Hello,
Our family of 4 will be travelling this august and will have 7 days on the ground. I am thinking of dividing 3 days in Budapest(we will fly into Budapest) and 4 days in Prague(Flying out of Prague) . We like a mixture of museums/castles and shopping. I am thinking this is good time, appreciate thoughts
Please let me know safe neigbourhoods for families for Airbnbs in both the places. Also is a day trip to Dresden too ambitious from Prague?
thanks as always.
7 full days? Or you arrive and count that as Day 1? Then which city are you subtracting your travel day from? Counting nights seems to give a better feel for how much time you have. You don’t say where you are coming from (probably helps determine if you have jet lag or not.
I might suggest
Arrive in Budapest, overnight Budapest. Not counting this as a day in the city.
Full day 1-3 Budapest, sleep Budapest
(4 nights Budapest)
Day 4 travel to Prague in the morning, sleep Prague
Full day 5-7 Prague, sleep Prague.
(4 nights Prague)
Day 8 travel home/onward.
If you take the train, it’s pretty much a full day’s journey between the two, by the time you check out, get to the train station, train ride, then get to your new place. So you can count Day 4 as a night in Prague, but it’s not actually a sightseeing day in either.
You could do a long day trip to Dresden from Prague. It’s a 2 or 2 1/2 hr train ride each way, with about 7ish hours in the city. Only you know if it’s worth it or not. I assume you would like to go to the Green Vaults. Maybe check ticket availability before you decide.
The trains from Budapest to Prague take a minimum of 6:45, which essentially is a day. The train from Prague to Dresden is about 5 hours roundtrip. I don’t see flying from Budapest to Prague saving enough time once you factor in going to/from the airports and being there two hours before the 75-minute flight to be worth returning to the airport just a few days after flying in. It’s just too much airport time for one week.
One thing you might consider to pick up a day is taking a Nightjet train or other equivalent train with sleeper cars from Budapest Keleti station to Praha hl.n—Prague’s main train station. If you go to www.TheTrainline.com you can see what trains are scheduled. You can buy train tickets from the Czech national rail company at www.cd.cz/en. Tickets start at about $30 with supplemental charges for sleeper cars.
If you fly into Budapest, I would plan on 4 nights there because Budapest is more spread out than Prague and there will be some adjusting to signage being in Hungarian and the currency. ( Hungary uses its own “forint” currency valued at 355 per US$1) along with learning about the metro and tram system. In Prague, it’s my experience that far more Czechs speak English than Hungarians do in Budapest which makes the language barrier less challenging in Prague. The Czechs use the “Czech Crown” as their currency but at about 22 crowns per US$1, figuring out costs is easy.
I found during several visits to Prague that its attractions are condensed into a much smaller area than Budapest and that you can walk to all of them.
The Prague metro/trams help getting up to Prague Castle.
Try to stay in the “Stare Mesto” or Old Town in the district called “Prague 1.” This is near the Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock. A fantastic location here is right next to the Tyn Church at the “ Apartments Tynska 7” which are listed on Hotels.com.
In Budapest I’ve stayed near the Parliament building and elsewhere, but found staying at Liszt Ferenc Square near the Oktogon Metro station off Andrassy Avenue (“Andrassy Ut”) more central and convenient.
Both neighborhoods are very safe.
With 3 nights in Prague— and I think that’s the minimum you’ll need—there really isn’t time on this trip for Dresden.
Help will always be more accurate with arrival and departure dates. No way posting them compromises your safety but sure does make helping easier.
But, I will guess, which might illustrate the point.
Generally speaking the time split between the two is pretty good. And this isnt about me loving Budapest. First you are arriving Budapest sort of jetlagged so the the additional time makes sense, second the tourist zone in Prague is about 1.5 square miles and about 10 square miles in Budapest.
You can look at doing the reverse order if you havent bought tickets yet, that might give you a better flight between Prague and Budapest and you dont waste a day on a train.
There are a few very interesting events in August in Budapest, but that would require the knowledge of the dates to be helpful.
