Central Europe in 10 days: Prague, Vienna & Budapest
Three capitals, two easy train rides and no need for a car. Prague, Vienna and Budapest sit on one rail line, so you can fly into Prague, out of Budapest and spend your time seeing the cities instead of planning connections.
When to go
May, June and September have warm days and fewer crowds than July and August. Late November to December brings the Christmas markets, with cold weather and short days.
Flights: into Prague, home from Budapest
Search a multi-city (open-jaw) ticket: arrive in Prague and fly home from Budapest. Recent round-trip fares Aviasales travellers found to Prague; tap a route for today's price.
Day-by-day plan
Prague 3 nights
Arrive, then walk Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and the lanes down to the Vltava.
Cross Charles Bridge early, before the crowds, and spend the day at Prague Castle and the Malá Strana quarter below it.
The Jewish Quarter, a beer hall evening, or a day trip to Kutná Hora or Český Krumlov.
🚆 Train Prague → Vienna: about 4 hours, direct.
Vienna 3 nights
Arrive and walk the Ringstrasse: the Hofburg, the State Opera and St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Schönbrunn Palace in the morning, then the Belvedere or the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
The Naschmarkt, a classic coffee house and, in the evening, a concert or the opera.
🚆 Train Vienna → Budapest: about 2 h 40 min, direct.
Budapest 3 nights
Castle Hill, Fisherman's Bastion and the view over the Danube.
Parliament, St. Stephen's Basilica and Andrássy Avenue; a river cruise after dark.
An afternoon at the Széchenyi or Gellért baths, then the ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter.
✈️ Day 10: fly home from Budapest.
Tips for this trip
- Book an open-jaw flight (into Prague, out of Budapest) so you never travel back the way you came.
- Train tickets are cheapest a few weeks ahead on the operators' own sites; seats can also be bought at the station.
- Czech koruna, euro and Hungarian forint: three currencies, so a card without foreign fees helps.
Prefer a guided tour?
The same route with hotels, transport and a guide arranged for you. Live prices and reviews; you book and pay on TourRadar.
More Central Europe trips ›FAQ
Is 10 days enough for Prague, Vienna and Budapest?
Yes. Three nights in each city covers the main sights with a free day each for museums, a day trip or simply slowing down.
Should I take the train or fly between them?
The train. Both legs are direct, city centre to city centre, and quicker than flying once you count airport time.
Can I add another city?
Bratislava is about an hour from Vienna by train and works as a day trip; Salzburg and Hallstatt fit if you add three or four days.