Luxury Central Europe Rail Circle Tour. If you have two weeks and would like to see most of the Highlights of Central Europe along a 1st-class tour, this is the right tour for you! Luxury accommodation in 5* Hotels in the cities of Frankfurt, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg and Munich along this beautiful vacation package.
Brandenburg Gate ©Thomas H. Giesick
Visit the Danube Valley and Melk, join the legendary Sound of Music tour from Salzburg and visit Oberammergau and the Royal Castles, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, on a day trip from Munich! (see the tableau this is already included in the price of your tour). Here you also find everything else that is included: transfers, rail tickets, tours and admissions.
Price per Person
| two sharing a double room | one in a single room | three sharing a triple room |
| US $ 3,899 | US $ 6,369 | US $ 3,789 |
Would you like to submit your personal information so we can check availability for your specific travel dates for this beautiful tour? On our BOOKING INQUIRY page you find a form which you may use to forward your personal information:
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Day 1 Frankfurt
It only takes 11 minutes from the Airport local train station located below baggage claim in arrival Hall 1 of Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) to Frankfurt Central Station. The fare is covered by the “Frankfurt Card” which is already included in the price of the vacation package. Your hotel is located within short walking distance of Frankfurt Central Station. Although Frankfurt is not part of the Romantic Road, it still is an honorable location to start this Romantic Road Coach tour. Frankfurt is a very modern metropolis which nevertheless offers many historic sites such as the Romerberg (hill of the Romans) with its beautifully restored timber-framed houses, of course the Goethe Haus where the world famous poet once lived, the Paulskirche, symbol for democracy and freedom in Germany, “Alt-Sachsenhausen“, where in Schellgasse number 6 you will find Frankfurt’s oldest timber-framed house which was built around 1291, to name only a few of Frankfurt’s historic landmarks.
Romer, Opera House, Skyline of Frankfurt © Thomas H. Giesick
The Frankfurt Museum Riverbank is one of the most important locations for museums in Germany and Europe. The exhibition buildings are lined up on both sides of the Main riverbank, several famous museums are to be found in the city centre. Visit the “Stadel“, the German Museum of Architecture as well as the Museum of Applied Art or the “Schirn Kunsthalle” to name only a very few. Don’t miss out on Frankfurt’s “Zeil“, a huge pedestrian zone where shopping is the name of the game. So, if you arrive early enough in Frankfurt, visiting this interesting metropolis is certainly worthwhile.
Day 2 Berlin
In a little more than 4 hours, you will go by direct high-speed rail from Frankfurt to Berlin. Germany´s capital city is a great and dynamic metropolis. The unification of East and West Berlin 25 years ago changed the city in many ways. Berlin fascinates visitors its culture and history are unique. Your tour includes the 72 hour Berlin & Potsdam Welcome Card. With this card, you will have discounts to 200 museums, city tours, and attractions and it includes a pass for unlimited free use of the Berlin public transportation system.
German Chancellery, Brandenburg Gate, Inside the Reichstagsbuilding in Berlin ©Thomas H. Giesick
With your tour package, you will receive Berlin Walking tour suggestions as well as information about the public buses “M100” and “M200”: the buses are public double-decker buses which cover many sights of Berlin and are a perfect way to explore the city by hopping on and off those buses. They run very frequently all day from 5 am until midnight and if you take both routes you will have a circle taking you from the former Center of East Berlin (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”) to the Center of West Berlin (“Bahnhof Zoo”, “Ku’damm” shopping area). Bus M200 takes you south of the “Tiergarten” to West Berlin´s Bahnhof Zoo where you may want to visit the “Gedachtniskirche” (Memorial Church) as well as the KaDeWe, continental Europe´s largest compartment store, which is located close to the Ku´damm. Bus M100 takes you back through the Tiergarten and partly north of it, passing the “Siegessaule” (Victory Column), Bellevue Palace (built in 1786 for the younger brother of Friedrich II, Ferdinand of Prussia, today: seat of the Germany´s President), the Reichstag (German Parliament), the Brandenburg Gate and the Museum Island back to Berlin.
