Almost Final Itinerary-Budapest – Vienna – Český Krumlov – Prague – Nuremberg....

AJ,
Looking good!

What are your plans for transit Vienna=>Cesky Krumlov=>Prague?

If your visit to Vienna and Prague have relatively full schedules, you might consider a second night in CK, as it's a great place to unwind in a more rural setting.

Ok I would like 2 nights in Cesky.

Take that second night out of Prague, cause you are a little long there. Excellent plan. Can I come?

Ok sure thing- that works well Mr E as it gives me the 2 nights in Cesky!

Date Destination
Apr 10 Tokyo
Apr 11 Tokyo
Apr 12 Travel to Munich
Apr 13 Munich
Apr 14 Castiglione d’Orcia
Apr 15 Castiglione d’Orcia
Apr 16 Castiglione d’Orcia
Apr 17 Castiglione d’Orcia
Apr 18 Italy (TBC)
Apr 19 Italy (TBC)
Apr 20 Italy (TBC)
Apr 21 Fly to Budapest
Apr 22 Budapest
Apr 23 Budapest
Apr 24 Budapest
Apr 25 Vienna
Apr 26 Vienna ( maybe day trip to Hallsatt?)
Apr 27 Vienna
Apr 28 Český Krumlov
Apr 29 Český Krumlov
Apr 30 Prague
May 1 Prague
May 2 Prague
May 3 Nuremberg
May 4 Nuremberg (day trip to Rothenburg)
May 5 Nuremberg
May 6 Paris
May 7 Seine River Cruise begins
May 8 Seine River Cruise
May 9 Seine River Cruise
May 10 Seine River Cruise
May 11 Seine River Cruise
May 12 Seine River Cruise
May 13 Seine River Cruise ends / Travel to Amsterdam
May 14 Amsterdam (perhaps stay in Haarlem or Zaandam)
May 15 Amsterdam
May 16 Amsterdam
May 17 Travel home
May 18 Home

I would take a day from one of the other destinations (Budapest, Prague) to add a day to Paris. One day there is a drop in the bucket. This is an ambitious trip, but it should be very memorable. Good luck.

Ah Paris! Top of the charts! If you haven’t been, the suggestion of finding more time for it sounds like a good suggestion.

But overall my biggest concern for your trip is that you’ll have such a great time that it will be hard to top this trip in the future!

Happy travels.

What yoi have is 100% perfect if your attitude and sense about it is positive. That influences everything in life.

I assume your river cruise spends a few days in Paris. If not .... Cesky K LOL is worth thinking about less of.

The Nuremberg stop for me ... I do get it. They did a great job reconstructing the city and it's a great reflection of the past social culture of the city. But, maybe because of my profession, I can't get interested in reconstructions. Hmmmm, okay, not fair of me because I like Dubrovnik.

Okay, now post cities and dates in the appropriate forums and you will get tons of ideas.

Thanks David, Mack and Mr E! A few more tweaks but super excited to have a plan. Have had so many different ideas and feel confident that we are just about there!

AJ you are having so much fun, it's hard not to help. At the point you are at now. You can do no wrong.

Nuremberg is, arguably, a good place to stay or position for day trips in the area, more so than being a must-see destination in and of itself. I have spent a half day there, enjoyed it for the Nazi sites and a nice meal, but I did not get any sense that I would ever again return for more of Nuremberg...

I would take a day from Prague (I am not a fan of this one fwiw, so maybe just me because I would skip it altogether) and add that day to Paris. Take another day from Nuremberg and add to Paris...Rothenberg? Ehh, been there, spent a few hours, could have missed it but I was on the Romantic Road bus trip from Frankfurt to Munich on my first trip to Europe, but really wasn't that memorable for me, YMMV...touristy and crowded...

Just a short side bar, we stay in Furth rather than Nurenberg. We love the Gruner Beer. There is nothing wrong with Nurenberg, in fact, it is an interesting place once you get to know it.

