Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov

As you already know, it is a long way from Prague to C-K. Rick Steves mentions the possibility of hiring a car and driver, so you might compare that price to the car rental. The same car service we used also promotes trips to Vienna, so if you know you only want three or four hours in C-K, you might find that a good deal. For us, it was almost the same price as two tickets on an organized (commercial) bus day trip. (Return to Prague .... ) Note that southern Czech Republic has some other things you might want to see on an overnight, like "The Three T's", and the "real" Budweiser brewery. But we didn't have the time, so I can't report on those. Cesky Krumlov is definitely worth the trip, but it doesn't have as many things to do as, say, Bruges. We took the English tour of the Baroque Theater (limited availability), and the tour of the Castle/Chateau. We didn't kayak or hike in the woods. We persuaded our driver to buy our Theater tour tickets for us before he left for his idle time. (Bar? Nap?) Since he spoke Czech, we thought it would be helpful for getting something in short supply. You certainly don't want a car in Vienna, so I'd return the car, and train to Salzburg. You will probably pay at least 100 Euros fee for renting in one country and returning in another. Get some real online quotes before you try comparisons.

Thanks, that's helpful. SHould we book these van and driver hires in advance? HOw long does it take to drive from Prague to CK, how many hours simply to go around the city and take nice photos, and then how long onward to Vienna?