Day 3 Berlin
On your second day in Berlin along your Europe Rail tour, your Berlin Welcome Card will still be valid. However, your tour package also includes walking suggestions which cover many of the sights around Brandenburg Gate which can best be visited by foot. From the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag (German Parliament) the walking tour passes by the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, to Berlin´s new city center, the “Potsdamer Platz”, to “Checkpoint Charlie”, to East Berlin´s Culture- and Shopping Street “Friedrichstrasse” (site of the “golden twenties”), to the “Gendarmenmarkt”, where the German and French cathedrals are located, via the promenade street “Unter den Linden” to the Museum Island.
The remains of the wall can be visited at Berlin´s East Side Gallery where parts of the wall have been turned into a piece of art. If you are interested in Third Reich history a “must visit” is the documentation center “Topography of Terror“. It is located at the site from where the Nazis planned and managed most of their crimes.
Day 4 Day trip to Potsdam/Oranienburg
There can certainly more be visited in Berlin and you may spend today for additional sightseeing. However, your 72 hour Berlin & Potsdam Welcome Card also includes rail travel into the state of Brandenburg and so you have two nice options for additional visits this day. Your first option is to visit Potsdam. Potsdam is just about 45 minutes outside of Berlin the the Capital of the State of Brandenburg. In this city the Prussian monarchs have left behind magnificent castles and parks. Definitively worth a visit is Schloss Sanssouci (Sanssouci Palace) with its beautiful English gardens; it used to be the summer residence of Friedrich the Great.
Then there is the Castle of the Hohenzollern family, Schloss Cecilienhof (Cecilienhof Palace) in the Neuer Garten (New Garden). This is where the Allies came to the Potsdam agreement in 1945, an important event in European history. Which brings us to your second option if you plan to take advantage to travel into Brandenburg today, a visit of a Concentration Camp Memorial site: the Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg. If you would like to see details about this option please see Day 7 of our History Rail Tour “Fascination and Terror –Rise and Fall of the Third Reich”). However, your Welcome Card will also be valid within Berlin of course and your third option is to use this day for additional sightseeing in Berlin.
Day 5 Prague
In about 4.5 hours the “EuroCity” (EC) takes you from Berlin to Prague. Your hotel is located in walking distance from Prague Central Station. When you have checked in at your hotel you will be met by your tour guide to enjoy a private guided English-speaking Prague Walking tour. The tour will give you an overall impression of the marvelous historic Old Town of Prague with background information on the j#history and political developments. After the tour your guide will suggest a restaurant to you – of course you have to try some Czech culinary delights as well as a Pilsner Beer!
Prague embankment in one beautiful summer evening ©Jan Fider (flickr)
Day 6 Prague
The Old Town can easily be explored by foot from your centrally located hotel and today you have all day to take a closer look at some of the highlights you have seen the day before. Maybe you want to take a short walk into the Old Town (“Staré město”) since in Prague’s historic Center numerous historic buildings and monuments can be seen. At “Staroměstské náměstí, the Old Town Square, you will find the famed Astronomical Clock (Orloj), built into one side of the Old Town Hall Tower, the gothicChurch of Our Lady before Týn as well as the mural-covered Storch building. If you walk a little further towards Prague´s Vltava River you will find another highlight – the Karlův most (Charles Bridge). Construction of Prague’s most famous medieval bridge started in 1357 under King Charles IV. The bridge connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. From the Charles Bridge you have a great view of the Hradčany (Castle District) with Prague Castle towering above the city of Prague. Back in 870 constructions of the first buildings began, many buildings were added during the centuries. Maybe you would like to cross the Charles Bridge again and take a closer look into Prague Castle? You will pass the Lesser Quarter (Malá Strana, “little quarter”) which is one of the most historic parts of town.
