I will be flying in and out of Vienna and traveling between Budapest and Prague during a 2 week vacation. I would love to have some part of the trip be by boat. It doesn't need to be a river cruise with all of the extra's. I could be happy with a commuter vessel if that exists. Any suggestions on where to go by boat just to enjoy the scenery while I travel from one location to another?
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6497 posts
From late April to late September there's a hydrofoil service between Budapest and Vienna. Takes most of a day. http://www.mahartpassnave.hu/ I haven't been on the hydrofoil but I went between these cities on a cruise, and much of the Danube is beautiful. It would be a good way to go, though probably more expensive and time-consuming than the train.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17891 posts
The hydrofoil is reportedly loud, bumppy and a bit expensive; BUT!!!! someday i want to try it. Another great option is to take the commuter train out of Budapest to Szentendre. Szentendre is a great little artist town on the Danube. Then take the river taxi from Szentendre back into Budapest. There is something special about entering Budapest by boat. http://www.hajoallomas.hu/webset32.cgi?MAHART@@EN@@115@@619153074 The boat trip takes a bout 1.5 hours and costs something less than $10.00. To get to Szentendre you take the HEV H5(commutter train) from Batthyany ter in Buda. You can buy the ticket at the station and I'm pretty certain that its less than $10.00. http://www.bkv.hu/en/suburban_railway_schedules As for Szentendre http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/hu2
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
A hydrofoil is going to be loud since the exhaust can't be ducted below the waterline. Additionally, all the engine noise that gets beyond the soundproofing and is the human hearing range goes out into the air instead of some of it being absorbed by the denser water. It won't be bumpy once it gets off the hull and onto the plane since the lifting foils are beneath any surface disturbance. The only things cutting the surface are the struts and they're hydrodynamic foils as well. Before they dug the Channel Tunnel we rode them on the Dover/Oostend crossing a couple of times and I can remember the kids wandering back to the bathroom unescorted when the Channel was pretty lumpy. I can also remember when the seas where so high that they would have either hit the hull or the foils would have hopped out of the water between troughs - - something like that, I forget the logic - - anyway the foils didn't run and the choice was either the slow ferry or the ACVs.
Posted by
OP
amesbury, ma, usa
7 posts
Thank you! I just started a file named "Budapest James" and I am saving the details from James and other posters. So much to plan for..........!
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17891 posts
The hydrofoil is 6.5 hours. The train is 3.5 hours and a car is 3 hours. The Hydrofoil is about $130, the train about $30 and a transfer by driver is about $150 per person (2 people). I have only spoken to one person about the hydrofoil trip and she complained about the noise and the rough ride. She also commented that the scenery wasnt much until she got to the Danube bend area. Again, i try and be careful about things i havent done so i might be a little off base. I do really love the Szentendre trip and the river taxi back to budapest; especially in good weather.