5 Day Vienna & Budapest by Train – Winter

On an independent tour, Nordic Visitor takes care of your local transportation, accommodation and excursions for a relaxed self-guided travel experience. This might include trains, cruises and/or internal flights, as specified in the itinerary.

You will follow an itinerary that’s been pre-planned and booked for you before you arrive. This means you can take advantage of Nordic Visitor’s insider knowledge while exploring at your leisure.

Ahead of your arrival, you’ll receive personalised information, including your detailed itinerary and regional Travel Guides.

During your tour, you’ll always be able to reach us by calling our 24/7 helpline.

The transfers between your hotel and train stations are not included with this package. Your accommodation will usually be within a short walking distance of the stations. You could also get a taxi from your hotel if you prefer.

Of course! Adding extra nights to your tour allows you to make the most of your stay in the city at the start and end of your trip. You can visit more of the fantastic attractions, or relax after your flight to Europe or before you return home. 

You can customise how many nights you want to stay before and/or after your tour during the booking process.

You can also easily add optional day trips, excursions and upgrades.

The short answer is very easy!

Most countries in Europe are either part of the European Union, the Schengen Area, or both. These are diplomatic agreements that mean visitors to one country can easily cross the border into another.

Chances are you won’t need to pass through any border control after the initial airport inspection in your arrival country. That said, you’ll still need to keep your passport handy, as there may be some spot-checks over borders.

With this itinerary, you’ll travel from Vienna to Budapest by train. The journey takes around 2.5 hours. Expect comfortable, modern trains with services such as free on-board Wi-Fi. You may also notice some scenic views as the route passes though Austrian and Hungarian landscapes.

During your tour of the Alps, you’ll stay in accommodation hand-picked by our local travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and personal experience.

Across the Alps region, you can choose from single, double or triple rooms. Please also note that in the countries you’ll be visiting, room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.

For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.

During your visit to Austria, you may travel to both lowlands and high-altitude regions.

In higher mountain villages, average daily temperatures in winter are between -3°C – 9°C (27°F – 48°F). In lower-altitude towns and cities, close to lakes and at the foot of the mountains, temperatures in the winter months are often between 0°C – 10°C (32°F – 50°F).

Snowfall is common in the higher altitude regions but is also possible lower down. Make sure to pack plenty of layers to keep warm!

Hungary has a temperate climate, with cold, snowy winters.

During the winter months, you can expect temperatures of between 1°C – 3°C (34°F – 37°F). Snow and rain are likely during your trip, so make sure you pack plenty of warm, waterproof layers.

Wintertime in the Alps is all about one thing: staying cosy! As you’ll be exploring vibrant Christmas markets during your trip, you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors. Temperatures are likely to be chilly and it might even snow!

For these reasons, we recommend packing the following:

• Warm, thermal underlayers
• Warm fleeces and woollen jumpers
• Cosy hat, scarf and gloves
• Thick woollen socks
• Comfortable walking shoes or boots
• A day bag for your essentials
• A smart outfit for dining out in the city
• Your camera and charging packs for your electronics
• Reusable water bottle
• 2-pin European plug adapter

You can find more handy information about packing for a trip through the Alps on our travel guide.

There are limited laundry facilities in the countryside, though you’ll find laundrettes in the larger cities and towns. Some hotels do offer dry cleaning for an additional cost.

It’s good to be aware that you may require different currencies during your Alps and Europe trip. Germany, Austria and Italy have the Euro (€) as their local currency.

That said, Switzerland and Liechtenstein both have the Swiss franc (CHF, ₣) as their currency, Czech Republic has Czech koruna (CZK) and Hungary has Hungarian Forint (HUF Ft).

In Germany, Switzerland and Austria tipping is not mandatory, but welcomed. It is usually based on the quality of service. Locals often add around 10% or simply round up their bill.

Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades. 

If you have something specific in mind, please let your travel consultant know at the time of booking. They'll see what they can do to accommodate you. 

If you prefer, you can begin your tour in a different city in the region. Just ask your travel consultant and they can let you know the options in terms of train travel or rental car fees. We’ll be happy to try to rearrange your itinerary so it works for you. 

By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.

For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline.

During your tour, there will always be a regional travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.

You’ll be spending time in a few different regions on your tour. All of these are part of the Schengen area, which is a zone of free movement. The European countries that are part of Schengen are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

If you are visiting from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or another EU state, you won’t need a visa for short-term travel (less than 90 days) to a Schengen area country.

Visiting from another country? Please look up the official websites of the Nordic Visitor destinations you’ll be visiting. On them you’ll find the complete lists of countries whose nationals require visas to enter. You’ll need to apply for a Schengen visa via the country where you will be spending the most time.

Good to know: Liechtenstein does not issue visas. If you enter via Switzerland, you’ll see there is no border control. The same visa requirements apply between both countries.

Your passport needs to be valid for the entirety of your stay in Europe, and for at least 6 months after your departure date. It’s a good idea to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.

It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking. 

Nordic Visitor offers 10–20% deposits so you can reserve your trip as early as it’s convenient for you. The remaining balance is due 30 days before you travel. 

Many tours are also open for the following year if you like to plan well ahead. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us. 

After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip. 

At that time, they’ll confirm the availability of your tour. Then the booking process starts, which may take a few weeks. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. You will also receive more information about what to expect during your trip.

No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.

Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund. 

After you have booked your tour, it will only take a few days to confirm its availability. But it may take a few weeks to create your itinerary and book everything. Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents. 

After picking up your luggage, make your way to your accommodation. You can catch the City Airport Train (CAT) that will take you directly to Vienna in 16 minutes, with departures every 30 minutes between 6AM and midnight. There are also bus services or alternatively, you can catch a taxi.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.

You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee, this will depend on the accommodation. You’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel until check-in. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your trip if you’d like an early check-in.

When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.

You will need to check out from your room, but will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before catching public transport or a taxi to the airport.

All bookings are billed in Euros (EUR), the local currency in Germany, Italy and Austria.

Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.

There may be short walks between your accommodation and transfers where you will have to carry your bags. We recommend bringing a case with wheels for ease of travel. All connections will be within easy reach with storage available for your luggage during each leg of the journey.