How much does it cost?

From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes, Great Rail Journeys includes all rail, coach and cruise travel throughout the tour. Eurostar travel to and from Brussels is included in Plus class (or Standard on select departures), and First Class rail travels Brussels to Vienna, Vienna to Budapest, Budapest to Prague, and Prague to Berlin.

Is this tour escorted?

Yes, a UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Guided tours are provided in Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin; days 4, 9 and 11 are free time to explore at your own pace.

What hotels are used?

Great Rail Journeys uses four-star hotels: in Vienna the Mooons Hotel or NH Wien Belvedere (3 nights), in Budapest the Three Corners Lifestyle Hotel (2 nights), in Prague the OREA Hotel Andel's (3 nights), and in Berlin the NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie (2 nights). One night in Frankfurt precedes Vienna.

When does the tour depart?

Great Rail Journeys operates nine departures in 2026 and 2027: in March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. Exact dates are available from the operator.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Grand Imperial Cities

Twelve-day escorted rail journey through Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin.

Great Rail Journeys operates this 12-day escorted rail tour through six European countries, departing London and ending in Amsterdam. Traveling by Eurostar and First Class rail, you spend three nights in Vienna exploring the Ringstrasse, Hofburg Palace and Schönbrunn Palace, where you attend an apple strudel-making show. Two nights in Budapest include a guided coach tour of Parliament and Buda Castle, an evening Danube cruise with illuminated city views, and a ride on the narrow-gauge Children's Railway through the Buda Hills operated by Hungarian schoolchildren. Three nights in Prague begin with a guided walking tour of the medieval castle complex and Charles Bridge to the Old Town Square, with free time to explore further. Two nights in Berlin include a sightseeing tour of Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and Brandenburg Gate. A dedicated UK Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, and luggage is transferred between hotels from Vienna onward. This trip suits history lovers interested in imperial architecture, repeat rail travelers, and couples seeking guided comfort with daily free time.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £100 since 4 Jul, to £2,499.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Some departures (23rd March, 27th April and 21st September) travel Eurostar Standard and Standard Class rail instead of Plus and First Class; light meals are omitted on two of these dates.
The 11th May departure stays in Bratislava on Day 2 instead of Vienna due to the Eurovision Song Contest; the 23rd May departure travels by coach from Prague to Dresden then by rail to Berlin rather than direct rail.
Hotel accommodation varies by departure date: two Vienna hotel options, one Prague option marked for the 25th September departure, and one Berlin option noted for specific dates.
Single supplement is GBP 900 (approximately USD 1,095), which exceeds half the base double-occupancy price.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Frankfurt
London to Frankfurt
Meeting the Tour Manager at London St Pancras, we board the Eurostar to Brussels in Plus class with a light meal at our seats, then continue by First Class rail to Frankfurt, checking in near the city's main shopping streets before a three-course dinner. Note: on certain departures the group stays at the NH Collection Frankfurt Spin Tower; the 14th June departure stays at the NH Collection Nuremberg City in Nuremberg instead.
Meals: Eurostar light meal, Dinner
Day 2railovernight: Vienna
Vienna calling
We travel by train across Bavaria, meeting the Danube at Regensburg before arriving in Vienna, the former Habsburg capital, with time to explore at leisure before dinner at a local Austrian restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3overnight: Vienna
Discovering elegant Vienna
A sightseeing tour along the Ringstrasse taking in the Vienna State Opera, the Parliament and the Hofburg Palace, followed by a guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace's state rooms and an apple strudel demonstration and tasting, with time to explore the gardens. The rest of the day is free, and dinner is independent.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4overnight: Vienna
Free day to explore Vienna
A free day in Vienna, with options including the Belvedere Palaces, the Spanish Riding School, St Stephen's Cathedral, the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel in Prater Gardens, or a visit to a traditional Viennese coffeehouse.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5overnight: Budapest
To Budapest, the 'Pearl of the Danube'
We travel east into Hungary, arriving in Budapest for a guided coach tour taking in the Parliament building, Buda Castle, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion. After dinner in Óbuda, we enjoy an illuminated evening cruise on the Danube.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6railovernight: Budapest
An enchanting journey through the Buda Hills
Travelling to Széchenyihegy, we board the narrow-gauge Children's Railway, staffed by Hungarian schoolchildren, for a 40-minute journey through the Buda Hills to Hűvösvölgy. The rest of the day is at leisure, with options including Budapest's thermal spas or Memento Park. Dine independently this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7railovernight: Prague
Budapest to Prague: From the Danube to Vltava
We travel by train alongside the Danube Bend and the Visegrád citadel, through southern Slovakia and Brno, arriving in Prague, 'The City of a Hundred Spires', in the late afternoon. We check in to our hotel in the Smíchov area before dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8overnight: Prague
Uncovering the medieval sights of Prague
A guided walking tour beginning at Prague Castle, the largest medieval castle complex in Europe, including St Vitus Cathedral, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane, before crossing Charles Bridge to the Old Town Square and its astronomical clock. The afternoon is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9overnight: Prague
History and culture on a free day in Prague
A free day in Prague, with options including a cruise on the Vltava, Kafka-related statues, and the Spanish Synagogue in the historic Jewish Quarter of Josefov.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10railovernight: Berlin
Arriving in Berlin
We travel by train past the sandstone cliffs of Bohemian Switzerland to Berlin, checking in to our hotel before a guided tour taking in Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate. The rest of the day is free to explore independently.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11overnight: Berlin
Discovering the culture of Berlin at leisure
A free day in Berlin, with options including the Reichstag's glass dome (prior registration required), the East Side Gallery, the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse, Museum Island, the Tiergarten, Charlottenburg Palace or Potsdam's Park Sanssouci. A final group dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, we transfer to Berlin's main railway station to begin the journey home via Cologne to Brussels, boarding the Eurostar to arrive at London St Pancras in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar light meal

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Guided tour of Vienna's imperial Ringstrasse, including the Vienna State Opera and Parliament, followed by a tour of Schönbrunn Palace state rooms with an apple strudel-making show and tasting.
Day 5Evening illuminated Danube cruise viewing the neo-Gothic Parliament building, Buda Castle and Matthias Church lit against the night sky.
Day 6Ride the narrow-gauge Children's Railway through the Buda Hills for 40 minutes, operated by Hungarian schoolchildren aged 10 to 14.
Day 8Guided walking tour starting at Prague Castle, crossing the 14th-century Charles Bridge to the Old Town Square with its astronomical clock installed in 1410.
Day 10Sightseeing tour of Berlin covering Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate with a local guide.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
11 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Plus First & Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
Eurostar Light Meals
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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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes, Great Rail Journeys includes all rail, coach and cruise travel throughout the tour. Eurostar travel to and from Brussels is included in Plus class (or Standard on select departures), and First Class rail travels Brussels to Vienna, Vienna to Budapest, Budapest to Prague, and Prague to Berlin.
Is this tour escorted?: Yes, a UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Guided tours are provided in Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin; days 4, 9 and 11 are free time to explore at your own pace.
What hotels are used?: Great Rail Journeys uses four-star hotels: in Vienna the Mooons Hotel or NH Wien Belvedere (3 nights), in Budapest the Three Corners Lifestyle Hotel (2 nights), in Prague the OREA Hotel Andel's (3 nights), and in Berlin the NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie (2 nights). One night in Frankfurt precedes Vienna.
When does the tour depart?: Great Rail Journeys operates nine departures in 2026 and 2027: in March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. Exact dates are available from the operator.