Bratislava by catamaran. For 21st & 25th September departures the strudel show isn't available but hot drink and strudel are still included.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 4overnight: Vienna
Memorable Moments and Café Culture on a Free Day in Vienna
A free day to explore Vienna at your own pace. Options include the Upper and Lower Belvedere Palaces, the Spanish Riding School, St Stephen's Cathedral, the Prater Gardens and Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel, or a traditional Viennese coffeehouse. Note: 11th May departure spends a free day in Bratislava.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 5railovernight: Budapest
To Budapest, the 'Pearl of the Danube'
Bid farewell to Austria and head east into Hungary. Arrive in Budapest early afternoon for a guided coach tour viewing the neo-Gothic Parliament building, Buda Castle, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. Dinner in a traditional restaurant in Óbuda. After dinner, enjoy an evening Danube cruise with illuminated views of the city's landmarks. Note: 11th May departure travels by rail to Vienna and onwards to Budapest.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 6railovernight: Budapest
An Enchanting Journey Through the Buda Hills
Travel to Széchenyihegy in the Buda Hills and board the narrow-gauge Children's Railway for a 40-minute journey through peaceful forests, operated by Hungarian schoolchildren aged 10–14. Return to hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Optional visits to Gellért thermal baths, Széchenyi medicinal baths or Memento Park. Dine independently this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 7railovernight: Prague
Budapest to Prague: From the Danube to Vltava
Leave Budapest after breakfast by train to Prague, passing the Danube Bend and Visegrád citadel, crossing southern Slovakia and through Brno. Arrive in Prague late afternoon and check in to hotel in the Smíchov area on the western bank of the Vltava. Dinner in the hotel this evening. Note: 25th September departure stays at Vienna House by Wyndham Diplomat Prague.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 8overnight: Prague
Uncovering the Medieval Sights of Prague
Guided walking tour after breakfast starting at Prague Castle, the largest medieval complex in Europe, including St Vitus Cathedral, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane. Cross the 14th-century Charles Bridge and stroll to the grand Old Town Square with its renowned astronomical clock (installed 1410). Afternoon at leisure. Dine independently this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 9overnight: Prague
History, Religion and Culture on a Free Day in Prague
A free day to explore Prague at leisure. Options include a Vltava river cruise, Franz Kafka statues and the Spanish Synagogue in Josefov (Prague's Jewish Quarter), gourmet restaurants, cocktail bars and traditional Czech pubs.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 10railovernight: Berlin
Arrival in Berlin, a City of Contrast
Leave Prague by train, passing the sandstone cliffs of Bohemian Switzerland, arriving in Berlin mid-afternoon. After check-in, a local guide leads a sightseeing tour covering Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate. Dine independently this evening. Note: 23rd May departure travels by coach from Prague to Dresden, then by rail to Berlin.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 11overnight: Berlin
Discovering the Culture of Berlin at Leisure
Free day to explore Berlin at your own pace. Options include the Reichstag glass dome, East Side Gallery, Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse, Museum Island and the Pergamon Museum, Tiergarten, Berlin Zoo, Bauhaus Archive, Charlottenburg Palace or a day trip to Potsdam and Park Sanssouci. Final group dinner together at a local restaurant this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 12rail
Homeward Bound
After breakfast, transfer to Berlin's main railway station and travel to Brussels via Cologne. Board the Eurostar in Brussels and arrive at London St Pancras International in the evening. Note: 18th May departure travels back via Amsterdam instead of Brussels.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal
Included
- Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
- 11 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
- Eurostar Plus class travel (except 23rd March, 27th April & 21st September departures which travel Standard)
- First Class rail travel throughout (except 23rd March, 27th April & 21st September departures which travel Standard Class)
- All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
- Eurostar light meals (excluding 27th April & 21st September departures)
- Breakfast each day
- 5 dinners
- Group luggage transfers between hotels from Vienna to Berlin
- All guided tours and excursions
Not included
- Cancellation & Travel Insurance
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