Best time to go - Prague, Budapest, Vienna?

Julia
Central Europe is great for different reasons all year long. Depends on what you are interested in and what you want to do. The Christmas Markets are wonderful, but so is Lake Balaton in the Summer. April, May, September and October would be my choices for a general tour. Remember the Europeans are not big on air conditioning. July and August are the most crowded and Prague is the most crowded of the towns you listed. All of the towns you listed are accessible one from the other by train and they all have adequate to outstanding public transport at really reasonable costs.

Also, remember that in July and August most of the theaters are closed.

I was there in mid-May 2 years ago for 12 days . . . Budapest to Vienna to Prague. The first week was nearly all grey skies and often raining too. Mild temperatures. Prague seemed to have the most tourists, but that could be because the Old Town area is more compact - or I went farther afield in the other two. None was crowded like London or Paris or Italy. With only two weeks, you can easily stick to trains between cities. In the cities, cars are worse than useless, and public transportation is very good, both in town and for day trips out of town. Also with two weeks, I'd drop either Salzburg/Munich or Prague. Too many destinations and from Vienna they are in more or less opposite directions.

Thanks, I'm now thinking about Krakow instead of salzburg and Munich. Looks like September may be the month, I was thinking April, but concerned it will be too cool, May is probably out due to other commitments and I try to avoid July and August. Julia

October is probably the best weather month in Budapest. September is very, very good as well. Check Ryan Air for flights from Budapest to Krakow or reverse. Look at the Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras in Slovakia (not far from Krakow)for a special experience: http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/slovakia

Julia,
My wife and I, and another couple, just returned from a tour of Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Melk, Vienna and Budapest. We left September 18 and returned October 6. The weather was very nice while we were there, and we feel that it is a good time to go because the primary summer crush is over but the weather is still good. If you decide to go I will be happy to provide any thing I can to help you. We rode public transportation and stayed in appartments where we could. Best regards, Bill

An excellent alternative to Melk is the Pannonhalma Archabbey located half way between Vienna and Budapest just outside the lovely old town of Gyor.  http://bences.hu/lang/en/en

Did everyone notice that Budapest, Prague and Vienna made Travel & Leisure magazine's "101 places every traveler should know"?

Did this trip a few years ago and loved it. Beginning of September is perfect. Out of the cities you have listed Budapest was my least favorite. Enjoyed the visit but would not go back. Prague, Vienna and Salzburg are awesome.

September is great. It's harvest season and there are lots of small festivals.

Hi, I've been to all these places but only in the summer...went Budapest in late May 2010, a day trip from Vienna, weather was just right, warm and comfortable, no problems using German and English, very interesting as to how the city, the site of some real horrendous fighting in 1945, was rebuilt after the war. It was only an overview, very pleasant, definitely will go back. Generally, you can expect Budapest to be a few degrees hotter than Vienna in the summer with that heat which can get oppressive. On Vienna I agree that early September is a good time, was there twice. a little less oppressive heat. The disadvantage is the hotel rates jump after August because of trade fairs and conventions. Now I prefer going there in July or early August.

If you go to the following link and if you look for a pdf file (lower right hand side) called Prage Vienna Budapest.pdf it has my take on these three wonderful cities. http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/fivedaysinbudapest

We always travel in mid October to mid November. No crowds, weather usually in the 60's, which is perfect for us. Krakow is splendid as is Vienna. Prague is good too, but a but more touristy. Budapest, in my opinion, you could skip. We just spent 3 days there last week and could not figure out why people like it. Not a lot of character there. We liked Munich too. Just my opinion.

Sounds like most agree on early Fall as good, and I agree. In 3 Europe trips, we've been to all the places you mention, from June to October. We were there just this year, 9/11 to 10/15. Half of that was ETBD Eastern Europe tour, which covered all-new territory for us. Krakow is a good choice, but without a flight or overnight train in and out, this is a little out of the way from other cities. We visited the salt mines just south of town and enjoyed it. Others on our tour went to the recently-opend Schindler Museum even closer in, and wished they had more time there before boarding the bus to head south. The death camps west of town are essential if you have not visited any somewhere else. We enjoyed Budapest most for the 3 hours spent in the pools, nearly at the end of the yellow subway line. Some pools so hot I could stay in a couple minutes, some so cold I got in only to my ankles. The hot tub holding 450 or so was the one we liked best, with jets and bubbles and everything.
We did not need a jacket until reaching Vienna on 10/11, except on the 3 days we had some rain. A poncho or compact umbrella is useful then.

In mid May of this yr I visited P,B,V. We only had one day of rain in Cesky Kumlov. not bad for 2 weeks. We used a driver for the transit since we were four persons but with less train would have been perfect except for Cesky Kumlov.
We expereinced no crowds during May.

Thanks for all the info, I am just now getting back to planning this now the holidays are over. I will look at the links that have been posted and get back with more questions I'm sure. I think I'm down to Prague, CK, Vienna, Budapest, leaving somewhere between 8/25 and 9/7. Julia