More days in Budapest or visit Krakow or Wroclaw?

This is a tough one. I've spent 13 days in Vienna & that's not enough: 11 days n Prague that's not enough; 6 days in Budapest that's not enough. 4-5 days in Salzburg and that's 3 days too many. Never got to Poland yet. I can see trading Budapest days for Poland or for more time in Vienna.

3 cities would be too much traveling for 8 days.

Just do the 2 cities and don’t rush your trip. I’ve been to all three cities and they are all wonderful in their own way. Save Poland for another time when you can also visit Gdańsk a gem of a city.

I didn’t love Vienna and moved on after 2 1/2 days. Everyone is different in their enjoyment and priorities. We crammed Krakow, Vienna and Prague into three 2 1/2 day segments (basically). I am diligent in hitting the highlights and moving quickly. (I’d like the luxury of hoping I’ll be back someday but don’t know for sure. For that reason, I don’t mind the quicker pace. That will be different in retirement). I think you can get a decent overview of those cities quickly. If you want a more in depth experience and a slower pace, I’d stick with two.

Where are you flying back from? Travel from Budapest to either Polish city is at minimum, a 4+ hour flight then add in airport times. Train and bus is longer. If you have a committed return flight, then add the retun and you have lost an entire day of a short travel time.

Add Wroclaw and Krakow to your Prague Summer 2020 trip, they will make a nice triangle combination.

Travel from Budapest to either Polish city is at minimum, a 4+ hour
flight then add in airport times.

Actually, LOT Airlines flies a 1 hour direct flight now from Budapest to Krakow. Having said that, everything is an opportunity cost and each of your cities is worthwhile, so with the short time you have, I would try to minimize transit between hem.

APRIL 29, 2020 (Wednesday) - Depart
30 Thursday Vienna
1 Friday Vienna
2 Saturday Vienna
3 Sunday Train Vienna to Gyor / Pannonhalma Archabbey
4 Monday Morning train to Budapest
5 Tuesday Budapest
6 Wednesday Budapest
7 Thursday Budapest / Szentendre (train up / boat back)
8 Friday Home

But of course, this is absolutely backwards. You really want to be in Budapest on May 1st. Being a former Russian occupied country, they have a strong tradition of celebrating May Day, and they do it well. Great time to be there.

James' itinerary is spot-on, as usual. More time in Budapest is always preferable! And I must concur that being in Budapest on May 1 is a wonderful thing not to be missed, I was there in 2017 and the Hungarians do love a chance to celebrate, felt like several big street parties all over town. I spent time in City Park, lots of food, drink and music, then saw the car races on Andrassy ut...simply amazing.

Thanks to everyone for their prompt and thorough response. I tend to agree that I should focus only on Vienna and Budapest... but my wife was hoping to visit a 3rd city so I was exploring that possibility. Maria, I arrive at Vienna and depart from Vienna...maybe not the best thing but took advantage from a cheap opportunity. Carlos, thanks for the suggestion, but on that summer trip we will visit Brugges, Amsterdam, Copenhage, Germany, Switzerland, Prague and might not be able to visit Poland. James, thanks for your suggestion, but unfortunately I have just booked 2 tickets to see Rigoletto at the State Opera in Vienna on May 1st. It is the only thing I have booked so far, and decided to do it since those were the only 2 tickets left at a reasonable price. Uggh. Anyway, thanks again to everyone!

That's the Budapest to Berlin night train, stopping in Wroclaw...very doable.

Not only is May Day celebrated in Hungary but also the events of 1848-49 on the given week-end.

You are right Fred ..... as usual. I rode a sleeper in 1982, that's all i need. I suggested Gyor/Pannonhalma cause its on the tracks from Vienna to Budapest and almost at the exact mid point .... and a great overnight stop snd adventure without cutting into Vienna and Budapest too deeply.

@ James...Thanks.

@ elenci...I agree with choosing a place closer to Vienna and Budapest for the logistical reason, if you need a 3rd place. As suggested, my votes go to Györ, Sopron, and Brno. Pick one of them.

I don't know Sopron other than from the history ( a bit), but have been to Brno a couple of times and seen Györ from the train station three times when the train from Vienna en route to BP makes its stop there

Krakow and Wroclaw are indeed "very appealing, " total contrasts if you want to see the two from a historical perspective. One was basically obliterated in the war, Wroclaw, when it was know as Breslau, the province capital of Silesia, and turned into a fortress, Festung Breslau,by the Nazi Gauleiter thinking it would hold up the Soviet advance. It did but the civilian population suffered tremendously, leaving the city in rubble and ruins as the Soviets contested it.

On the other hand, Krakow was spared the physical destruction wreaked on Breslau and Warsaw. It survived the war intact, ...that's one its attractions

@Fred although I should mention that Wroclaw was fairly well rebuilt by the Poles post WWII, especially in these last 30 years. Here is a picture of the medieval Rathaus (town hall) in 1945 and here is a picture from 2015.

I liked both Sopron and Gyor but would choose Gyor because there's more to see there, even if you don't have time to get to the abbey. I also liked Brno, but it is--and feels like--a city.

@ Carlos...Thanks for the photos...revealing. True, there are a some great joint reconstruction cooperation efforts undertaken by the Poles. Explanations to that effect in Polish and German I saw in 2003 on the premises of the Malbork castle.

Between Berlin and Wroclaw is a special regional train connection.

In 2016 a special "tent" (the information was under a tent outside of Berlin Hbf) was advertising the rail connection from Dresden to Wroclaw, via Görliz. I picked up one of the brochures, "Direkt nach Wroclaw." The link is www. trilex.de. The Hotline tel #...+49 89 548 88 97 -25. (in German).

I would save Krakow and Wroclaw for another trip, and add Gdańsk to the mix when you go.

I haven’t been to Vienna or Budapest in many years, so I defer to more knowledgeable people on where you should go.