Danube low

James do you have an opinion on this?

No, not really. I've heard it happens from time to time. I see the Viking is warning that the Danube is low and that their passengers will be personally contacted if they aren't going to sail. Also see where cargo ships on the Danube are having trouble sailing..... The bad news is that you are starting in Nuremberg. Otherwise being stranded in Budapest (im not about to ride a bus in lieu of a river boat) for a week would be a great thing. Noticed that many of the rivers up through Germany are in the same shape. Grab a discount airline ticket to Budapest and hang out.

If you have the option I'd catch a train from where ever you get off the boat and head for Linz, Vienna, or Budapest. I agree, riding a bus is not how I like spending my time.

thanks. I will check my options if it happens. It looks like only an hour bus ride.

did you mean end in Vienna and then bus to slovakia or end in slovakia and bus to Budapest?

End in Slovakia and bus (or train) to Budapest. The Slovakian city(can't remember the name begins with a K) I was told could be the endpoint is a one hour driver from Budapest.

I guess in Komárno? I havent been on the Slovakian side of the city, but on the Hungarian side (Komárom) there is an interesting 19th century fortress that was used right up until the time the Russian occupation ended. The town is fairly interesting too. Pictures of the Slovakian side really look interesting. A good reminder for me. Next trip i should cross the bridge and visit. There is a sister fortress to the one in Hungary. Together they pretty much controlled the Danube.

Yes, its about an hour out of Budapest by car; maybe an hour and a half to most of the tourist hotels. If you have made it that far you pretty much got your river trip, although its a shame not sailing into Budapest. Its really a stunning country to enter on the river.

If i were in you position and had a few extra dollars to spare I would hire a guide to pick me up in Komárno, visit the Danube Bend towns and then take the boat out of Szentendre into Budapest (cant believe the river would be so low the river taxi isnt running), that way i could watch the parliament rise up before me as i rounded the bend of Margaret Island. Very impressive and a nice 45 minute trip down the Danube.

James-As a backup plan do you have the name of a guide service that would serve Komarno to Szentendre? And the info for the river taxi from Szentendre? thanks so much!

Good news and bad news..... Good news is i suspect that the river taxi will be running again before the Cruise Ships do. Still, here is the information. http://www.mahartpassnave.hu/en/timetable/danube-bend-excursion-boat-lines/budapest-szentendre/

Before I would hire a guide I would hire a driver. But here is one of each. Both can get you to Szentendre. The guide will show you around Estergom, Visegrad and Szentendre while the driver will take you to each location and let you guide yourself (perfectly fine for these locations) and then give you directions to the committer train station in Szentendre for the 30 minute ride into Budapest OR, wait on you to drive you into Budapest.

These are both trusted friends.

Driver: László MÁRKUS https://silverwings.hu/

Guide: ILLÉS András (Andrew) http://www.guideinbudapest.com/

Okay, a quick lesson on Hungarian names. Traditionally they place their family name first and their given name second; and its very common for them to refer to each other by their family name. But then comes along the West, and in an effort to fit the norm of the west some, not all, begin putting their given name first. To complicate things, to most people in the West its hard to guess a family name from a given name. So in essence when you see their name written you dont know which is which.

Fortunately they also have adopted the habit of putting the Family name in all caps. So, the names above, Laszlo and Andras are the given names... Clear as mud, huh....??

thanks James!!

But if you can afford the private transport dont skip the Danube bend towns. In order of preference if time is tight, Szentendre, Esztergom, Visegrad.