danube cruises
Jun 16th, 1999, 05:08 AM
#1
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danube cruises
We will be spending 1 week in Germany and 2 weeks in Austria the last week in Sept and <BR>early October. We would like to take a cruise down the Danube. We could either go <BR>from Regensberg to Passau or from Linz to <BR>Vienna. Any suggestions on the best route? <BR>Have you done either trip ? Which would be more scenic. Should we take both ? <BR>Thanks for any help <BR> <BR>Fred
Jun 25th, 1999, 09:01 AM
#3
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A week ago I replied to a similar enquiry thus:- <BR> <BR>The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 998 gives the detail you need. From 3 July vessels leave Vienna at 0800 and 1300 daily and arrive in Budapest at 1330 and 1830. Until 2 July a vessel leaves at 0900 and arrives at 1430. You should pre-book. The operator is Mahart Budapest on phone Vienna (+43 1) 729 2161 or fax (+43 1) 729 32163. The vessel leaves from the DDSG Schiffahrtszentrum, close to Vorgartenstrasse U-bahn station on line 1, and arrives at the international shipping terminal in the heart of Budapest. You should be at the Vienna pier an hour ahead of departure to pass customs and passport checks. <BR>The service is well covered on the English language site http://www.budapesthotels.com/touristguide/machart.asp. <BR> <BR>The first four hours of the trip are dull, as the Danube runs through a wide plain, and there's little to see, but the last hour is good, around the Danube bend. You could add interest by breaking your journey from 0920 to 1420 in Bratislava. Or you could take the 1015 train from Vienna South to Bratislava-Pertrzalka, a taxi over to the riverside pier, and then have three hours in old Bratislava before you go on by boat. <BR> <BR>This is assuming you want to go to Budapest. But if all you want is a pleasant river trip I'd say go upstream. Leave Vienna Franz Josefs Bahnhof at 0800 or 1000. An hour to Krems an der Donau. Leave Krems upstream at 0900 or 1015. Arrive Melk 1150 or 1315. Lunch and enjoy the abbey. Leave Melk downstream at 1515 or 1615. Perhaps have an hour or two at Spitz an der Donau or at Durnstein. Then take the train back from Krems: the last two leave at 1901 and 2101. <BR> <BR>Various lines run this route, and you'll find detail if you go into http://www.schiffahrt.at/unternehmen/Donau.htm, under <BR>DDSG Blue Danube <BR>Donauschiffahrt Ardagger <BR>and <BR>Brandner Schiffahrt <BR>(all are in German, I'm afraid, but easy to read) <BR> <BR>The same site lists Wurm and Kock, who run boats further up the river, from Passau. There may be boats further upstream. From Budapest boats make short trips two hours upstream, along the Danube Bend. There are similar round rips from Silistra in Bulgaria, but not from Rousse. <BR> <BR>At much higher fares some firms run luxury cruisers on week-long tours along the Danube between Germany and Budapest <BR> <BR>Please write again if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>
Jun 25th, 1999, 09:02 AM
#4
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A week ago I replied to a similar enquiry thus:- <BR> <BR>The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 998 gives the detail you need. From 3 July vessels leave Vienna at 0800 and 1300 daily and arrive in Budapest at 1330 and 1830. Until 2 July a vessel leaves at 0900 and arrives at 1430. You should pre-book. The operator is Mahart Budapest on phone Vienna (+43 1) 729 2161 or fax (+43 1) 729 32163. The vessel leaves from the DDSG Schiffahrtszentrum, close to Vorgartenstrasse U-bahn station on line 1, and arrives at the international shipping terminal in the heart of Budapest. You should be at the Vienna pier an hour ahead of departure to pass customs and passport checks. <BR>The service is well covered on the English language site http://www.budapesthotels.com/touristguide/machart.asp. <BR> <BR>The first four hours of the trip are dull, as the Danube runs through a wide plain, and there's little to see, but the last hour is good, around the Danube bend. You could add interest by breaking your journey from 0920 to 1420 in Bratislava. Or you could take the 1015 train from Vienna South to Bratislava-Pertrzalka, a