Vienna, Budapest & Prague --- Last Minute Plea!!
Sep 12th, 2007, 03:04 PM
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Vienna, Budapest & Prague --- Last Minute Plea!!
Yikes! Leaving for Vienna on Friday, Sept. 21st. Husband has meetings all week and I've just been freed up to accompany him. We are staying at Austria Trend Hotel Mess Wien. I have a pretty good idea of things to do in Vienna (thanks to you generous posters) as well as some possible day-trips for myself including train/boat to Melk, possibly Bratislava or Wiener Neusdadt. Operas at State Opera house are sold out, so I going to try for standing tickets.
Meetings wind up at noon on Friday and we have just tacked on extra days..probably leaving again from Vienna the following Friday at 11:30 am. (tried to change departure city with no luck)
Idea is to travel by train and hoping to see Budapest (general sights as well as time in Thermal Baths!)Maybe Bratislava (if it's on the train-trip to Prague) and Prague. Cesky Krumlov would be on the list too but that may be pushing it.
That seems like the logical order. According to RailEurope the train to Budapest would take 3 hrs, from Budapest to Prague 6 hrs & 40 min (gulp) (someone on here suggested the night train with a sleeper car...would we miss wonderful countryside that way?)
We'd have to come back from Prague to Vienna on Thursday (4 1/2 hrs) and stay overnight in Vienna to catch our flight the next morning. I understand that particular train-ride is especially lovely and I'm wondering if anyone knows if we could stop off at Cesky Krumlov for a look around?
So what I'm asking for for comments on ANYTHING that I've written and also for suggestions on how to break the time up(how many nights where)
Also any suggestions for hotels in Prague or Budapest and our final night in Vienna would be GREATLY appreciated. I can't even put a dollar figure on hotels because I haven't started to research that yet, but we're looking for those hotels are situated , not luxurious (too many kids in university) just fine and well-priced.
I read here about travellers planning months and even years in advance and I hope one day to have that luxury! Meantime I can hardly complain about these opportunities that arise!
With heartfelt thanks in advance.
Meetings wind up at noon on Friday and we have just tacked on extra days..probably leaving again from Vienna the following Friday at 11:30 am. (tried to change departure city with no luck)
Idea is to travel by train and hoping to see Budapest (general sights as well as time in Thermal Baths!)Maybe Bratislava (if it's on the train-trip to Prague) and Prague. Cesky Krumlov would be on the list too but that may be pushing it.
That seems like the logical order. According to RailEurope the train to Budapest would take 3 hrs, from Budapest to Prague 6 hrs & 40 min (gulp) (someone on here suggested the night train with a sleeper car...would we miss wonderful countryside that way?)
We'd have to come back from Prague to Vienna on Thursday (4 1/2 hrs) and stay overnight in Vienna to catch our flight the next morning. I understand that particular train-ride is especially lovely and I'm wondering if anyone knows if we could stop off at Cesky Krumlov for a look around?
So what I'm asking for for comments on ANYTHING that I've written and also for suggestions on how to break the time up(how many nights where)
Also any suggestions for hotels in Prague or Budapest and our final night in Vienna would be GREATLY appreciated. I can't even put a dollar figure on hotels because I haven't started to research that yet, but we're looking for those hotels are situated , not luxurious (too many kids in university) just fine and well-priced.
I read here about travellers planning months and even years in advance and I hope one day to have that luxury! Meantime I can hardly complain about these opportunities that arise!
With heartfelt thanks in advance.
Sep 12th, 2007, 03:16 PM
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ok I must stop and BREATHE! Just to clarify -- meetings wind up noon on Friday Sept. 28th. We are free then to travel until flight home the following Friday, Oct. 5th.
