Need help with planning the trip - Vienna and Prague

I would stay just in Prague and Vienna. You would spend too much time traveling if you add Munich. Neuschwanstein Castle is fairy-tale like but is relatively new. See it on your next trip. If you want to see a castle go to Karlstejn. Beautiful, old, easy to reach from Prague.

Thank you! How would you divide the time - 4 and 4?

I would divide the same way like you: 4+4.

If you are hell bent on seeing the Neuschwanstein castle, I would research day tours from Vienna. I am sure they have them. some kind of chartered bus tour. It would be a busy day but it would be you fullfilling your desire. You could get away with your 3-2-3 plan, if you add Munich. I found 3 nights in Vienna suffiecient, a bit packed in as we lost a full day with travel from Munich. Prague could be done in 3 nights; we did it in 4 nights and found it such a wonderful pace to tour the city. 3 nights would be pushing it but it is possible.

If you are hell bent on seeing the Neuschwanstein castle, I would research day tours from Vienna Surely that would be death by bus.... My spies tell me that the fastest a car could get there would be over 6 hours each way, so if they could get there after leaving at, say, 6 am and the coach takes an hour longer than a car because it is slower and they recognize that people need toilet stops, you could be there at 1 pm, just in time for lunch. Figure 2 hours for lunch and a tour, and back on the road at 3pm, back in Vienna at 10pm. Whew! I wouldn't do it!! But call me a killjoy. Are there really companies which offer this madness? Busy day? Not half...

I don't want to take one day trip from Vienna to Munich. We won't be driving - will buy euro pass for 3 countries.

Before you buy a rail pass look at fares on the German Rail (Bahn) website. You can go from Vienna to Munich for €29/p each way (or Vienna to Fuessen for €39). You best bet is to get the Vienna to Munich fare for €29/p each way and then use a €29 Bayern-Ticket for RT Munich to Fuessen.

Would you recommend staying 4 nights in Vienna, take a day trip to Salzburg, take a train to Prague, stay 4 nights in Prague and take day trip to Cesky Krumlov. Should I skip CK? Isn't 4 nights too much in Prague?
Thank you

Irina, I don't see a problem with Neuschwanstein, Vienna, and Prague. The problem, as I see it, is that you are planning on arriving in the middle, Vienna. It is about 5 hours to Munich, 6 to 7 to Fussen, or less than 3 to Salzburg. If you already have your plane reservations, I would first check to see the expense of switching arrival city to Munich. If the castle is the objective, I would fly into Munich, S bahn into town, train to Fussen and stay the first night in Fussen. Tour the castle in the morning and take an afternoon train to Vienna for 4 nights. Morning train to Prague and three nights in Prague. If you cannot fly into Munich, I would forget Neuschwanstein. If you want Salzburg, fly into Vienna and train immediately to Salzburg, spend 2 nights in Salzburg, 3 in Vienna, and 3 in Prague.

Thank you very much. Unfortunately, we are using our miles and there is no availability to go to Munich. We decided to skip Germany and explore Prague, Vienna and Salzburg. Is it hard to get from Vienna to Salzburg or from Salzburg to Prague (if we would stay in Vienna first)? Should we stay in Vienna (use it as a hub) and take day trip to Salzburg?

Ok, I have only used miles once and while I had to use a few more miles or pay a fee, don't remember which, I could fly open jaw. If that is possible, I would fly into Vienna and out of Prague. The train to Salzburg is a bit under 3 hours. The train Vienna to Prague is a bit over 5. My first choice would be to fly into Vienna and take a train to Salzburg and spend 2 nights there. Then train to Vienna for 3 and train to Prague for 3 and fly home from Prague. If you cannot fly open jaw, then you can start at either Vienna or Prague and the train travel is the same. I would probably make a choice based on the ease of getting from downtown to the airport. There is a subway/bus connection in Prague, very doable, but not the most convenient. I don't know the airport connection in Vienna.

Upon googling "vienna airport transportation" it appears that there are several easy, quick, and frequent options at varying prices. I would opt for Vienna as the home base if you cannot fly open jaw.

We do fly into Vienna and out of Prague. Isn't 4 nights too much in Prague?

For Vienna to Salzburg, it's easy. The Railjet makes the trip in 2h45m with no train changes from Vienna's Westbahnhof. There is about 1 Railjet per hour. Munich is only 1½ hour from Salzburg, non-stop by RailJet, so Munich (and Neuschwanstein) would be easier to include in your itinerary than Prague. You can find these as well as any other train schedules on the German Rail (Bahn) website.

Irina,
4 nights is not too much for Prague. You can do some day trip. See Rick Steves book: Prague & the Czech Republic.

Checking this website for trains, http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en it shows that Vienna to Salzburg is 3 hrs. and Vienna to Prague is 5 to 6 1/2 hours, depending on which train you take. Salzburg to Prague is 6 1/2 to 7 hrs. Your recent post indicated you might want to do Vienna, Salzburg and then Prague. So, you could do 3 nights Vienna, 2 nights Salzburg and 3 nights Prague. Remember to take into account your jet lag and train travel time between cities. So, your Salzburg to Prague train ride will take up most of that siteseeing day. You'll then have two days in Prague. Not knowing what you want to see, two days may be enough. For me, it would be. You could arrange for a private tour guide for one day. Check out a Rick Steves' tour book to see what else you, personally, want to see. Your other alternative, of course, would be to spend only one night in Salzburg. IMO, it's too beautiful of a city to spend only one night. Have a great trip.

Would it make sense to do 3 nights in Vienna, 2 in Salzburg and 3 in Vienna or do 4 in Vienna and 4 in Prague and take a guided day tour to Salzburg?
Thank you very much for all responses

Irina-IMHO-4 nights in Prague is not too much. It is a lovely city, very walkable, and a step back from all the other busy cities, altho it is busy at times. The beauty of Prague is that sites were not destroyed during WWII, and there is so much to see and appreciate after the communists left as well. We love walking to, in and around the Jewish quarter, and being on the Charles Bridge after 10. The lights of Prague are mesmerizing, and people are friendly. It is just a different experience than, say, Paris or Vienna or Munich-altho I love each of those cities. I would most certainly consider the day trip to Cesky Kromlov-it is doable,and then return to Prague for a dinner, beer and a walk. Also, have taken the train to Vienna in the dead of winter with the snow, and found the 5 hour trip enjoyable, withh a good meal on board. Good luck, enjoy it all.