Thanks again everyone, loving this stage of planning, especially with all the insights and encouragement.

We’ve actually been to Paris before in our 20s, and while I’d happily return, my husband isn’t especially interested this time around—he’s more keen to explore places he hasn’t been. He loves Christmas, so Rothenburg felt like a festive, fairy-tale choice for us, and the WW2 history of Nuremberg added a bit of balance. That said, we’re honestly happy to skip Nuremberg if it makes better sense. we could just do one night in Rothenburg and add the extra nights elsewhere, possibly Paris.

I’m just a little hesitant about the potential for big crowds in Paris—things like the Louvre being closed due to overcrowding or strikes. Still weighing it all up

Its early May, I wouldnt worry about the crowds being too big.

Now you have to get a little more “real”
Apr 16/17 Castiglione d’Orcia
Apr 18/19/20 Italy (TBC): Hotel in ???.
Big decision on what you enjoy and on flight choices. Right now the last day the Ryan Air departs out of Bologna is the end of March. But that might just be they haven’t put together the rest of the schedule yet. Discount airlines don’t plan a year out like the majors do. But there is still a 3.5-hour flight with a change in Munich. Then there are a half dozen other airports in Italy with the direct discount flights to Budapest. Tough choices.

Apr 21 TUESDAY Fly to Budapest (Texas Independence Day, by the way)
Just to pick a city for now. The cheapest fast flight is 6:00 am Bologna to Budapest. No one likes those early flights. But you would get in at 9:35 and have a full sleepy day ahead. So, say the 13:25 that arrives at 16:50. That way breakfast, leave for the airport about 10am and a laid-back start to the trip. Budget 175€ per ticket. With a discount airline it might be closer to 100€ if you check a bag.

Buy the Public Transportation 15 Day travel card in the airport arrivals hall. 15€ (if you are over 65, do nothing, public transport is free, just ride it). Taxi to Budapest UP Hotel, less than 30€, just off Andrassy ut. Unpack and then enjoy Andrassy ut and go to the riverfront and see the evening lights. Dinner at Duna Corso (outside). The almost perfectly located 4star hotel will cost you about 120€ a night. Compare with costs in your other stops.

Apr 22/23/24/ Budapest
We will work-out the details but in general its two days in Pest and one in Buda.

Apr 25 SATURDAY 11:40 to 14:20 Train Budapest Keleti to Vienna Hbf.
So you will leave your hotel about 10:30 after breakfast and after visiting the farmers market in the park across the street from your hotel (only on Saturday). You take the tram and a metro because you packed sort of light so that works. The train will arrive late in Vienna because its OBB and that is expected. The 1st class ticket on the MAV site is about 30 euro with a seat reservation.

Either map out the public transportation well beforehand or take a taxi to your hotel. Ask Emily which hotel and for help getting to the hotel. Right now I would budget 250€ to 275€ a night for the hotel. You are a bit tight on time so for me at least, I would want to be inside the ringstrass so every moment is well spent.

Apr 26/27 Vienna
This is the bare minimum in Vienna so forget Hallstatt. It’s a long brutal daytrip anyway. OR, forget those reconstructed cities on the trip and spend the time in Vienna, Hallstatt and Melk.

Apr 28 TUESDAY 9:20 CK Shuttle picks you up at your hotel and takes you to Český Krumlov. You should be there in time for lunch. About 65€ a ticket. Hotel Edward Kelly for under 200€.

Apr 29 WEDNESDAY Do the castle tour including the theater tour. CK Shuttle will pick you up at your hotel at 17:05 and take you to Prague. Late arrival but gives you the time you need in Cesky Krumlov. Hotel Ventana (no better location than this). About 225€ a night.

Apr 30/1/2 Prague

May 3 Morning train to Nuremberg. Its going to take 5 hours. There is a 10:35 that gets in at 15:20 but it only has a 10 minute transfer in route. There is an earlier and faster train with a 3 minute transfer. My stress level doesn’t do either, but the next possibility is …. Well you need to sort through that.