Day 7 Vienna
In about 4 hours and 10 minutes the Speed Rail “EuroCity” (EC) will take you from Prague to Vienna located in the east of Austria, close to the borders to Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The price of your vacation package already includes the 48 hour Vienna Card. With this card you enjoy more than 200 discounts in Vienna, at museums and sights, theaters and concerts, in shops, cafes, restaurants and also the “Heurige” wine taverns. But most importantly with this card you also enjoy unlimited free public transportation within Vienna. Even though your hotel is located in the City Center it is great to have the option to take the subway, a street-car or a public bus. On your first day in Vienna you may want to visit the Imperial Palace, for example, the “Hofburg Vienna”, the center of the former Habsburg Empire. The Palace was Sisi´s Imperial home and household, and the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum and the Silver Collection can be visited here. At the Vienna Hofburg you also find the Spanish Riding School where you may want to watch a performance or join a practice session and also the Old Town Hall which is close by. In immediate walking distance of the Hofburg you will find the State Opera House, definitely one of the world’s most famous Opera Houses where the Vienna Opera Ball takes place every year. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna and it is a “must see” as well as smaller churches like the “Universitatskirche” (Jesuits Church) and the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter’s Church).
Another option is to visit the “Ringstrasse”, a circular road around the inner city districts of Vienna. In the 19th century the road was replacing the Old City Wall which had been built in the 13th century. Many of the buildings you find along this road, the Austrian Parliament Building or the University of Vienna for example, were built around the 1850´s. You may also want to visit Schonbrunn Palace and its beautiful Garden. Your Vienna Card covers the fare to get there; the subway station “Schonbrunn” (subway line U4) is very close to the entrance of Schonbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the Habsburg family and home of Maria Theresa. The Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in Austria and nowadays is one of the most visited sights in Vienna. It all started with the building of a mansion on hunting grounds in 1548 just outside of Vienna. The impressive Palace in its present form (it has 1,441 rooms!) was built and remodeled around the 1750s by Maria Theresa. Make sure to plan in some time for a visit of Schonbrunn Garden before you take the subway back to the city center.
Schoenbrunn Palace and Church of Mariahilf in Vienna ©Österreich Werbung
Day 8 Day trip into the Danube Valley, Melk and Danube River Cruise
Today you will be picked up at your hotel for a day trip which takes you from Vienna into the Wachau, a picturesque valley along the Danube, known for its excellent wine. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you enjoy the view of medieval castles, impressive monasteries and a breathtaking landscape along this tour.
You will first travel from Vienna to Krems, a pretty town on the banks of the Danube River. After a short visit of the historical city Centre the bus tour continues on to Spitz. Along the way you will see the ruins of Duernstein Castle, where the English King Richard the Lionheart was held captive. By boat you will cruise on the Danube River downstream to the town of Melk. Lush vineyards shape the landscape of the Danube Valley – the views on both sides of the Danube are spectacular!
After the boat trip, you arrive at Melk where the bus awaits you and takes you to the nearby Benedictine Abbey. This impressive baroque building was awarded the prize “Best Historic Destination of the World” together with the Wachau in 2008. On a guided tour you will see the magnificent marble hall, the precious abbey library and the church with its unique frescoes. After this enjoyable day trip, we take you back from the Danube Valley to the Vienna State Opera. Your 48 hour Vienna Card is still valid that day so you may use the public transportation system for some additional sightseeing in Vienna in the evening, to enjoy a nice dinner and to get back to your hotel.
Salzburg Mozart birthplace and Eagles Nest ©Thomas H. Giesick
Day 9 Salzburg
In about 2 hours and 40 minutes the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you throughout Austria, from Vienna located in the east of Austria, close to the borders to Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, to Salzburg, all the way in the west of Austria, right at the German border. Salzburg, beautiful town close to the Alps, birthplace of Mozart is also the site of the popular movie “The Sound of Music”. Your hotel is located in walking distance of Salzburg Central Station and in the early afternoon – after you have checked in – you will be picked up from your hotel to join the English-speaking most unique 4-hour Sound of Music tour!
This tour is an ideal opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Maria von Trapp while taking in local historical sights both from the city of Salzburg and also the picturesque lakes and mountains surrounding the city. After the tour you may want to walk across the Salzach River to take a look at Mozart’s birth house and the small shopping streets in the area. Here you also find a wide choice of restaurants for dinner.