As for hotels, meant to say 'WELL' -situated! Thnx
As for hotels, meant to say 'WELL' -situated! Thnx
Sep 12th, 2007, 05:21 PM
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My daughter and I went to Budapest this summer for a few days of our trip and we pricelined our hotel. I got the art'Otel Budapest for $65/night. It might be possible to bid cheaper than that at that time of year though. A good place to check is www.biddingfortravel.com. It was a 4 star category. The hotel was nice and had a marvelous view. We asked for a quiet room and got one with a view of the courtyard of the hotel and a view of the Fisherman's Bastion up the hill....absolutely wonderful. The place was nice, staff was friendly, out the front door was the Danube with a view of Parliament and a tram stop...easy walking to the Funicular and the Chain Bridge...great grocery store a couple of blocks away where we could get pastries, water bottles, etc. It's on the Buda side of the Danube. I don't know anything about Vienna or Prague...our next stop was Serbia. The train ride to Serbia was 5-1/2 to 6 hours and quite relaxing to us. I read, knitted, ate a picnic lunch I brought and just watched the scenery. We did buy first class tickets--they weren't that much more expensive and well worth it for the extra space to stretch out in my opinion.
Kellye
Kellye
Sep 12th, 2007, 06:08 PM
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kellye thank you so much!! It sounds perfect. I'm not too techno-savy but I will try the website you mentioned. I've always had best luck communicating by phone -one to one - but then again I don't know if I could have done better on one of these booking sites. Train travel is the best - I am picturing you knitting and reading and most of all, sharing this adventure with your daughter. Thnx.
Sep 13th, 2007, 03:19 AM
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We stayed at these two hotels and enjoyed them both. http://www.pertschy.com/h_pension1_e.html
http://www.victoria.hu/
The view from Hotel Victoria in Budapest was wonderful...we had a corner room on an upper floor!
We also took the train from Budapest to Prague...some of the scenery was nice but nothing fantastic. The trip actually didn't seem that long...we had a book and spent some time in the dining car.
Have a wonderful trip.
http://www.victoria.hu/
The view from Hotel Victoria in Budapest was wonderful...we had a corner room on an upper floor!
We also took the train from Budapest to Prague...some of the scenery was nice but nothing fantastic. The trip actually didn't seem that long...we had a book and spent some time in the dining car.
Have a wonderful trip.
Sep 13th, 2007, 06:39 AM
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Hi S,
In Prague, we very much enjoyed our stay at www.dientzenhofer.cz, very near the Charles Bridge, just across the river. About 120E dbl w/bkfst.
In Prague, we very much enjoyed our stay at www.dientzenhofer.cz, very near the Charles Bridge, just across the river. About 120E dbl w/bkfst.
Sep 13th, 2007, 07:17 AM
#12
Last year we took the train from Prague to Budapest. I don't know about the reverse but we took a 4:20PM train and arrived around 11:30PM.
It actually went fairly fast and the timing was great as we had most of the day in Prague and the hotel arranged for a taxi to meet us at the train station.
In Budapest we stayed at the Marriott Executive Apartments. Excellent location and a large 2 room appartment.
It actually went fairly fast and the timing was great as we had most of the day in Prague and the hotel arranged for a taxi to meet us at the train station.
In Budapest we stayed at the Marriott Executive Apartments. Excellent location and a large 2 room appartment.
Sep 13th, 2007, 02:08 PM
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Just seeing many of these responses now --many thanks.
We are now booked to fly home from Vienna on Saturday morning at 11am. That means we have from Friday noonish until the following Saturday. So we will likely be coming back to Vienna from Prague, on the Friday before we leave.
Still can't figure out if we can do that and see Cesky Krumlov on the way. Also wondering about Bratislava on the way from Budapest to Prague. Are either of those places "Must-See"'s???
We will be travelling in a loop -- starting from Vienna and ending up at Vienna. I was thinking of going counter-clockwise beginning at Budapest. Is there any reason I should reverse that and start with Prague?
Pouring over books, and still not sure how many days to allow in each of those cities...perhaps more in Prague?
