Recommended Itinerary?

1. Depart USA 2. Arrive Frankfurt, Transfer to train to Prague 3. In Prague 4. In Prague 5. Depart Prague for Vienna 6. In Vienna 7. In Vienna 8. Depart Vienna for Budapest 9. In Budapest 10. In Budapest 11. In Budapest 12. Depart Budapest for Rome 13. In Rome 14. Depart Rome for USA
I am always unclear when someone says they have 14 days if they are talking USA to USA or actual time in Europe. I did this USA to USA if you have some more time in Europe, either because of arrival or you have already seen all of Rome you want to on past trips then I would add a couple of Days to allow you to go down to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, spend a night, and then return to Prague before moving on to Vienna. The best of Prague can be seen in two days as can the best of Vienna. I am biased but I think Budapest takes a little longer to enjoy and appreciate. I also think Budapest is going to be more kid friendly. All the transportation can be accomplished by train except the final leg to Rome. This is way subjective. You can't really do wrong.

Since you are travelling with young children, you should plan to double the "required" time needed in a city, i.e. cut your expectations in half. With a 2 yr old, seeing one "big" sight and one "small" sight in a day constitutes success. That said, seeing 3 cities in 2 weeks seems reasonable. However, each train trip (except Vienna to Budapest) between the cities you list runs 6-7 hours. That a LOT of train time for little ones. The first ride will be fun, after that, a slog. I would suggest cutting Prague and sticking with an Austria based itinerary: Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest. The area around Salzburg has wonderful things for kids like castles, hiking, salt mines and splashing about in lakes. I would rent a car for that part. The 3 cities are all manageable size with kiddos. Definitely use public transport in the cities. Trams and subways are part of the attraction for kids. Final recommendation is to find a centrally located hotel so that you can retreat for a nap in the afternoon if needed. You don't want to have to traipse back 45 min. to your hotel with a cranky toddler. And they WILL be cranky. Jetlag does that!

I have never tried to travel with such little ones. If you are flying into Frankfurt you are pretty much left with six hour train rides. Planes are faster but the lead times for air travel and the travel time to and from the airport generally make flying the same length of time as the train. But maybe doing more stuff when flying will provide more kiddy distraction. Of the destinations i think that Vienna will be the least kid enjoyable and Budapest the most. In Budapest the river, the zoo, day time kid friendly entertainment, steam engine rides through the buda hills, the bath houses, a chance to touch an eagle or falcon, Margaret island park, the tram and the tiny M1 subway for instance. Oh and lots of sweet shops.

I see my post may be a little late, but my wife and I took my daughter who was 1 1/2 at the time in 2010. I can only speak for Budapest and Austria, specifically Vienna. Both cities we found very safe and fun our child. My wife and I like museums but pushing a stroller with a crying child in the Schonbrunn Palace made it the fastest palace tour on record. I'd skip the palace tour and walk the grounds and see the zoo that's there. The Prater (amusement park) is really worth it as you only pay for the rides you want to ride (no tickets or entry fee) just pay a Euro and ride the merry-go-round or a Euro for the slide. Your kids may never leave. I find that RS lacks in giving higher scores to certain sights. Yes the Prater get one 'star' if you don't have a kid but it should get three if you do. The Naschmarket is great for kids to. You can see all sorts of foods. We took the train between Vienna and Budapest. Just a comfortable as Amtrak. In Budapest it was so worth going to the thermal bath at Szechenyi. Put your little one in a swim diaper and go. RS makes it sound confusing, but the large lady behind the counter knows you're a tourist and gestures where to go. Most of the teens that work there speak some English and love seeing little kids. It was truly the best place to bring a kid in Budapest. We took a public bus to Memento Park, which is out of the way but cool to see all the large statues (stroller friendly). We also saw the Hospital in the Rocks. Very worth it. I think it was an hr tour but not stroller friendly. Most of RS walks pass a playground or two (just listen for laughter) which is a fun relief for the kids. Just remember balloons and ice cream work wonders overseas just as they do here.

Ralph apparently had a less than memorable experience in Budapest. I assume this because the sheer quantity of disparaging remarks about the place. One thing I would agree upon is on the consideration of the fact that kids are part of the equation. But you are a parent so I don't have to tell you what you already know. Prague, Vienna, Budapest are all three beautiful cities. In Prague you can explain the detailing that makes the baroque architecture unique as compared to the earlier architecture in the city. In Vienna you can take the kids to an Opera or show them the great palaces and government buildings that once ruled a major chunk of the world. In Budapest you can take the kids to the fabulous city park http://www.eventparadise.com/newsletters/20/photos/42701/original/city-park-with-heroes-sq.jpg , Szechenyi Bath http://www.worldwonderphotos.com/images/watermark/Szechenyi-Baths-Budapest.jpg or the Zoo http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/508008075_90d1569d51.jpg .And if they still want to see Baroque architecture take them to Buda and if they still want to see grand government buildings you can show them the grandest of them all, the Hungarian Parliament. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/4050886700_48db715f4b.jpg Prague does have 3 very compact tourist zones. You can whisk your way from one to the other with ease and the rumors of the crush of tourists in Disneyland fashion, while partially true, can be avoided by going off season http://static.europeupclose.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/Tourists-in-Prague.jpg . Prague is a great town and a real favorite of English Stag Parties http://www.stag-prague.com/images/stale/Stag%20weekend%20in%20Prague(1).jpg . Budapest doesn't really have much in the way of Tourist Zones so you have to ride the trams around town and up and down the Danube to see the sights http://www.flickr.com/photos/ikaros_images/227119149/ .

I don't suppose kids would be interested in playing with an eagle, would they? This guy or someone like him hangs out near the Buda castle quite often http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1139/5132923259_5a50f83918_z.jpg But to get there you have to ride the dreaded Funicular http://www.dreamstime.com/funicular-palace-railway-in-budapest-thumb18071928.jpg Then there is the secret communist installation buried deep in the ground under the hill of Buda, or a ride down the river, or ...... Well you can see parents and kids get pretty bored in Budapest. Not enough Baroque. Okay, so I enjoy Budapest. What's the down side? Well in Prague you only have to be able to count to 5 as the exchange rate is 5 crowns to the dollar. In Vienna you have to be able to determine the fourth of the cost in Euros and add it back to the cost as the exchange rate is 1.25 dollars to the euro BUT IN BUDAPEST you have to be able to count all the way to 240!!! Actually with a rate of 240 to the dollar I just drop two zeros and divide by two for a rough conversion. It leave me 15% on the safe side. That combined with Budapest being the absolute less expensive of the three makes for a cost effective trip. Oh, I didn't say much about Vienna; I found it to be just plain dull. Now, before the attacks begin, this is just my opinion. Among the acquaintances I have that have actually spent time in Budapest, Vienna and Prague the breakdown is something like 50% favor Budapest, 35% Prague and 15% Vienna. The under 30 crowd is the biggest fan of Prague. The group that preferred Vienna was harder to tie down. Mostly older, or those into museums in a big way. But that's not quite right either. Just an odd mix. But they are all correct in that preferences are always correct.

The previous was done in good humor. I did a much more serious approach to this which you can find as a PDF file called "Vienna, Prague or Budapest" located on the right hand side of this page about half way down: http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/fivedaysinbudapest Feel free to poke around the site and look at the resources, photos, etc; there might be something else that helps. Happy Trails