May 4 Nuremberg (day trip to Rothenburg)
May 5 Nuremberg

May 6 A morning train to Paris. Probably going to take 7 hours.

Just a suggestion, after reading Mr E's post with train info...cut Nuremberg out completely...plane or train from Prague to Berlin where the WW2 history will amaze your husband, plus the Berlin Wall, offering someone far beyond what Nuremberg offers...then fly one of the discount airlines to Paris from Berlin (I did this very connection on EasyJet several years ago). Berlin is one of the great cities of Europe, too, well worth a visit if you are in this neck o' the woods...I googled it and the fastest train from Prague to Berlin is 4.5 hours, so I would fly...

You have a lot of train travel built into your itinerary, with lots of hours and long days involved. I personally find train travel in Europe, lugging bags, exhausting, and for distances where the train is basically an all day thing, I would fly whenever possible, use the trains for shorter connections of say 2-3 hours or less where there is no viable plane offering...think more plane, less train...

the fastest train from Prague to Berlin is 4.5 hours, so I would fly...

But that is city center to city center - with the train no need to get to/from theairport, no need to go through security, no need to pack to get through security, no cramped seat, and scenery to enjoy out the window. Not to mention a lighter carbon footprint.

But that is city center to city center - with the train no need to get to/from theairport, no need to go through security, no need to pack to get through security, no cramped seat, and scenery to enjoy out the window. Not to mention a lighter carbon footprint.

I did write that "I" would fly, and I would, especially with all the proposed train travel. The OP's itinerary is heavily reliant on trains to connect the dots from Italy to Paris and points in between, just offering a suggestion.

Mr E- outstanding advice!
Thanks so much for all the amazing detail and the time you’ve put into this—it’s unreal and so helpful!

We’ve locked in our accommodation in Castiglione d’Orcia—tick!
From Tuscany, we’re now thinking of heading straight to Florence or Rome, then flying direct to Budapest from there. We’ll save Bologna for another Italian adventure. This way we get a few bonus days up our sleeve, which is always a win.

And yep—we’re officially skipping Hallstatt. Sounds stunning, but that “long brutal daytrip” doesn’t sound like our idea of a relaxing time. We’d like to still be on speaking terms by the end of this trip!

Also, big thanks for the travel advice and accommodation ideas—all incredibly helpful. Now… onto more research (and maybe another coffee)!

Thanks Mark and Jojo Rabbbit, really appreciate both your perspectives!

Mark, I’m totally with you on the train travel perks. We do love the idea of city-to-city convenience, no airport faff, and actually seeing the countryside rather than just clouds. Plus, the whole “stare out the window like you’re in a moody indie film” vibe is very appealing.

Jojo, flying definitely has its advantages too, especially when you’re stringing together multiple train days and the suitcase starts feeling more like a travel companion than luggage.

That said, we’re keen to keep Nuremberg in the itinerary, my husband’s got his heart set on it and we’ll save Berlin for another trip when we can give it the proper time and attention it deserves (and not just rush through it powered by schnitzel and logistics).

Appreciate the thoughtful input from both of you, really helpful as we make the final call (and yes, we know we need to pre-book soon... our spreadsheets are almost ready).

So much wisdom, thank you!

People think I love planes and gare trains. No, not at all. I just try and be objective about it. I generally choose the one that will get me to the destination earliest in the day, and often, that is the longer train ride.

But, with trains:

• Don't assume the views will be captivating. As often as not, there will be no views or it's farm land.
• City center to city center doesn't mean hotel to hotel. Nor does it mean you will walk onto the station and immediately board the train. Until I research the locations i start with the assumption of journey time plus 1 hour.
• Seats are comfortable. Very much so. Until 20 backpackers who were to cheap to buy seat reservations stand in the asile around you bumping you for 4 hours. (3 out of 4 of my last train trips).
• Trains are generally less expensive. Yes.
• International trains can be late almost as often as flights. My last 4 OBB trains were all late.
• With some train companies, purchasing tickets can be a real educational experience. Flights always easy.