taxi over to the riverside pier, and then have three hours in old Bratislava before you go on by boat. <BR> <BR>This is assuming you want to go to Budapest. But if all you want is a pleasant river trip I'd say go upstream. Leave Vienna Franz Josefs Bahnhof at 0800 or 1000. An hour to Krems an der Donau. Leave Krems upstream at 0900 or 1015. Arrive Melk 1150 or 1315. Lunch and enjoy the abbey. Leave Melk downstream at 1515 or 1615. Perhaps have an hour or two at Spitz an der Donau or at Durnstein. Then take the train back from Krems: the last two leave at 1901 and 2101. <BR> <BR>Various lines run this route, and you'll find detail if you go into http://www.schiffahrt.at/unternehmen/Donau.htm, under <BR>DDSG Blue Danube <BR>Donauschiffahrt Ardagger <BR>and <BR>Brandner Schiffahrt <BR>(all are in German, I'm afraid, but easy to read) <BR> <BR>The same site lists Wurm and Kock, who run boats further up the river, from Passau. There may be boats further upstream. From Budapest boats make short trips two hours upstream, along the Danube Bend. There are similar round rips from Silistra in Bulgaria, but not from Rousse. <BR> <BR>At much higher fares some firms run luxury cruisers on week-long tours along the Danube between Germany and Budapest <BR> <BR>Please write again if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>
Jun 25th, 1999, 10:04 AM
#5
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I did a 7-day Danube cruise on KD lines two years ago. The cruise went from just outside Nurnberg to Budapest. I had previously done a cruise on the Rhine and have since done one for 7 days on a pretend big river in France. The Daube surpasses both because it is a major river with major points of interest along it. The trip from Regensberg to Passau is less interesting scenically than those portions of the river further south, mostly in Austria, and particularly the Wachau valley of Austria. This said if you choose this part of the river you will find the scenery decent and Passau is a gorgeous little town well worth a visit. For what it is worth, if you are only looking for a short cruise then may I recommend you cruise downriver, not upriver (upriver you are going against the tide and you spend way more time in locks than you will care to remember)and that you cruise that portion of the Danube between Vienna and Durnstein. Durnstein is in my view the most beautiful village in Austria and the approach to it, from upriver, will give you some of the most breathtakingly beautiful photos you will ever take. The sight of the blue tower of the church against the hillside with the sun beginning to set as we sailed into Durnstein will be etched in my memory till I am 90! Between Vienna and Durnstein the river is wide and castles, intact and in ruin, along with wonderful houses are on every hill top. You will need rolls of film to capture it all. In addition the hillsides are all covered with wine vines as this is the principal white grape growing area of Austria. In Durnstein there are quite a number of wine houses where you may go and taste and go and buy the local wines that they produce-- some of them quite glorious. If you have more questions feel free to give me a shout! <BR> <BR>Lanny
Jul 7th, 1999, 05:22 AM
#7
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We are planning a Danube Cruise in August from Melk to Krems. Check out this web page for information. <BR> <BR>http://www.verkehrsbuero.at/ddsg.htm <BR> <BR>I do not read a word of German but the time tables are understandable. I also emailed them and they mailed me a package with all sorts of information. ( in English) <BR> <BR>Have fun. <BR>
Jul 7th, 1999, 09:38 AM
#9
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We did the Danube cruise from Melk to Krems and it's really easy. Just show up at the ticket booth and pay cash or charge it. You sit out on the sundecks and relax as you slowly make your way along the river, stopping at the various towns. To tell the truth, we found the cruise boring and the scenery uninteresting, but maybe we're just not cruise people (and were spoiled by the beauty of Lake Hallstatt the day before); the Japanese tourists on board certainly had a great time. And I hope you do too; have a great trip!
