Itinerary help - Central Europe
My husband and I are planning a 14 days trip to Prague,Cesky krumlov, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Vienna and Budapest.
Fly into Prague and leave at Budapest, we won't drive so will depends on train/shuttle. How many days should be put in each place? Will it be too tight? I have think of skipping Vienna,but seems it will better to pass through there to Budapest. Shall I stay overnight in Cesky Krumlov and Hallstatt or just a day trip? Welcome all comments and suggestions. Thanks:) |
That's a lot to do in only 14 days, I'd do at least 3 days each in Prague, Vienna and Budapest and 2 in Salzburg. That's a minimum. If you through in Cesky Krumlov for 1 day (I presume you plan to go there somehow, sightsee and then stay overnight), that's all you can do. Because just getting to CK from Prague will take up the entire morning, and the other trains about the same. You'd have to forget Hallstatt (or Salzburg). To be honest, your itinerary is rather awkward as there is no easy way to get between Cesky Krumlov and Salzburg or Hallstatt. Salzburg to Vienna is easy by train, then on to Budapest. If you dropped Salzburg, it would be a lot easier, also.
CK to Salzburg will take up 6-7 hours by train or bus, same to Hallstatt or a bit more. Skipping Vienna won't solve much except the time you spend there as it isn't the problem in terms of transportation and trajectory. Skipping Hallstatt and Salzburg would be better to make things easier. Hallstatt to Vienna will take up about 5 hrs, also. I don't know what you mean about whether you should stay overnight in Cesky Krumlov or not. How could you do that as a day trip and not stay overnight given your itinerary? there isn't any way you can go there by train from Prague, sightsee, and then move on to Salzburg the same day. I've done it as a day trip but during a longer stay in Prague, I wasn't trying to move on to another city the same day. In case you don't know, CK is not on a main rail line. Actyually, skipping Budapest would work, also. |
Thank you so much Christina for your suggestion!
Since Hallstatt is always on my list while Vienna to me is just a smoother way to Budapest and the hotel in hallstatt is quite expensive so thinking may goto Salzburg as a stopping point. I find some information that there is now a direct train from Prague to creaky krumlov which only takes about 2 -3 hrs therefore I thought it maybe feasible to do a day trip from Prague |
For my tastes, that would be trying to fit too much into too little time -- but that's irrelevant. What really matters is what works for you! And the only way I know how to figure that out is to mark up a calendar, including time for transit (including un/packing, checking in/out, getting to/from train station or whatever, actually getting to wherever, getting lost, and getting oriented to a new city) and whatever you want to see and do.
For perspective, I had 4 days in Prague, 5 in Vienna, 4 in Budapest, and 3 in Salzburg -- and every one of those days was busy! I haven't been to Pesky Krunlov or Hallstatt yet. No bad choices here, just some difficult ones. |
Trains are great- especially in Austria- for lots of train info check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. Also you may look at the European East Railpass that would cover all your trains and let you just show up and hop on most of them (valid in Austria, Hungary, Czech Repulbic; Slovakia and Poland).
<planning a 14 days trip to Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Vienna and Budapest.> That's six bases and figure a day between each in transit- leaving 8 full days in six places. Land in Prague- 3 days Train to C Krumlov- 1/2 day enough train to Salzburg-2 days train to Hallstatt-2 days train to Vienna- 3 days train to Budapest - 3 days fly home from there But I think you need to pare down a bit- maybe cut Buda and Pest and fly home from Vienna. |
Thanks all for your advise!
Tried to figure out the itinerary like this: 15 Arrive prague in afternoon 16-18 Prague 19 8:02 am Train to Cesky Krumlov (3hrs) 20 Cesky Krumlov to Salzburg (by ck shuttle ard 3 hrs) 21 Salzburg 22 Salzburg to Hallstatt (train) 23 Hallstatt to Vienna (train) 24 Vienna 25 Vienna to Budapest(train) 26-27 Budapest 28 leave budapest in afternoon |
I'd drop CK off the list (boring place full of Russian Mafia and the aged).
Budapest 4 nights, Prague 4 nights, Vienna 4 nights, the rest do as you will. |
If doing all those train rides again the Eastern European Railpass should be a great deal- again hop on trains at a whim.
If you want a scenic route to Hallsatt -take postal buses thru the Lake District to Bad Ischl and hop trains to Hallstatt. I'd also say drop CK and put a day into Hallstatt where there are splendid Alpine excursions close to town. |
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