Prague to Budapest

Train travel from Prague to Budapest takes 7 hours by day, or you can travel overnight. I wouldn't make the trip unless you could spend at least two full days in Budapest. Otherwise, there are probably more towns in the Czech Republic that you haven't explored and which are more suitable distances for day-trips.

You know, its all preference. If you catch an early morning flight out and take a late flight back; maybe you will enjoy it.

Below is a Round Trip schedule on Czech Air, for $170.00

So you would arrive at 8:45am, and get to your hotel about 10am (at the latest). I just helped another person plan the first day in Budapest and I can send it to you (send me a PM with an email address). In general you can see quite a bit of Pest in 6 hours if you stay in the right location. Basicaly, using the trams you can hit: Great Synagogue, Market Hall, Danube Corso, Parliament, Shoes on the Danube, Opera House (tour only as its closed for renovations), Andrassy ut, Hero's Square; and see a lot of the beautiful architecture along the way. Even I was surprised it could be done so compactly and without a lot of rushing. Its just an easy town to navigate if you know what to do. Day two you would have about 2/3rds of the day in whcih you could pick up Buda Castle Hill, Vaci u/Vorosmarty ter and the Basilica. At that point you have had a pretty good trip.

So yes, its "doable" and I would be happy to help. But as noted above you will get a lot more value if you spend two nights and take the early morning flight back to Prague. The evening in Budapest can be just that good.

Look at the Hotel Continental or the Marriott on the Danube.

Leave your Prague hotel at 5:30 AM
CSA
7:20 AM
Václav Havel Airport Prague PRG
Travel time: 1h 25m
8:45 AM
Budapest Airport BUD
At your Budapest hotel no later than 10:00 AM

Leave your Budapest hotel at 5:45 PM
CSA
7:45 PM
Budapest Airport BUD
Travel time: 1h 25m
9:10 PM
Václav Havel Airport Prague PRG
Back in your Prague hotel no later than 10:30 PM

A Better Idea is to spend the second night and take this flight out early the next day.
Returning flight

Leave your Budapest Hotel at 7:30 AM
CSA
9:20 AM
Budapest Airport BUD
Travel time: 1h 25m
10:45 AM
Václav Havel Airport Prague PRG
Back in your Prague hotel no later than Noon.

Would be happy to work with you, can you connect privately or share email please?

OP,

You can send James a private message. While logged on to your forum account click on his name in his post above. Takes you to his profile and there’s an option to send private messages towards the bottom.

Hello from Wisconsin,
No. Cost benefit analysis. Too much time traveling, too little time left for Budapest.

Much closer are Brno and Olomouc. And these are college towns (cities). So they are alive with young blood. And because they are not on the main tourist venue, what you see is mostly Czech.

And as you get into Brno and eastern Moravia you enter Velkopopovicky Kozel Cerne territory. A glass of that and an order of Topinki or Topinka (heavy dark rye bread fried in goose fat making it a toast served with cloves of garlic to be rubbed into the toast) and you are 100% in the heart of Czech living. While in Brno try the Spalicek restaurant on the north west side of Cabbage Square, their market square.

wayne iNWi

Cost Benefit Analysis is an Objective process, Enjoyment is Subjective. So you cant do an Objective analysis.

Prague to Brno is 3 to 3.5 hours door to door on the bus. Prague to Budapest is 4.25 to 4.75 hours door to door by plane. Cost difference is about $100. So, is Budapest worth 1 hour and $100? No idea, only the OP could begin to guess. Would I do it? Not sure.