Planning a trip Prague-Vienna-Budapest. One week in each city w/daytrips when cityseeing gets to be too much. Train betwenn cities but I've seen some references to a V-B hydrofoil but can't find anything about it. If it exists it might be fun instead of train.
Help anyone?

Here's an earlier thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...t-377832-2.cfm
I think it's called "Twin City Liner" and I'd recommend it. Takes you from city center to city center.

The Twin City Liner , a relatively new catamaran , just runs Vienna- Bratislava.

A hydrofoil does make the journey Vienna- Budapest

I would not recommend it.
www.ddsg-blue-danube.at

This is a soviet era hydrofoil- old although renovated ,loud, slow 6 hour jouney, costly, limited luggage..

Scenery is not great
and much cheaper - a better value-
use time saved for sightseeing in either city.
Train faster, more frequent service, comfortable, quiet , clean

We took the train in July, 2nd second class tickets, bought 30 days in advance from Budapest to Vienna were 30 euros each. IIRC, train ride is 2 hours, we brought a picnic lunch. We hired a driver (Mike's Chauffer Service) out of Prague to drive us from Vienna to Cesky Krumlov to Prague for a day trip. Highly recommend both.

30 euro ? too much money-

advance purchase sparschiene ticket Vienna - budapest by train - 7-8 times daily

19 euro-

www.oebb.at

My sincere apologies! I misread "Budapest" as "Bratislava."
Thank you Molker for the correction.

Thanks all - esp molker w/the website for the Bratislava boat. Will take the advice & train to Budapest

Bookmarking

From Vienna you may want to do the shorter - much shorter Danube boats to nearby Bratislava - I did it as a day trip by train - just one hour each way - boat may take a bit longer but not nearly the 6-hour marathon mokker points out - and like mokker says you can score deep discounts on trains - for lots of general info on Central European trains check www.seat61.com - good info on discounted tickets; and for general info - www.ricksteeves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

In Vienna I highly recommend a day trip to Melk (famous abbey) then a boat ride thru the awesome vineyard-carpeted Wachau Valaley to Durnstein - cute wine town and then bus-train back to Vienna - if you want to do one Danube ride this is the best IME - the most scenic part I think of the whole Danube - buy one all-inclusive ticket for everything in Vienna at train station.