Prague/Austria Itinerary Advice

Some might say you should cut something. But the reality is that for those still in the work force, vacation days are limited. I think given the number of days you have and your obvious desire to hit some great places, you've allocated your days in a way that makes sense. Where I think you might feel short is Vienna. I'm 60, and could travel at the pace you've outlined.

There are many strategies you can use to make this faster paced itinerary work. I would really pack light and utilize packing cubes. I would determine your objectives for each place and make a detailed itinerary of the places you want to go, the hours it is open, location, etc. While I use maps.me when I travel, before I go, I plot my sites, museums, etc, on google maps to determine a logical order. I print out directions and have a paper copy of any walking tours. I do use digital technology a lot, but some things, I just find easier on paper. I would look at how you want to manage the train travel and determine if you want to purchase tickets in advance or know the train schedule. When I went to Vienna and Salzburg a few years back I found Westbahn train company that was quite reasonable and didn't require the prepurchase of tickets to save money.

Even now that my husband and I can take longer trips, there are some days/segments of an itinerary that get a bit busy. We make sure to have refillable water bottles and snacks in case we need refreshment on the run.

Thank you for the thoughtful response. Those are some helpful tips for sure! After hearing your thoughts I think we might plan on sticking with this itinerary.

As you look at your planned activities for Salzburg and Vienna, you might think about getting an "early ish" train from Salzburg to Vienna on the 11th. As I said, if you use Westbahn you won't need to purchase a ticket in advance. My daughters and I stayed by the train station in Salzburg which was convenient in terms of logistics. It did mean about a 20 minute walk to the old town which was fine for us.

That’s what I was thinking too! I’ll look into that location and railway. Thank you

Our afternoon and overnight in Salzburg was enough for us. I'd probably add a night in Vienna (I've never been there except for the airport) due to its size and related sites.

I would do one night Salzburg and add on Vienna. Not sure any of your routes would work but the Nightjet and other night trains are a good choice with limited vacation time. You transfer at night while you sleep in your cabin. Thus not wasting days on just getting point A to point B.

We have been to Prague and Cesky Krumlov. and Salzburg and enjoyed them all. I’d add to Prague and also Vienna and possibly a day trip in Cesky Krumlov. It’s not a big town and in a few hours you would see what is there. I really loved Salzburg and we were there two nights but my husband thought one day and night would have been enough. Travel is choices!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences! I have a lot to think about now

We did a similar trip several years ago except we went to Budapest instead of Salzburg. We also drove a rental car.We spent about the same amount of time as you have planned and I think it was enough. We used the trams/subways in the cities. Don't miss Demels pastry shop in Vienna.

Your schedule is very workable. I agree with jules m to take an early train from Salzburg to Vienna. There is more to see there. This itinerary will give you a good taste of your chosen locations. I would definitely overnight in CK. It’s so much nicer after the tour buses leave.

I’ve never done the Cesky Krumlov to Hallstatt route, but have traveled from Hallstatt to Salzburg. I would suggest skipping Hallstatt in favor of an extra day in Salzburg and tacking on a day trip to the exquisite, gorgeous Lake Konigssee near Salzburg or a day trip to the underground bunkers and Hitler’s Eagles Nest tea house. Both the lake and Eagles Nest are a short drive away in historic Berchtesgaden.
https://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/konigssee.html

Keep in mind that one night in one town is equivalent to only a few hours there at best, given the time in transit always takes longer than anticipated.

You are getting good advice. An early train to Vienna from Salzburg will give you more time in a wonderful city. Adjust your schedule if there is an opera in Vienna you want to see. I agree that Salzburg is pretty and can basically be done in a day--get to the Augustiner Bräu Stuberl if you enjoy beer gardens. I'd also keep the overnight in Hallstatt to enjoy the quiet after the tour buses leave and before they descend upon the town in the morning. The Königsee and Berchtesgaden are nice, but Hallstatt is better in my opinion. Investigate the Vienna Heuriger. You will have a great trip.

I think your allocation of time for Salzburg really depends on whether you are thinking of doing the Sound of Music tour. I'm a Sound of Music fanatic, so of course I loved the tour. However, there are folks that are rather ambivalent to the SOM movie that do seem to like the tour, including my daughter. If you don't plan on doing the tour, maybe you could cut Salzburg back to one night, but it is a beautiful city. Make sure to go inside the cathedral. I completely, completely agree on overnights in Cesky Krumlov and Hallstatt. Our strategy for small towns anywhere in Europe that are heavily touristed is to stay overnight to get time in the evening and in the morning before the day trippers get there. I am always willing to put up with just a one night stay if it gets me some time in a city before the chaos starts.

This is such great feedback! Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. My wife and I definitely have some things to think about now!