Vienna to Budapest

If you want to make all those stops and side trips, why not just rent a car? Vienna and Budapest are only 150 miles apart, and the roads are good. Seems to me your itinerary would be much easier done by car. Esterhazy Palace is open daily 9 AM to 6 PM until November 11, according to their website.

Well, the destinations are well worth an effort, and there are trains or/and train owned shuttles between all the stops and it could be done in a logical order..... But it would be a lot of work for two days. Why not take the train to Gyor and set up camp and hit the others by way of a rental car or tour guide? You will find a lot closed in Hungary on Monday.

I agree with renting a car. Driving Austria and Hungary is fantastic. To be honest though, I didn't care much for Sopron. We spent a day there because of all the great things we heard about it, but after touring Eastern and Central europe for a month, Sopron was definitely at the bottom of the list. Its not a bad place, but can't compete with Vienna, Budapest, Prague, etc. I'd be more inclined to spend that day in Bratislava - about 1 hour east of Vienna. Better yet, if you do have a car, look into Eger, Hungary - about 90 mins east of Budapest by motorway (m3?). Beats Sopron hands down.

I would like to thank you very much for your opinions. I have decided to stay an extra day in Vienna to visit Schonnbrunn Palace and then on to Sopron for one night visiting Gyor the next day and then on to Budapest directly. Thank you.

There is no right or wrong. You will have a wonderful time. But come back and let us know how it went.