TRAIN vs FLIGHT (Budapest to Prague)
For the train. Don’t waste time on third party sites. You will need to go to both the Czech and the Hungarian site anyway, so why a third? Check the prices with both MAV https://jegy.mav.hu/ and with the Czech rail company. Buy the cheapest, it’s the same train doesn’t matter. IF the price is the same, some small advantage to buying from the originating country rail company.
Sleepers? Some enjoy some don’t. I took a sleeper in January. It was an “experience” and for the experience I am glad I did it. For the quality of sleep, not so glad. Do know that a sleeper means looing an evening in Budapest and I would rather get up early than lose an evening …. I just enjoy the evenings here.
SAFETY
Not a thing to worry about in either. Pick pockets can be a bit of a nusiance in Prage, but thats the worst of it.
BUDAPEST (I’ve been to Prague a few times, but I leave that to the experts and 2 trips does not an expert make)
The Hungarian currency is not the “florint”, it’s a “forint” although there is some historic connection you might get some looks asking for florints. The exchange rate changes daily so don’t even try to guess right now (same with the Czech koruna). BUT good news, most everyone takes a credit card in Budapest. I live here and I carry around about USD 20 equivalent for the times when a card reader is broken, or I want to leave a cash tip.
The language is no issue in Hungary. Everyone under 40 was required to learn English in school …. Most actually did. Lucky for me, because I live here and speak only about 10 Hungarian words.
With barely 4 days in town the hotel location can make a huge difference. I would stay on Andrássy út as it is so well connected to almost everything. While I can help with neighborhoods and convenience and transportation questions; its been so long since I stayed in a hotel that I leave specific recommendations to others. There is a listing here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/rs-forum-favorite-hotels-and-their-cost that might help.
But is sounds like Kenko has stayed at several hotels around town over the past few years, maybe he can make a recommendation based on his experience.
And finally, then I will leave you alone.
If Prague and Budapest are the two that fill your dreams and ambitions … then go for it.
If there is any wiggle room in that, then think about something different: 7 days in one place; Prague or Budapest.
Get an Airbnb in either. In Prague not in the Old Town, but not too far either as you want a more local, less Disney experience. Then besides Prague do some daytrips or even an overnight once or twice. Great to travel with a day bag and then return “home”. Lots to see in and around both Prague and Budapest.
Option 2, Vienna and Budapest, then save Prague for your trip to Germany. A lot less travel time. I would give Budapest one more day then Vienna just because of size. Many end up falling for one or the other and returning.
Wow, thank you every one for your great suggestions
CUrrently, the plan is to Leave aug 5
Aug 5(tuesday) fly into Budapest reaching around 2pm :Aug 6
Aug 6-aug 10 Budapest
Reading everyone suggestions, either taking train(my family likes train journeys in Europe and otherwise) sleeper from budapest to Prague, leaves budapest Aug 10 at 8 pm, reaching Aug 11 at 8 am Prague
Prague, Aug 11-13, fly out Aug 14 am
So technically, 7 days on the ground
thank you
A good plan and I totally get the night train. Something to talk about for years. My last one was Budapest to Kyiv back in January. I still show the pictures of the sleeping compartment and the train. Lifetime experience.
How old are the kids? Boys or girls? I can suggest a few things they might like (mom and dad too).
I am guessing you are locked in on the dates, cause if you put it off two weeks and were here on 20 August you would be here for the biggest and most beautiful celebration of the year.
If you click on my name it takes you to my profile page. There you will find a bit more on things to see and do in Budapest.
Tuesday 5 August arrive in Budapest 2pm.
Take the Express Bus to town (or cram into a taxi).
Your hotel or AirBnb is along Andrassy ut (LOL) and you have 15 day passes on the public transportation so its a walk or a ride up Andrassy ut on the M1 (walk). Explore Andrassy ut that afternoon, maybe the balloon ride, and make a run down to the river in the evening for the views and the lights (although sunset is sort of late in August).
Wednesday 6 August District V attractions.
