Vienna-Budapest-Prague-Berlin

I think it would work. Why not? Yes, Budapest to Prague by train takes almost seven hours. But flying with all the hassle associated with it is not much faster.

Thanks, seems a bit counter-intuitive to go down to Budapest and then back up the same way to head to Prague. But I guess that is the only way logistically. I had thought of flying from Budapest to Prague, but you are right, hassle! Night train might be the idea.
Is 3 days enough for Budapest and 2 for Prague? I was thinking 5 days for Berlin and 4 for Vienna.
Thanks!

Budapest to Prague by plane, hotel, door to door, takes no more than 4.5 hours.

The train will take you a little over 8 hours hotel door to door. People seem to forget that you do need time to travel to the station, and you know you will arrive at least 30 min early to find your track and figure out the station.

Its personal choice, but I would rather be moving around a bit, having breakfast in the airport, etc, then be trapped on a train for 7 hours.

Night trains probably mean you won’t get any sleep and will be tired for the following day or two. Presumably you only have 4 or 5 days in Prague and therefore want to make the most of your time there. If you have a week there and plenty time to recover, you could take the night train for the experience.

I would fly Budapest to Prague.

The bus goes to either Nepliget or Kelenfold I believe. From either you will need the metro into the town center. Between waiting for the bus, travel time and the connection in Budapest you would be doing good to reach the center of town in under 3.5 hours. Then if Vienna is the arrival city from the states, for me at least, a 16 hour flight becomes a 20 hour ordeal with 3 flights, a bus and a metro connection.

The night train leaves at about 7:30pm and arrives 11.5 hours later with a 6 hour stop along the way .... from 11pm to 5am. So no view of the countryside. Read a book. Great fun. Figure an hour at the front end and 30 min at the back end for door to door.

For my taste, I would rather loose a morning in Budapest than an evening. But that's preference. Arrive in Vienna, train to Budapest after a few days, then fly to Prague after a few more days is becoming pretty common thanks to the cheap flight costs. Actually, I'm not a big Vienna fan, so I would skip it all together. But if you have never been, you have to spend a couple of nights.

"Thanks, seems a bit counter-intuitive to go down to Budapest and then back up the same way to head to Prague. But I guess that is the only way logistically."
No, it is not. Going from Budapest to Prague you don't go via Vienna but through southwestern Slovakia and Bratislava.
Prague, Budapest, Vienna need minimum 3 full days. 5 days for Berlin is OK.

@ Sarah...As long as you don't have to get off the train in the wee hours of the morning, say 2 am or 3am, no problem in taking the night connection BP to Prague. I've always avoided night trains that required a change at 2 am after having boarded at 7 pm. To prevent that you just tailor the routes, which is the easiest done in Germany.

This BP to Prague night connection is direct...problem solved. No problem for me sleeping, whether it's motionless or moving, on the night train, but it is matter of one's travel style.

Time-wise you'll stretch your traveling time since you are arriving in Prague central station (Praha hl n) in the morning...just in time for coffee and breakfast. Keep in mind the train station eateries open between 5-6 am.

Thanks all,
The plane option is seeming more convenient and attractive. I am a light sleeper and would likely not sleep well, and don't mind the idea of moving around a bit in the morning as opposed to losing a night in Budapest and being trapped for the 7 hours on a train.
@scythian - I chose the length of stays based on what has been suggested in forums for Budapest and Prag. For Berlin and Vienna, I made a list of activities and grouped them into days. I have not done this yet for Budapest and Prag. That's right, I will be coming from Salzburg going to Vienna. That is an interesting suggestion, breaking the trip up with a stay in Brno. I will consider this.
@ Fred - I love the idea of stretching traveling time and it is great so many people can take advantage of the night train. I think with my terrible sleeping habits that I will need to pass on this option. Other than that, I would rather not lose a night in Budapest.

Thank you all for your great suggestions and opinions!