Cresky Krumlov-Mauthausen-Melk-Vienna

Mauthausen is a very worthwhile half-day - more memorable in my list of camps than, for instance Dachau. The fastest way is to book ahead for a private shuttle from CK to Linz, Austria; see p. 231 in Rick's Prague book, or one is www.shuttlelobo.cz. From LInz, direct trains run twice per hour to Mauthausen. (An all-train plan from Cesky Krumlov to St. Valentin take 4 hours with 2-3 connections, e.g., leaving about 8:30 and getting to Mauthausen station by 13:00.)

If you haven't yet, then see also How to Look Up Train Schedules Online.

Contrary to the post above, I did not really enjoy my trip to Mauthausen. I visited last summer with a group of Jewish Americans. Overall, the place was very sanitized - for example, the rooms where the prisoners were kept are redone to look like summer camp cabins. When you arrive, you walk up a large path full of monuments from countries within Europe; once you enter you can visit a few of the buildings - the cabins, a shower room - and then enter the museum area which has recently been redone. I think it is important to understand that this facility was a prison camp and housed primarily political prisoners from Eastern Europe. Logistically, it is very hard to get here without a car. Yes, take the shuttle to Linz and the train to Mauthausen, but then is a long and steep climb to the place. Personally, I would skip this and head to Melk directly.

I also suggest that you take the boat from Melk to Durnstein. Wander through this lovely village, have a meal at the Richard Lionheart hotel and then take the WL1 bus to the Krems train station. If you take the boat to Krems, you will have to take the WL1 bus anyway to the train station as the boat station is a long way away.