You can really do these in any order, this is just me tracking the zone you need to visit.
Thursday 7 August, District VII and VIII attractions
Friday 8 August, Lower Buda and Szentendre trip
Saturday 9 August, Buda Castle District day.
Sunday 10 August catch up on what you missed until train departure time.
Depart for Nyugati station about 1 hour before to give you time to poke around the station ... maybe go to the McDonalds.
Monday 11 August arrive Prague very early. So if you are staying in an AirBnb you maybe need to find a luggage storage locker facility.
Tuesday 13 August wish you were still in Budapest LOL
ETC..... I don’t do Prague.
thank you. Yes unfortunately, work dictates my time off
I have a 21 years old daughter, she loves shopping, town town vibes and 14 son who loves aviation and history
I appreciate everyone's time!
I see that Mr E is still fulfilling his role as unpaid (I assume) marketer for Budapest tourism.
As for Prague, I'd be visiting the Castle, to watch the changing of the guard and then head the short distance over to the Strahov Monastery for some outstanding beer and food. I'd be sure to visit the Old Town and especially the old Jewish Quarter, making certain to see the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge. Going to Vyšehrad Castle is also a great idea; the history and the views shouldn't be missed. Finally, Wenceslas Square. Gorgeous, raucous and fun.
jphbucks. Yup, still unpaid unless you want to make a contribution to United24.
Prague is excellent, just not where I am most helpful.
I have an idea for the future pilot, how about a flight simulator..... US or Russian? Not too sure of the age restrictions though
https://pilots.hu/
https://aeropark.hu/en/simulators/
Even without the simulators the air park is interesting
https://aeropark.hu/en/
But I am more of a train sort of guy
https://vasuttortenetipark.hu/en/home/
thank you for the aviation suggestions! Much appreciated:-)
Once i have firmed up everything, i am sure that i will be back for more advise
But wait! How about a real flight? http://www.goldtimer.hu/flight.html
Just to add another twist... we are doing a similar trip in September and looked at the train and air travel between the 2 cities. Both were a PITA. Finally decided on a shuttle van through Sidetrip. Takes all day, but makes 3 stops along the way, including Bucharest. They get very good reviews and cost for small group shuttle was $98/pp. Of course a private car is much more. For us it made sense and gives us a chance to see some countryside and Bucharest. You might check it out.
You realize that Bucharest isn't between Prague and Budapest? Its about a 10 hour drive south of Budapest.
Maybe you meant Bratislava?
OMG. Thanks for the correction Mr. E! Too much travel planning on my brain. Yes! Bratislava.
abqdeb, stuff happens. But, Bucharest is worth the effort if you have time.
SS, i did manage to contact the Goldtimer Foundation. They do still have the flights. Dont you just love countries without too many lawyers. I got to hold the controls in a small plane in Ukraine a few years back, one of the more memorable events of my life.
Anyway, this plane from the 1940's is 45.000ft for 15 minutes, 60.000ft for 20 minutes or 90.000ft for 30 minutes: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/HA-PAO_16.09.2006_13-26-11.JPG/1920px-HA-PAO_16.09.2006_13-26-11.JPG.
Or you can fly on a different biplane (a recreation) or a LI-2 which is a Яussian clone of a DC3 on - 31st May
- 28th June, 19th July, 09th August, 30th August, 20th September and 11th October for 19.000 ft to 38.000 ft a ticket. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Lisunov_Li-2T_HA-LIX_Hahnweide_2011_02.jpg
One of the best things about the idea is visiting the Budaörs Airport.
thank you all for your suggestions. My husband has work travel around the same time to the Netherlands and we have now shifted focus. I will keep these suggestions for my next trip:-)
Part of the beauty of the forum is that it opens new ideas and a greater knowledge for those reading and for those trying to help.
Thanks to this thread I am working on scheduling this in the next 2 weeks. Thank you SS and family. I would have never found it if it had not been for your post. https://youtu.be/4KZoXHkDiuY?si=tm5VbiZrbDOqG7g1
