train vs car

Julie , we are making this trip in the fall , so here is our plan ; Prague - Budapest - Vienna and westward from Vienna , We chose this plan rather than Prague - Vienna - Budapest due to the remainder of our itinerary . The train ( 7 hrs. ) from Prague to Budapest is about $30 USD per person if you purchase on Czech Railways and commit to a date and time specific ticket . Having a car , while undoubtably more costly would enable you to meander and stop on the way , but for pure transportation ,you can't beat the train . I am not one of those travelers who holds a dichotomous position of rail vs. automobile . The destinations on my trips dictate what is best for me on a given trip . For example , On our recent trip to Italy and Switzerland we went by rail ( except for four days in the Tuscan countryside where a car allowed us to visit some of the hill towns with considerable ease . In the UK a few years ago , we used a car exclusively ( outside of London ) which made touring areas like Cornwall and the Cotswolds far more practical . It all depends on where you are headed and what you plan to do on the way Enjoy!!

Hi Julie, Were you planning on going anywhere other than those 3 cities? If not, that is a very popular tourist route and the easiest way to get between the locations is train (well, a bus company like Orangeways will work, too). Like steven, I'm not opposed to renting cars in Europe but this is not a case where I would even consider it, as a car would be a real pain to deal with in any of these 3 cities and the train/bus works great. Also, if you weren't planning on doubling back to Czech Republic after Budapest to drop the car then you will find the car rental companies will add a big one-way drop off fee to the rental cost. Good luck with planning!

Car allows you to stop off along the way and meander...yes, perhaps. But don't meander too far away with all of your luggage stuffed inside. One little break in and you're wiped out. And don't forget you'll be charged for any damage done to your car from a break in. So be sure to purchase all kinds of insurances to cover all possible scenarios. And don't forget the insurance to bring that huge deductible down to zero ;-) Now if I were traveling through Switzerland and wanted to stop off along the way...which I just did a month ago. I would take my baggage to the Swiss Train station and have them ship it ahead for me to my next destination (Zurich) while I leisurely stop off in Lucerne and meander a bit. I didn't have to search for high priced scarce parking or fill up with $10 gal petrol along the way. I actually brought a very nice lunch with me on the train (including a nice bottle of wine). Yes some places like Tuscany are easier with cars. However, if at all possible choose trains and leave your rental headaches behind.