I'm going to be calling some of the hotels suggested early tomorrow morning.
I'm expected to find hotels full so any other suggestions would be most welcome!!
Thnx
We are now booked to fly home from Vienna on Saturday morning at 11am. That means we have from Friday noonish until the following Saturday. So we will likely be coming back to Vienna from Prague, on the Friday before we leave.
Still can't figure out if we can do that and see Cesky Krumlov on the way. Also wondering about Bratislava on the way from Budapest to Prague. Are either of those places "Must-See"'s???
We will be travelling in a loop -- starting from Vienna and ending up at Vienna. I was thinking of going counter-clockwise beginning at Budapest. Is there any reason I should reverse that and start with Prague?
Pouring over books, and still not sure how many days to allow in each of those cities...perhaps more in Prague?
I'm going to be calling some of the hotels suggested early tomorrow morning.
I'm expected to find hotels full so any other suggestions would be most welcome!!
Thnx
Sep 13th, 2007, 03:57 PM
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My personal opinion is that Prague is worth WAY more time than Budapest. So much more time that I would consider leaving Budapest off the itinerary and looping through Prague, Cesky Krumlov and perhaps Salzburg instead.
No overnight train rides, and the differences between Vienna, Prague and Salzburg are enough to make the short time enjoyable and manageable.
No overnight train rides, and the differences between Vienna, Prague and Salzburg are enough to make the short time enjoyable and manageable.
Sep 13th, 2007, 04:24 PM
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Wow!! I'm intrigued! I've been really looking forward to Budapest but perhaps you are right! Any other opinions???
Would you do other day-trips from Prague? Someone suggested a place I can't remember the name....all I remember is a room decorated with HUMAN BONES!!!
How would you do it? Would you stay in Cesky Krumlov??
THnx!
Would you do other day-trips from Prague? Someone suggested a place I can't remember the name....all I remember is a room decorated with HUMAN BONES!!!
How would you do it? Would you stay in Cesky Krumlov??
THnx!
Sep 13th, 2007, 04:54 PM
#16
In Prague we very much enjoyed staying 7 nights at the Hotel Kampa Garden. It has very nice, large spotless rooms and very good ensuite bathrooms. The location on Kampa Island, directly under the Charles Bridge is perfect. Close to everything yet quiet at night with stunning views as a plus. The included breakfast won't be the high point of your trip but has some variety, is plentiful and filling. The hotel is completely non-smoking, for us that's another plus.
In Vienna we found the Best Western Tigra to be a very pleasant surprise. We were somewhat put off by the Best Western name, but in Europe they are not like in the States. The rooms were excellent as were the ensuite bathrooms. The included buffet breakfast was the finest of that type that I have ever seen. A huge variety and very high quality. Their hot chocolate was better than in the fancy coffee houses.
In Vienna we found the Best Western Tigra to be a very pleasant surprise. We were somewhat put off by the Best Western name, but in Europe they are not like in the States. The rooms were excellent as were the ensuite bathrooms. The included buffet breakfast was the finest of that type that I have ever seen. A huge variety and very high quality. Their hot chocolate was better than in the fancy coffee houses.
Sep 13th, 2007, 05:50 PM
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Don't listen to him!! Budapest is fantastic and don't miss it if you have time. So you'll be in Budapest Friday night and I would stay three days -- take the overnight train to Prague on Monday night (I'm not crazy about 7 hour train rides so I would fly). You can do a day trip to Cesky Krumlov but overnight would be better. It'll be quite a bit of moving around; some people would instead opt for just one city and daytrips from there, but you might like to keep moving. Have fun!
Sep 13th, 2007, 07:26 PM
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But could we do Cesky Krumlov on our final day (Friday) before we fly home from VIenna?? COuld we leave Prague in the morning and would the train to Vienna give us a natural stop at Cesky Krumlov for at least a couple of hours before training on to Vienna? Not sure we're up for another hotel stop...
