Would it be crazy to do all three of these cities? The initial plan was just Prague and Budapest, but since were in the area we thought we'd throw in Vienna too. We're thinking 3 nights in each city and taking the train which looks to be about a 4 hour train ride between each of the cities. Would flying be better?b It's about 1 hour flight, but need to add time for check in, etc. Is it customary for 2 hour check in as it is in the states? I haven't done any research as to what we want to see and do yet and would love to hear your advise from your expierences.

Thanks

Personally, I think it is perfect. Take the train.

I would take the train, as you would be able to see some of the countryside, and train stations are usually in the center of town, whereas getting from the airport takes time. Sounds like a nice trip.

On your way from Prague to Budapest you can also stop in Bratislava, it's a very cute small town.

for our last trip we did Prague--Vienna ---Budapest. Travelled by train. We liked all 3 places, my personal favourite will be Prague followed by Vienna. Take the train

It's a perfect plan to do those 3 cities together.
My favorites were Prague and Budapest.
The train is a nice ride.

friendlys wrote "Bratislava, it's a very cute small town."

I don't think the people of Slovakia would like their capital city, with a population of about half a million, being described as a small town.

We did this and really enjoyed it. Take the train. You can buy tickets ahead of time at a travel agent and then get to your train 10-15 min ahead (vs 1 hour for airports). And the train stations are usually pretty convenient, as opposed to airports which are located out of town.

We actually liked Budapest best, Prague a very close second.
Enjoy!

We did Prague, Budapest & Vienna some years ago -- that was a two week holiday, a little longer than yours. We started in Prague, flew to Budapest, then took the train to Vienna, and finally the train back to Prague (we had two 2-night stays in Prague). It was easy. We flew to Budapest because that train journey seemed very long.

The train will be perfect. We flew into Budapest, then trained to Vienna (from which we did a day trip to Salzburg), then trained to Prague.

I did it a number of years ago with Archers Direct, with other stops on the way. A good trip, still available I see:

http://www.archersdirect.co.uk/conte...060/13/0/1/1/7

Don't miss the art gallery and parliament tour in Budapest.

Thank you all for the reconfirmation & advice. I'll be needing to hit the books and internet very soon.
Should we purchase the train ticket prior to our trip or at each city? In Italy our hotel purchased them on our behalf from Venice to Rome and we purchased Rome to Florence the day before. It worked out as the travel agency was around the corner.

I think that's a great plan.
Last May-June I did Budapest-Bratislave-Krakow-Prague-Vienna.
It was a busy 2 and a half weeks, but an excellent trip. I definitely reccomend the train. Great way to see the country. We took two night trains and on the bratislava-krakow two of my friends in the cabin next door forgot to put the chain on the door after very angry customs officers knocked at 2am, and woke up in the morning to find her purse gone. Thankfully we found the purse stashed in the bathroom and they onyl took money and a visa card which they unsuccessfully used. So the rumors about the night trains are true, but if you are safe and remember to put locks on you'll be fine (doesn't hurt to bring your own dudley lock).

We had no problems purchasing the tickets at the station, though when you arrive to a city you may want to purchase tickets for the next leg of your trip. A couple days in advance should be fine. Also if you find you can see a city in 2 days, why not doa day trip. If wine is your fancy Eger outside of Budapest is a great trip, and there are many nice towns and castles around Prague. And in Budapest a trip to the Baths is a must, and in Vienna be sure to go to the National Opera one night. 2 hours before every show they put standing row tickets on sale for less than 10 bucks! You get a better view than others who bought $200 tickets months in advance.

Not insanity - but kind of rushed. I would want at least 4 nights in each city - andat least 5 in Prague. But if this is all the time you have - go fot it.

The train Prague to Budapest is not a great idea - since it takes essentially the whole day. I would either fly - or rearrange the order of the cities.

We did it exactly that way by train and it was great. I might add 1 more night in Budapest to do more cheap massages and thermal baths---WOW!

Not crazy at all. This combination is often done in your timescale. My wife and i did it a few years back. Use the train...not much in it timewise but you'll see much more. In Vienna try to get to the Kunst area (Hundertwassen) I think. Utterly unique. I probably have loads of info somewhere. You can e'mail me if you want to know more.

This is a common combination of places to visit. Best done by flying into Prague, train to Vienna, than train to Budapest. Flying home from Budapest. Doing the reverse works just as well. 9 nights is alttle rushed for this trip as you will lose (2) 1/2 days traveling between cities with this itinerary and your first day will probably be a short day (Depending on where you are coming from). This gives roughly 2 1/2 days per city which is about 1/2 day to a day short for each city IMHO.

We are doing three nights in each city with airfare (from JFK), hotels, breakfast, and trains for 999.00 through Austrian Air. It is called their "Imperial City" tour and you can see it on the airline's website.

I did that exact trip last October. To minimize time lost for traveling - I would suggest taking the night train from Prague to Budapest. Pay the extra $10 to $20 for the sleeper car - you get a private room with a bed and sink. The train ride is about 8 hours, but I slept through most of it... I had to wake up whenever we crossed a border - check passports. What's funny is that when they saw the American passport - they would remark "Ah American" and hand it back immediately.

We are going to Prague the end of April. A little confused as to either go to Vienna or Budapest and do we do Prague 1st or last. We have 9-10 days. Any help would be appreciated.