Budapest Rail Tour. From Amsterdam to Cologne, Wurzburg, Nuremberg, Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna to Budapest, this Rail tour covers many of the nicest sights in Central Europe. The tour includes an all-day escorted coach tour from Munich to Oberammergau, Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle and the legendary Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. It already includes admission to Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau), Linderhof Palace & Park (Ettal), Residence Museum & Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain (all Munich and admission to Wurzburg Residence and Marienberg Fortress (in Wurzburg) as well as admission to the Imperial Castle in Nuremberg.
Castle area Budapest © Ungarn Tourismus
Pre- and post-tour accommodation in Amsterdam and Budapest can be added. The tour can also be booked from Budapest to Amsterdam. This beautiful vacation package includes second class Rail all the way as well as excellent rated hotels (see the tableau this is already included in the price of your tour). It can be upgraded to first class rail for an extra of US $ 289 per person. This includes seat reservations for all long distance rails. 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 $ 1,979 | US $ 2,999 | US $ 1,949 |
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:
View 11 Day Amsterdam to Budapest Rail Tour (11R02) in a larger map
Day 1 Cologne
Your tour starts from Amsterdam Central Station. We have not included any nights in Amsterdam into this tour package so far since many of our clients come from a cruise ship and have already spend some time in Amsterdam. However, depending on your time frame we can certainly add one or more nights in Amsterdam prior to the tour as well as guided city tours. If this is the case please let us know and we will send an updated itinerary to you.
In about 2 hours and 40 minutes, the High-speed rail (ICE) will take you from Amsterdam to Cologne Central Station. Your hotel is located in walking distance from the station. Cologne, one of the oldest cities in Germany. Travel time to Cologne is about two hours. The Romans founded a village located on the River Rhine and called it “Colonia”. Just outside Cologne Central Station, you find Cologne´s most famous landmark, the Kolner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) which is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe. Each of both towers has a height of more than 500 ft., the Cologne Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the landmark still is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne.
Cologne Cathedral ©Thomas H. Giesick and Wurzburg Residence ©Romantische Straße Touristik Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR
In the Cathedral, you find the High Altar made out of black marble (which was installed in 1322) as well as the Shrine of the Three Kings (created in the 12th century). Admission to the Cathedral is free. For a fee, it is possible to climb up the tower and to visit the treasury. If you are interested in perfume a visit of the Fragrance Museum in Cologne, the birthplace of the Eau des Cologne, is a must do. The Fragrance Museum is located less than 10 walking minutes from Cologne Cathedral and a visit allows you to discover three centuries of fragrance history. Another Museum, the NS-Documentation Center of the City of Cologne, may be interesting to visit for those of you interested in the history of the “Third Reich”. It is located in the former headquarters of the Cologne Gestapo (secret police) which is also only about 10 walking minutes from Cologne Central Station (if you are interested in Nazi Germany/WWII-history you may also want to take a look at our History Rail Tour “Fascination and Terror –Rise and Fall of the Third Reich”). The Old Town of Cologne is located just a little south of Cologne Central Station. Shopping is great along the “Hohe Strasse”, a pedestrian zone, and in the streets going east toward the Rhine River you will find many places to eat and enjoy a Koelsch, a local specialty beer.
We recommend going on a Panorama Cruise on the Rhine River where you will see many sights of Cologne.
Day 2 Wurzburg
From Cologne, you take a High-Speed train to Wurzburg. Your hotel is located in walking distance from Wurzburg Central Station. The city is idyllically located amidst vineyards, with the medieval fortress Marienberg towering above. Wurzburg is old bishop´s see and lively town, proudly presenting monuments of different eras. Culture, art, history, and hospitality are ever-present in this remarkable city! Visit the Old Town in Wurzburg as well as the Residence admission included), where you can join a free English-speaking tour at 3 pm each day. From mid-March to October, you may also want to visit Fortress Marienberg which is towering above the scenic Old Town of the “Historic Highlights of Germany” city of Wurzburg (closed on Mondays, admission included).
Day 3 Nuremberg
The High-Speed train (ICE) will take you from Wurzburg to Nuremberg. Your hotel is located in walking distance from Nuremberg Central Station (which is located just outside the Old City Wall surrounding Nuremberg Old Town and the Imperial Castle). Nuremberg’s history reaches back to the year 1050, its name “nourenberc” translates into “rocky hill”. Nuremberg’s famous landmark, the “Kaiserburg” (Imperial Castle), towers above the Old town, which is protected by the five kilometers long city wall, many towers and gates can still be visited. The medieval Castle is one of the most important imperial palaces dating from the middle ages from the 11th century (admission included). In the Third Reich Adolf Hitlers´Nazi Party had chosen Nuremberg for their Nazi Rallies and if you are interested in that part of history you may want to visit the Documenation Center Nazi Rally Grounds which are located just south of the Old Town.