Day 10 Salzburg
Today you will be picked up at your hotel in Salzburg for a half-day tour to the Kehlsteinhaus, located close to nearby Berchtesgaden/Germany, in English-speaking countries known as the “Eagles Nest”.
The Eagles Nest was built for Adolf Hitler for his 50th birthday as a present from his party. It is an architectural masterpiece: the building on a rock on top of the mountain, a road cut into the mountain ending in front of a tunnel leading to a golden brass elevator through which one can reach the summit. Truly impressive and this is what it was supposed to be: to impress and dazzle people. For information about what to expect at the Eagles Nest, you may want to look at our Blog “Eagles Nest – day trip from Salzburg” where you also find some impressions of this day trip.
Neuschwanstein Castle © Romantische Strasse Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gbr, Linderhof Palace © Softeis via Wikimedia Commons and Munich Town Hall © Thomas H. Giesick
Day 11 Munich
In about 1 hours and 20 minutes, the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you from Salzburg to Munich. The price of your tour already includes a ticket for free use of public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Munich and the admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain) and with your tour package you will also receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel”), the Konigsplatz (King´s Square), cultural center in the 19th century and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany, the English Garden as well as the State Opera House.
You will be able to visit famous churches like Munich Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger street and Neuhauser street) as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you by the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store as well as to the Hofbrauhaus of course, probably the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh Mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)!
Day 12 Escorted Coach tour to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace
Your all-day, escorted coach tour will first take you to Oberammergau for a photo stop. The coach will then take you to Linderhof Palace, the “Royal Villa” of Ludwig II. Visit this beautifully furnished castle and the park. Admission to Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle is included in the price of the tour. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind but certainly for those traveling along the Romantic Road. Be prepared that reality will surpass all pictures and imaginations. Neuschwanstein seems to be taken out of a fairytale! Seeing the castle from the outside is unforgettable, a tour of the interior, which was originally built for one famous inhabitant, will make the picture perfect! But make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds. The view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind the Castle is like no other! PLEASE NOTE: if you have been on the escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles before it is also possible to change this to a different tour from Munich.
Day 13 Frankfurt
In a little more than 3 hours, you will go by direct high-speed rail from Munich to Frankfurt. Since your rail tickets are not restricted to a specific time you have a variety of trains you may use from Munich to Frankfurt (timetables will be provided). So you can either stay in Munich for additional sightseeing for most of the day or you may take an early train to see a little more of Frankfurt. Your hotel is located in walking distance from Frankfurt Central Station.
Frankfurt Central Station and Concert Hall Frankfurt ©Thomas H. Giesick
Day 14 Frankfurt Int. Airport
Today you take the train for a very short train ride from Frankfurt Central Station right into the terminal of Frankfurt International Airport. You have a wide variety of trains going during the day and you may take a train at your convenience. The train ride takes about 11 Minutes.
Would you like to download an overview of the 14 Day Luxury Central Europe Rail Circle Tour (14R01) as a pdf to print it out or to forward it to a friend? Please download it right here:This is already included in the price of your tour
| Day 1 - Frankfurt Int. Airport to Frankfurt Central Station/ Frankfurt | Commuter train ticket from Frankfurt Int. Airport directly to Frankfurt Central Station(travel time about 10 minutes). Frankfurt Card for free use of public transportation within Frankfurt as well as for the train from Frankfurt Central Station to Frankfurt Int. Airport | Intercontinental Frankfurt (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Frankfurt Central Station | |
| Day 2 - Frankfurt to Berlin/ Berlin | First Class High-Speed train ticket from Frankfurt directly to Berlin (travel time about 4:10 hrs), Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Berlin | The Mandala Hotel (or similar if not available) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Frankfurt, 72 hrs Berlin Welcome Card, Berlin Walking suggestions |
| Day 3 - Berlin | Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Berlin | The Mandala Hotel (or similar if not available) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Berlin, 72 hrs Berlin Welcome Card, Berlin Walking suggestions, optional Day Trip to Oranienburg Memorial Site or to Potsdam |
