My wife and I are going to visit the above destinations in February and March. Any suggestions on getting a rail pass vs trying to purchase each one-way ticket? Or if a bus may be a better option?
Total trip length will be 2 weeks.
Thanks for any help!
First place, I'd go Prague to Salzburg to Vienna to Budapest (or Salzburg-Prague-Vienna-Budapest) to avoid backtracking.
With advance purchase, you can book Prague to Salzburg by express bus to Munich (Hackerbrücke ZOB), S-Bahn to Munich Hbf, RailJet to Salzburg, for as little as 49€/adult. Total time, about 6¾ hr.
There are also three regional rail connections per day direct from Prague to Munich. You can purchase a Czech Rail ticket in Prague to Furth im Wald (Germany) for about 10€, then use a Bayern-Ticket pre-purchased from the Bahn website for 27€ to go from Furth to Landshut, then by regional train direct from Landshut to Salzburg, bypassing Munich. Total cost for 2 people, less than 50€. Total time, 7½ hr.
You can advance purchase express train tickets from Salzburg to Vienna from Austrian Rail for as low as 19€/adult. Standard fare on an express train is about 50€/adult. Two adults can go anywhere (Salzburg to Vienna) on slower regional trains with an Einfach Raus ticket for 35€ for both.
I guess I would fly into Prague (start here because it’s the most intense of the cities), then take a shuttle to Cesky Krumlov (try CZK or Bean Shuttle Service at maybe 35 euro a leg), then a shuttle to Salzburg, then the train to Vienna and then the train to Budapest (the most laid back of the towns).
But I think 14 days is about 3 days short for an optimum trip. You could bypass Cesky Krumlov but that would be a shame or drop Salzburg. You can probably save some train money by purchasing in advance but I’m lazy and just buy the tickets for the next leg when I arrive in country. The shuttle services are best booked in advance. This all pretty much 2 to 3 hour legs between towns, which for me is enjoyable.
So day 1, 2 US to Prague
Day 3, 4, in Prague
Day 5 travel to Cesky Krumlov by shuttle
Day 6 travel to Salzburg by shuttle
Day 7, 8 Salzburg
Day 9 Travel to Vienna
Day 10 Vienna
Day 11 Train to Budapest
Day 12 Budapest
Day 13 Budapest
Day 14 Fly Home
Your train route P-V-S-B involves some significant backtracking. James' itinerary is exactly the same I was ready to suggest including stop in Cesky Krumlov. Thank you, James, for saving me from too much typing. There is so called Yellow Bus (Student Agency) going from Prague to Cesky Krumlov, very comfortable, with a stewardess on board, servicing beverages, snacks, newspapers. There are movies. Bus has bathroom. Shuttle is quite more expensive. But look at it this way: shuttle is door to door, to get to the bus will involve using public transport. Price of shuttle will be the same if you are one or two. Maybe you will find difference in price worthy of comfort of the shuttle. Connection from C.K. to Salzburg by train is complicated and takes a long time. Here the shuttle is very well justified. You probably can save some money if you go by shuttle only to Linz and then by train to Salzburg but I would consider shuttle all the way. From Salzburg to Vienna: good, fast, direct connection by train to Vienna, the same from Vienna to Budapest. Buying ticket from Salzburg to Vienna and then Vienna to Budapest will be quite cheaper than rail pass.
Ilja, great minds think alike.
