Post-tour travel from Vienna

We took the train to Hallstatt for one day, then Salzburg. We then took the train to Frankfort—stopping in Munich for a couple hours as it was during Oktoberfest. We put luggage in lockers and headed out, following the crowd. We returned, picked up the luggage and on to Frankfort.
Trains were very easy and if you book ahead they are relatively inexpensive. There was a special pricing on the trains in Southern Germany if I recall and it included Salzburg.
I think others went to Bratislava or to Budapest.

Sounds like a fun tour. https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/austria/munich-salzburg-vienna-tour-2025

I am surprised he skips Hallstatt, and as much as I enjoyed it, it’s a lot of back tracking at the end of the journey. Well, if you saw the location under my name, you know what I am going to suggest. But, all bias aside (and admittedly there is a lot), Vienna is a 2.5 hour, 17 euro train ride from what is unquestionably the most beautiful and interesting capital city in Europe (okay, that is bias of course … and maybe fact).

Favorite Tourism Video of Budapest https://youtu.be/1nd5AtZIrTk?feature=shared
Anthony Bourdain describing how visually pleasurable Budapest is https://youtu.be/0nd9DuDGCz0?si=aa0c19KaJHEtabkX

For the time of year you choose well. I love the region (Austria and Hungary) in September. Best weather of the year. Cool at times but all of the outside cafes are still open and most days just sweater weather … if that much. Also the Theater Season. Opera, Ballet, Concerts, Broadway type musicals, Jazz ….. Start by looking at:
https://www.opera.hu/hu/ and https://youtu.be/lZUR-GJLAgY?si=aLCiBRIZrFAoI3pB
https://operett.hu/ and https://youtu.be/oZy_fTDzPKs?si=1tbTGE-nwOY13ahZ
https://lfze.hu/programok and https://youtu.be/Ux406AdIF4I?si=XcHXnWlcSYznUjVZ
https://opusjazzclub.hu/ and https://youtu.be/EP_h3OsKjXA?si=2tdUWgpKnSEdxbKL
There are also church concerts and a many other venues big and small.

It’s a little early to have the event dates in Budapest for September but here are some things to watch for (depending on your arrival date):
Every month MAV Railtours has Steam or Nostolgia or luxury trains to various destinations from Budapest. 20th Kadarka Express, 27th Semmering Express, 27th Steam Engine trip to the Danube Bend (very good) https://www.mavrailtours.hu/hu/travels/2025
1 thru 7 September (last years date, 2025 date not published yet) Jazz Festival https://mupa.hu/en/events/jazztime-2024
8 thru 17 (last years date, 2025 date not published yet) Jewish Cultural Festival This is good, very good https://www.zsidokulturalisfesztival.hu/programok-2024
14 (last years date, 2025 date not published yet) Wine Lovers Top 100 Wine tasting event at the Corninthia Hotel (always good) https://wineloversrendezvenyek.hu
27 – 29, OktoberFest Budapest https://www.budapestbylocals.com/oktoberfest-budapest/ (thank you CWsocial)
11 – 14 Budapest Wine Festival at the Castle (really, really good) https://aborfesztival.hu/en
18 through 21 (last years date) Corvin Beer Festival.

Ahh, we are actually going in mid-October. My mistake. We were on a wait list and just got a spot and I was hurriedly sending out my inquiry and typing too fast. :)

Correcting my original question now…..

Some good ideas here! Does the October date change suggestions?

No, still a good time to visit.

OCTOBER EVENTS

• Every month MAV Railtours has Steam or Nostolgia or luxury trains to
  various destinations from Budapest. The list is too long.
  https://www.mavrailtours.hu/hu/travels/2025

• 4 – 6, 10 -13 OktoberFest Budapest
  https://www.budapestbylocals.com/oktoberfest-budapest/ (thank you
  CWsocial)

• 12 - 13 (last years date, 2025 date not published yet) Etyeki
  piknik https://etyekipiknik.hu/en/#programok

• 16-19 Art Market / Fair https://amb.hu/hu/

• Horse Race at Heroes Square. October ??? Keep checking here for
  dates: https://vagta.hu/

• Revolution Day. Oct 23rd National Holiday. Things going on all over
  town.

So you finish the tour on the 19th or the 26th. I think you will want to spend another night or two in Vienna. Great city and the tour is sort of short there. Then what ever time you have left here (or someplace). You will find the prices are a lot better in Budapest than Austria if that helps any in deciding how long. In Octobrer you should be able to find a nice 4star for $150; maybe less.

PLAN B
Vienna to Graz by train
Graz to Ljubljana using Daytrip.com for about $400 with a stop or two along the way (great choices).
Home from Slovenia?
Not great, but an option.

PLAN C
Vienna to Krakow on Ryan Air. As little as $25 but count on $100.
Not a bad option actually. But not sure Ryan flies every day so check that.
Home from Krakow

PLAN D
Go to Google Flights, put in Vienna to Europe, non-stop, under $125 and the date. Choose your dream. Maybe Paris for the Autumn Festival?

PLAN E
Vienna to Budapest by train then board the overnight train to Lviv.
Lviv to Warsaw by train and then home.

PLAN F
Do you have your plane tickets yet? Where do they change? Stay there for a day. No tickets yet? See if Turkish Air works for you and lay over a few days in Istanbul.

We did this tour in 2019. We went to Bratislava. It was wonderful. So easy to get to. We were staying at the Vienna Airport our last 2 nights in Vienna. This enabled us to take a Flix bus to Bratislava. If you like beer, there are great beers to be had.

We walked around the old town area. It was alot of fun. We mistakenly left our RS guide book behind, but we asked shop keepers where to go and we found some great off the beaten path places. Also a great lunch place and beer hall. We were there in December. October should be lovely.

MR E, the tour used to include Hallstatt in the past, but the itinerary has changed starting this year. I'm also taking this tour, and I'm curious about the new stop. According to the hotel list, we are staying in a town called Emmersdorf an der Donau instead of Hallstatt.