Hello all,

We have a free day in Vienna and were thinking of taking a day trip to Budapest. Has anyone done this? Did you take a (bus) tour, drive yourself, or take the train? Would love some imput from you.

Thanks!

Denice

Train ride is about 3-3 1/2 hours each way and around $35 each one way. Quite a long and expensive day. Why not just enjoy Vienna another day?

Hi D,

Will you be visiting Melk?

PS,

Bratislava is only an hour away.

Frequent trains to Budapest make this an easy day trip.

Most trains take 2 1/2 - 2hours 50 minutes without transfers.

example leave Vienna at 7: 15 arrive Budapest 9:48. Budapest much nicer and more to see than Bratislava.

Bratislava takes about one hour by train- now a special ticket 14 euro round trip.

Thanks all for your replies (keep them coming!)

Ira, yes we will have visited Melk. We will be coming off a river cruise from Regensburg and Melk is on our itinerary.

I know it would be a quick trip to Budapest, but since neither of us have been there, we were thinking it would be a good taste, enough to intice us to come back.

Keep your replies coming! and thanks

Denice

I like Budapest a lot, but I am not sure that a visit of just a few hours is worthwhile. The nice things are scattered around a bit, and you would have to omit too much to get a helpful sample experience. You might have time for the Castle Hill (views of the river, Parliament, Chain Bridge), Fisherman's Bastion, St Matthias' Church, Gellert Hill, and about one other thing. All nice, but not wholly representative of Budapest.

Bratislava is much easier. Not in the same league as Budapest, but worth a look.