Sebaldus Church, Imperial Castle and Heilig-Geist Spital Nuremberg ©Thomas H. Giesick
When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg’s medieval Old Town you may want to start right at the Koenigstor (“Kingsgate”) which is the gate right across from Nuremberg Central Station. From where the timber-framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St.Lawrence and the Church of St.Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot. Right next to the Koenigstor is the Handwerkerhof (craft center), here you will feel like you are back in the medieval times, there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of “Frankenwein” (franconian wine).
Neuschwanstein Castle © Romantische Strasse Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gbr, Linderhof Palace © Softeis via Wikimedia Commons and Munich Town Hall © Thomas H. Giesick
DAY 4 Munich
Munich, the Capital of Bavaria, is your next destination. Munich Central Station is more than 100 miles from Nuremberg Central Station but by high-speed ICE rail it only takes about an hour to get there. Munich is famous throughout the world for the Oktoberfest but also for its location, close to scenic lakes and to the Alp Mountains. Your hotel is located in walking distance to Munich Central Station.
Where to begin when one wants to name places to see and things to do in this extraordinary city … which like few others combines modern life with lively history? There is Munich’s old town where 850 years of history are showing off, there is the Marienplatz (Marien Square) where three times each day thousands of people are spellbound when the world famous Glockenspiel (carillon) starts its beautiful song. Visit and marvel at the Frauenkirche, the town’s landmark; do not miss the Hofbrauhaus and find out why the Munchner (inhabitants of Munich) don’t want to miss out on their “Brotzeit” (a meal or snack consisting of bread, cold cuts, cheese and so on, usually enjoyed between breakfast and lunch). Visit the Residence, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Hall of Fame and all the other sights in Munich which are included in your comprehensive sightseeing package. Many guests ask us about the option to visit Dachau Memorial Site which is located just outside of Munich. This can also be arranged for that day if you contact is in advance and let us know.
DAY 5 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 6 Salzburg
In about 1 hours and 50 minutes, the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you from Munich to Salzburg. Salzburg, beautiful town close to the Alps, the birthplace of Mozart is also the site of the popular movie “The Sound of Music”. Your hotel is located within walking distance of Salzburg Central Station and in the early afternoon – after you have checked in – you will join the English-speaking most unique 4-hour Sound of Music tour!
Salzburg © Thomas H. Giesick
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 7 Vienna
In about 2 hours and 40 minutes, the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you throughout Austria, from Salzburg to Vienna located in the east of Austria, close to the borders to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The price of your tour package already includes the 48 hour Vienna Card. With this card, you will 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 will 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 the 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).
Schoenbrunn Palace ©Österreich Werbung, Horvath and Church of Mariahilf Vienna © Österreich Werbung
Day 8 Vienna
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Vienna with your 48 hour Vienna Card. Maybe you want 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 the for example, were built around the 1850´s. You may 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. There you also find the Neptune Fountain and Gloriette, which was designed to symbolize the glory of the Habsburg power.
Day 9 Budapest
In a little less than three hours, you will be in Budapest. Budapest is one of Europe’s most charming and romantic cities. It consists of two very different cities, Buda on the West bank of the Danube River and Pest on the East bank. Most of Budapest’s famous sights are concentrated on Castle Hill on the Buda side, in downtown Pest, and along the riverside walkways. You are holding a 48-hour Hop-on Hop-off City Tour Ticket which is a great way to explore the City. The most popular attraction of Budapest is the Royal Palace which is towering on the Castle Hill above the city as well as the Parliament Building – a neo-gothic jewel, beautifully situated overlooking the Danube. St. Stephen’s Basilica is the main church of Budapest. It is an important example of neoclassical architecture. The mummified right hand of Hungary´s first king, St. Stephen, is kept in the chapel. The 96-meter high dome can be seen from anywhere in the city and the inside is beautifully decorated with mosaics. Also worth visiting is the State Opera House.
Castle area Budapest © Ungarn Tourismus
Day 10 Budapest
Your 48 – hour Hop-on Hop-off City ticket is still valid today and you may want to take another tour to see more of Budapest. Later on you may want to walk down to the Danube to visit the Chain Bridge (Szechenyi lanchid) as well as stroll along the Danube River bank. The “Shoes on the Danube Bank” can be found there; it is a memorial which honors the Jews who were killed by fascist in Budapest during World War II. The Jews in Budapest were ordered to take off their shoes and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. The memorial represents their shoes left behind on the bank. More detailed information about the horrors can be found at the Holocaust Memorial Center with its Exhibition Hall, the Synagogue and the “Wall of Victims”.
Day 11 Budapest Int. Airport
By Airport Shuttle transfer you will get from your hotel to Budapest Airport where your tour ends. Please provide your departure details so we can arrange your transfer accordingly.
