Hello. I have signed up for the RS Prague and Budapest Tour and I am wondering about how much free time I'll have during the tour in Budapest. For those that have taken this tour, about how much free time did you have between the Hungarian cooking class and the Danube Cruise on Day 6? On Day 7, about how much free time did you have between the visit to Heroes' Square and the Farewell Dinner?
Thank you for your help!
Erika
You haven’t got much response, so I am going to make a stab at guessing. Lets see if anyone chimes in and corrects my guesses. Hope so.
Thursday 30 May: On to Budapest
No idea what time they leave in the morning, but you gotta eat breakfast so lets guess 08:30. The drive non-stop is 5:15 so figure maybe 6 hours with a stop or two along the way. So you arrive at 2:30pm. Then you gotta check in to the hotel and drop your bags, etc. So now you are out for the Pest tour at no earlier than 3:00, probably later.
The tour only mentions the Parliament and the Basilica. So I am guessing it is pretty much just the upriver part of District V. Somehow I suspect that this is maybe a 3 hour event, hotel to tour to hotel. Now its 6:00 pm …. Dinner.
I suspect that your free time will be the evening. If you want some ideas let me know. When you know your hotel, let me know and I can give you some clues in the immediate area.
The tour says moderate walking 2 – 6 miles. Maybe 2 miles, cant see how it would amount to 6. Also says some hills. There aren’t any hills in Pest. Mentions stairs too. Maybe, if you go inside of a building … otherwise a step up or down once in a while.
Friday 31: Bustling Budapest
The day begins with getting bussed to the Buda Castle District.
There really isn’t much to see up there which is why the cooking class. It says that you eat lunch as part of the cooking class, so figure you will be set free by 2pm.
He is setting you free in Buda, but you really want to be in Pest, so finding your way (not hard) is your first challenge.
You do a group cruise on the Danube. But not a dinner cruise so its just a sight seeing cruise and those run all evening, so any guess of which tough. Big question is before or after dinner? So you can make some plans one way or another. This one I hope you get a good answer for.
It says strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Not sure how strenuous, I walk most of the area almost every day and I am an old-fart. Stairs? If you walk up or down to the castle district, yes. But there are other ways. And saying maybe 8 miles is a bit of a stretch I think.
Saturday 1 June: Elegance of Empire:
The Opera House tour if that’s what you do is less than an hour. The ride on the M1 to Heroes Square if less than 10 minutes. Then listen to the guide talk for while. So figure you are free at noon?
Very little walking as part of the tour, maybe a half mile the way it is presented. No hills, no uneven terrain, No stairs except inside of the Opera.
Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Budapest.
Sunday 2 June: Tour Over After Breakfast
Nothing on the tour. But you have barley scratched the surface, you need at least one more day in Budapest and to be honest two more days.
I suggest since you love museums you do those today. Monday, your extra day most are closed
Monday 3 June: The extra Day
Maybe a whirlwind day of trams. All by tram with views of tge city along the way:
Andrassy ut to Great Synagogue, do the tour. Then on to the Great Market Hall, sure the second floor is tourism, but the first (ground) is an excellent cultural experience. 10 min or an hour, it's enroute, so it's not a detour. Then on to the Gellert Hotel and the wonderful bath house. Then up river to the castle gardens and onward for the cross river views of Pest. Then down the Pest side of the river past the parlianent to the Corso for Dinner and stunning views. The M1 takes you home or to a nice wine bar.
Just an idea. Cause you miss so much on the RS tour.
Thank you Mr E for the info!
I’m only staying in Budapest one extra day so obviously I am trying to maximize the free time I do have during days 6 and 7 to squeeze in more sights. Based on your information, it appears I’ll have time to visit St. Stephen’s Basilica and the House of Terror on those 2 days. On my extra day, I am hoping to visit the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest History Museum, Dohány Street Synagogue, and the Shoes on the Danube memorial.
I greatly enjoy art and history.
Any suggestions? The tour hotel in Budapest is the K+K Hotel Opera.
And do you have suggestions on how to best get to the airport for a very early flight? I need to be at the airport around 4:30AM.
Thank you again for the help :)
The K+K is a very nice hotel in the perfect location for sightseeing. I stayed there on my first trip here 20 years ago and a few times since. But I have to laugh because it's the antithesis of the type of hotel RS touts.
Anyway, to the airport just call City Taxi. Get picked up 2.5 hours prior to flight time and you will be fine. The cost will be about 10.000 forints or about $30. Or the front desk will arrange it and the cost will be somewhat more; maybe $40. The trip to the airport from the K+K at that time is about 35 minutes. How do I know? I've taken a lot of 6am departures and I live across Andrassy ut from your hotel.
You didn't say when you arrive? Day of the week and season impacts what is open sometimes. If they send you a tighter iteniary it would be great if you shared it.
The cooking class thing has me a bit baffled. RS brings a group to one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in Europe, on a very limited schedule, and puts you in a room to cook for 3 or 4 hours? Unless you love to cook, opt out and see the city.
Another tip, the first time RS gives you free time, buy a TravelCard good for your duration in town. Then as you have free time and on your extra day you can maximize your time and enjoyment.
I second City Taxi for those early departures (which I hate) and the K+K will call the day before and schedule it for you, if you need them to. You can also set up the app at home ahead of time and schedule it yourself. Always arrives a few minutes early (ok, once it was “just” on time - ha!).
If you are already at the K+K, just stay. It’s a really nice location and you can either spring for a balcony or stay very nicely without (for less - my choice). They have a good breakfast but you won’t need that with an early departure.
Mr E and TexasTravel Mom - thank you for the taxi information! I booked an additional night for my extra day but selected the room rate without breakfast as my check out will be 4am.
Mr E - I arrive to Budapest on the evening of May 30th, a Thursday. So I'll be touring Budapest with the group on the 30th, 31st, and 1st of June and solo on June 2nd. Concerning the cooking class, I found a 2023 scrapbook of the Prague & Budapest tour and it appears that it is not the long. I've been debating whether to participate or opt out. I am opting out of the visit to the Great Market Hall which is after the cooking class. I'm not that interested in shopping and I would rather spend my time exploring the city.
Take a look at the changes to my first post.
We really enjoyed the bath experience at Szecheny and included a 15 minute back massage. RS book explains the experience. We took it in the afternoon. You will be given a transit pass for the duration of the tour. Buy the Opera tour tickets if during the week the day before. There were tickets available all day early but sold out by the first English tour time. Also missed the Great Synagogue because of a Jewish holiday. Still enjoyed seeing the Tree of Life at the backside of the synagogue.
racquet588
You will be given a transit pass for the duration of the tour.
On the last full day you are given, or when? A 24-hour pass or a ticket? I'm curious?