| Day 4 - Day trip to Potsdam/ Oranienburg | Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Berlin | The Mandala Hotel (or similar if not available) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Berlin, 72 hrs Berlin Welcome Card, Berlin Walking suggestions |
| Day 5 - Berlin to Prague/ Prague | First Class Speed train ticket from Berlin directly to Prague (travel time about 4:40 hrs) | Art Nouveau Palace Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Prague Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Berlin |
| Day 6 - Prague | no train tickets needed | Art Nouveau Palace Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Prague Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Prague, Private guided english-speaking City tour of Prague |
| Day 7 - Prague to Vienna/ Vienna | First Class Speed train ticket from Berlin directly to Prague (travel time about 4 hrs) | The Ring Hotel Vienna (or similar if not available) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Prague, 48 hrs Vienna Card |
| Day 8 - Day trip into the Danube Valley, Melk and Danube River Cruise/ Vienna | Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Vienna | The Ring Hotel Vienna (or similar if not available) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48 hrs Vienna Card, Day Trip thru Danube Valley (by coach and boat) |
| Day 9 - Vienna to Salzburg/ Salzburg | First Class High-Speed train ticket from Vienna directly to Salzburg (travel time about 2:20 hrs) | Sheraton Grand Hotel Salzburg (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Salzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 4 hr Sound of Music tour with a pick-up from your hotel in Salzburg included |
| Day 10 - Eagles Nest/ Salzburg | no train tickets needed | Sheraton Grand Hotel Salzburg (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Salzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 4 hr Sound of Music tour with a pick-up from your hotel in Salzburg included |
| Day 11 - Salzburg to Munich/ Munich | First Class High-Speed train ticket from Salzburg directly to Munich (travel time about 1:20 hrs), Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Munich as well as for the train from Munich Int. Airport to Munich Central Station | Sofitel Bayerpost Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Salzburg, Admission Residence Museum, Treasury Admission Cuvilliés-Theatre, Admission Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Admission Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Admission Marstallmuseum and Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain, Munich Walking suggestions |
| Day 12 - Royal Castles/ Munich | no train tickets needed | Sofitel Bayerpost Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, All day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and to the Royal Castles - Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace, Admission Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau), Admission Linderhof Palace & Park (Ettal) |
| Day 13 - Munich to Frankfurt/ Frankfurt | First Class High-Speed train ticket from Munich directly to Frankfurt (travel time about 3:10 hrs) | Intercontinental Frankfurt (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Frankfurt Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich |
| Day 14 - Frankfurt Central Station to Frankfurt Int.Airport/ Frankfurt Int. Airport | First Class High-Speed train ticket from Frankfurt Central Station directly to Frankfurt Int. Airport (travel time about 10 minutes) | no hotel needed | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Frankfurt |
The tour package we provide includes a day by day itinerary as well as all tickets, vouchers, and information necessary to enjoy a great independent tour. It also contains general information about the cities you visit which you can download from our website once your tour is confirmed.
This is not included in the price of your tour
- Airfare from your origin to Frankfurt Int. Airport/from Frankfurt Int. Airport to your origin
- all meals other than breakfast (which is included)
- gratuities (tips)
You have booked the tour already and would like to download the to-europe tour package for this tour now? Please download them right here:
FROM THE BLACK FOREST TO THE DANUBE Dear Thomas Giesick, the tour has been wonderful- I am on my last day in Regensburg at the moment. It is lovely to have a bit of flexibility and the information you provided has been very helpful! Thank you so much for all of your help! Kind regards, – Emily, Braddon, Australia
We are fortunate to have travelers from all over the world on our pre-packaged tours and we would love to have your feedback! If you have been traveling along this tour with us please leave us a review below – we greatly appreciate your time! (your Email address will not be displayed)
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We can't say enough about how much we enjoyed our tour, how helpful every single person was that we dealt with etc. Thomas worked with us to add an extra stop and customize a couple of items for us. The hotels in the Luxury tour were amazing, zero problems with any of the trains we chose to use and some of the tours were amazing. Highly recommend not missing the day trip from Vienna to Melk, just wonderful cruising sown the Danube to the amazing monastery. A wonder 3 week trip and the first class service from Thomas and team made it possible. - Ken W. Vancouver, Canada
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