Budapest and ?
 

Hi Fodorites,

My cousins and I (4 women, mid 40s - early 50s) are going to Budapest. We're looking to visit another city nearby to complete our trip. We were considering Prague until we found out the train ride is 7 hours long. Vienna was also another option but all of us have been there already.

Can anyone suggest another city that is a train ride (around 2-3 hours? Max 5?) away? Hopefully a city of history and art and that is safe and nice to walk around. We're only planning to spend max 3 days in the other city (that's inclusive of travel time).

Or would you recommend flying to Prague on Czech Air?

Thanks,

Katsby

I think Prague is amazing and would definitely spend some time there.

Prague is unique and fascinating. I would hop a flight and spend at least 3 full days there.

There are night trains between Budapest and Prague - experience a European night train and save time over flying - daytime time that is and perhaps money because you do not pay for a hotel that night. For lots of info on night trains and what to expect check: www.seat61.com - goo dinfo on booking idscounted tickets for trains like that; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Night trains ain't for everyone - especially those who need complete silence as they is always a modicum of noise of various sources - but in my case after literally hundreds of overnight trains I rarely have a problem sleeping - a little vino - you can bring any food and drink you want onboard - get a private compartment and partee! A little vino makes sleep all the better IME.

We were in Prague a few weeks ago after visiting Budapest and Vienna, and Prague midweek was packed with tourists wall-to-wall. It felt to us like DisneyWorld, only real. Others, however, just love it there. If you are going to fly or take a long train ride to your 2nd city, then your options are fairly wide open and I suggest you select based on where your group would really like to be.

Bratislava is very close, beautiful city, very safe and easy to walk around. Great for a very short trip.

You could look at the small city of Eger, the place is famous for its wine, the spa and the general bucolic surroundings as well as a reasonably pretty old town, nothing like Prague but very safe.

Bratislava IMO is not as enticing as thecoquest suggests, certainly the amount of drug taking would worry me, still from where you are and based on your criteria I might well look at it as well.

Looking forther out I wouldn't see Ljubljana as worth more than 8 hours to visit and some of it can be a bit tarnished by street walkers etc, Zagreb even more so.

GyonGyos not bad but again possibly only a day trip out.

Tell you what why not base in Eger, have day trips out to Gyongyos, Tojkai (where the wine comes from) and maybe a walk in the massive Beech Tree woods to the north, all accessible by train and very safe.