Would you like to download an overview of the 11 Day Amsterdam to Budapest Rail Tour (11R02) 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 - Amsterdam to Cologne/ Cologne | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "ICE" trains) from Amsterdam directly to Cologne (travel time about 2:40 hrs) | Hotel Domspitzen (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Cologne Central Station | |
| Day 2 - Cologne to Wurzburg/ Wurzburg | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "ICE" trains) from Cologne directly to Wurzburg (travel time about 3:30 hrs) | Wurzburger Hof (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Wurzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Cologne, Admission to the Wurzburg Residence and Marienberg Fortress (open March 16th to October, closed on Mondays) |
| Day 3 - Wurzburg to Nuremberg/ Nuremberg | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "ICE" trains) from Wurzburg directly to Nuremberg (travel time about an hour) | Hotel Victoria (or similar if not available), located within the Old Town, right across from Nuremberg Central Station - 3 walking minutes) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Wurzburg, Admission to the Imperial Castle in Nuremberg, admission to the Deep Well and to the Sinwell Tower |
| Day 4 - Nuremberg to Munich/ Munich | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "ICE" trains) from Nuremberg directly to Munich (travel time about 1:20 hrs), ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Munich | King´s Hotel Center (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Nuremberg, 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 |
| Day 5 - Royal Castles/ Munich | no train ticket needed | King´s Hotel Center (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 6 - Munich to Salzburg/ Salzburg | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "Rail-Jet" trains) from Munich directly to Salzburg (travel time about 1:30 hrs) | Hotel IMLAUER & Bräu (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Salzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, 4 hr Sound of Music tour |
| Day 7 - Salzburg to Vienna/ Vienna | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "Rail-Jet" trains) from Salzburg to Vienna (travel time about 2:25 hour), ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Vienna | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Vienna Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Salzburg, 48 hrs Vienna Card |
| Day 8 - Vienna | Ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Vienna | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Vienna Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48 hrs Vienna Card |
| Day 9 - Vienna to Budapest/ Budapest | Ticket from Vienna directly to Budapest (travel time about 2:45 hrs) | Royal Park Boutique Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Budapest Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48 hr Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus ticket in Budapest |
| Day 10 - Budapest | no train ticket needed | Royal Park Boutique Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Budapest Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48 hr Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus ticket in Budapest |
| Day 11 - Budapest to Budapest Int. Airport/ Budapest Int. Airport | no train ticket needed | no hotel needed | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Budpast, Airport Shuttle Transfer from your hotel in Budapest right to Budapest Airport |
Your tour package includes all tickets, vouchers, and information necessary to enjoy a great independent tour. The tour package also contains tour information sheets (20-35 pages) with general information about the tour and a day by day itinerary which you can download from our website once your booking is confirmed.
This is not included in the price of your tour
- Airfare from your origin to Amsterdam Int. Airport/from Budapest International 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 information package for this tour now? Please download them right here:
CUSTOMIZED RAIL TOUR PRAGUE TO BUDAPESTWe want to let you know how our trip to the Czech Rep., Austria, Slovakia and Hungary went. Well, as the previous two tours you put together for us this was also ” Fantastic”. Prague, Linz, Graz, Vienna, Bratislava, Gyor, Budapest and Eger were all beautiful cities. The hotels in these cities were very good, especially the “Apartment” in Budapest. The location of the hotels were very good. The rail tickets worked out just fine. The Tours you provided in Prague, Vienna and Budapest were very good, enabling us to see the most beautiful parts of these cities, especially the All day Danube Valley Tour. The information sheets provided made our trip very easy. Thomas, we want to thank you for helping us have another ” Fantastic” vacation. – Jerry, Janet, & Timothy M., Minneapolis, MN, USA
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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Very impressed with the organisation, communication and willingness to change the itinerary to suit us. Documentation was very clear and received in plenty of time. Hotels bar one, were all very close to station and suggestions of sightseeing in each city was very comprehensive.
Our trip was absolutely awesome. We booked a custom tour from Amsterdam to Cologne, Kronberg, Nuremberg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen including the Zugspitze, Heidelberg, and back to Amsterdam. All Hotel and travel arrangements were superb. We had no difficulty in traveling by train and locating our hotels.
This was our 5th tour with ToEurope and we are definitely planning another exciting trip next year. We highly recommend ToEurope for all European travel plans.
Thank you for your professionalism in organising our Rail trip. So very easy to deal with via email & .vouchers were at our hotel & every detail attended to .
Hotels all great & all but Cologne , we were able to check in within 30 minutes of our arrival, this is so appreciated , I must admit every hotel took longer to find , just my bad directional issues .
Rail all good , and being so close to stations lots of eating places nearby .
Tours were great except the one hiccup in Munich with the Grayline staff not understanding the voucher .
Wonderful experience .
Marg Lane .Melbourne Australia .
All pre-scheduled city to city by train and hotel accommodation were fantastic. Hotel accommodations were wonderful because they were all walking distance to the train stations. Of course all scene, museums and castle were fantastic but I wished I had one more day in Salzburg. After the Sound of Music Tour which lasted half a day, there was not much time left to do see other attractions. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I will definitely recommend others to get To-Europe.com.
The whole trip was seamless which made it so enjoyable. The accommodation, train travel and location were fantastic! These guys really know how to organise a pleasurable holiday! Keep up the good work! Can't for our next trip with you guys!!!!
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