Vienna, Prague, Kraków & Budapest
Connect the classic capitals and historic cities of Austria, Czechia, Poland, and Hungary by train and an overnight sleeper.
A well-established Central European rail route. Stay three nights each in Vienna and Prague, spend a full day traveling by train to Kraków, and finally take an overnight train to Budapest to save on a night's accommodation. This itinerary includes Kraków and Auschwitz, which are often left out of standard three-city routes, but involves longer travel times. Ideal for first-time visitors to Central Europe who don't mind long train journeys.
Train timetables are adjusted in mid-December; double-check overnight train schedules and sleeper berths.
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrive in Vienna's Inner City
Vienna（St. Stephen's Cathedral、Graben & Kohlmarkt、Vienna State Opera）
Take the airport express train to the city center (approx. 20 minutes); explore the Inner City entirely on foot.
Stay: Innere Stadt
Day 2 · Schönbrunn Palace & Belvedere Palace
Vienna（Schönbrunn Palace、Belvedere Palace）
Take the subway to Schönbrunn Palace (approx. 20 minutes), then transfer to a tram to Belvedere Palace in the afternoon.
Stay: Innere Stadt
Day 3 · Hofburg & Kunsthistorisches Museum
Vienna（Hofburg Palace、Kunsthistorisches Museum、Naschmarkt）
Walk from the Inner City to the Hofburg and the Museumsquartier, then stroll to Naschmarkt in the evening.
Stay: Innere Stadt
Day 4 · Train to Prague
Prague（Municipal House & Powder Tower、Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock）
Take a direct train from Vienna Central Station to Prague (approx. 4 hours); explore the Old Town in the afternoon.
Stay: Old Town & Josefov
Day 5 · Prague Castle & Charles Bridge
Prague（Prague Castle、Malá Strana & Kampa Island、Charles Bridge）
Take a tram up to the Castle District (approx. 20 minutes), then walk downhill through Malá Strana back to the Old Town.
Stay: Old Town & Josefov
Day 6 · Kutná Hora & the Jewish Quarter
Prague（Sedlec Ossuary、St. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora、Josefov (Jewish Quarter)）
Take a train to Kutná Hora (approx. 1 hour), then return to Prague in the afternoon to explore the Jewish Quarter.
Stay: Old Town & Josefov
Day 7 · Long-Distance Transfer to Kraków
Kraków（Main Market Square & Cloth Hall、St. Mary's Basilica）
Take an early direct train to Kraków (approx. 7 hours); walk around the Main Square upon arrival.
Direct trains are limited; if you miss yours, you will need to transfer at Bohumín or Ostrava.
Stay: Old Town
Day 8 · Wawel & the Jewish Quarter
Kraków（Wawel Castle & Cathedral、Kazimierz、Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory）
Walk to Wawel Castle and Kazimierz, then cross the river to Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory.
Stay: Old Town
Day 9 · Auschwitz-Birkenau Day Trip
Kraków（Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum）
Travel by bus or join a guided tour; travel time is about 1.5 hours each way, and the entire visit takes 6 to 8 hours.
Timed-entry tickets must be booked 2 to 4 weeks in advance.
Stay: Old Town
Day 10 · Wieliczka Salt Mine & Overnight Train South
Take a public bus to the Salt Mine in the morning (approx. 40 minutes), then board the overnight train to Budapest in the evening (approx. 12 hours).
Sleeper berths must be booked in advance. The train may split into different sections, so verify your carriage before boarding.
Day 11 · Buda Castle & Danube River Cruise
Budapest（Buda Castle、Fisherman's Bastion / Matthias Church、Széchenyi Chain Bridge、Danube River Cruise）
Arrive at Nyugati Station in the early morning, take a bus up to the Castle District, and walk to the pier in the evening.
Stay: Belváros and Lipótváros
Day 12 · Parliament Building & Thermal Baths
Budapest（Hungarian Parliament Building、St. Stephen's Basilica、Széchenyi Thermal Bath）
Walk to the Parliament Building and St. Stephen's Basilica, take the subway to Széchenyi Baths (approx. 15 minutes), then head to the airport.
The Parliament Building requires booking tickets and entry time slots in advance.