A view of something is far more entertaining than a view of nothing, IMHO. I love the views from trains. I learned to ride trains when I was quite young living in Germany. What you see from a train, is typically something that you would not see from a road. Trains lines cut through areas that would not be allowed if they were built now. In a plane you see absolutely nothing to help you appreciate the landscape, learn what crops are being grown, see what king of livestock is being raised, check out hunters stands. In Europe you also get a peek of the garden colonies. Since my grandfather had such a garden in Berlin, I love to see what folks have going on...fruit trees, bees, vegetables, I am interested. When I worked on the railroad here in the US, I got views of parts of our country that can only be seen by train. Hand dug tunnels in Pennsylvania and the Virginias, old viaducts.....most people have no clue that they exist.
Although you will often see me recommend using a car, I also am equally likely to use trains. I have used them in India, Japan, China. France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, the US..... , The Chinese and Japanese have some wickedly fast trains.....very cool.
As a child, I loved being able to look into people's windows from the bahn in Berlin.
Later in life I was a road warrior, someone who was in the habit of moving country to country, city to city at a moment's notice. I was rarely in the same place for more than one day. I once flew to Korea for what I thought would be two days and came home 5 weeks later after two trips to Singapore and back to Korea as many times. Planes are "OK", but they also have problems with delays, scheduling. I would never suggest that they are any better than trains. From my experience, a plane trip was about the same commitment timewise as train, no real advantage but more security, more expense generally.
Frankly, a car is generally the best option in much of Europe. There is so much more ability to flexibly explore when you have one. Trains are next on my list followed by planes.

From experience. The train Budspest to Vienna for visual enjoyment a 4 out of 10 (and that might be generous). The shuttles from Vienna to Cesky Krumlov and Cesky Krumlov to Prague i will give a solid 7 to. No train noise barriers so you can see the interesting stuff. Beyond that I have no experience.

Thanks for letting us enjoy your trip planning, and taking (and leaving) what advice you needed to make it a great trip! This thread will close by then, but please come back to us with even a short trip report to tell us how it worked out. Bon Voyage.

Thanks Mack, Mr. E, and Sandancisco, loving the thoughtful and personal insights from you all!

For this trip, I think we’ll stick with trains where we can as there’s something classic and immersive about watching the landscape roll by, even if it’s just fields or the odd garden shed! That said, we’re flying from Munich to Italy due to time constraints.

Your train reflections sparked a memory: my most memorable train (and bus) journeys were in China, back in 1993. I once ordered a bowl of rice on a train, but when I noticed it was moving, I decided to ride out that meal. And then there were the buses — luggage stacked down the aisles, ducks tied to the roof -pure travel gold.

I do get that not every train trip will be scenic or serene — especially if you're joined by 20 backpackers with no seat reservations (cheers, Mack, for the visual ). But overall, we’re looking forward to making the most of the train moments — bumps and all.

Thanks again to all of you ,this community is such a generous source of both practical advice and great stories. And don’t worry, Sandancisco , I’ll report back post-trip, especially if the rice stays still this time.

AJ, your conclusions make total sense to me. I really love a train trip for the experience. It is not always about expedience. My train ride from Mumbai to Pune was epic beyond belief. What I love about the trains in India is that they allow you to stand in the open area between cars. This is what I used to do when I worked on the RR, if I wasn't sitting in one of the booster engines or the caboose. Except the everything is moving, the experience is very amazing. To me the ultimate train ride has been the narrow gauge from Kalka to Shimla. This is rugged country with amazing tea farm vistas.
Good call on the rice. It is not supposed to move!

Mr Ë
"From experience. The train Budspest to Vienna for visual enjoyment a 4 out of 10 (and that might be generous)."

As expected. The drive from Vienna to Budapest is extremely dull. The countryside is neither interesting nor beautiful. Although a train can offer you an alternative view, it does not transform the landscape.