Christmas Markets from Budapest to Munich by Private Train
Photo credit: Martin Klimenta
Budapest to Munich Aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express
Overview
Enjoy the pleasures of Old World rail travel as you glide in style from historic Budapest, Hungary to beautiful Munich, Germany. Your journey will take you to elegant Vienna and fairy-tale like Salzburg, encountering three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and festive Christmas markets along the way.
Travels to: Hungary, Austria, Germany
Photos and details: Discover what life is like aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express.
Map
Itinerary
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Days 1-2: Budapest (Hungary)
Arrive in UNESCO-listed Budapest, built in the grand style of the Habsburgs. Visit the Royal Palace, the largest baroque palace in Hungary used by Franz Josef of Austria, and Matthias Church, originally built in 1255. Enjoy panoramic views of the city from Gellert Hill, and admire the facade of Budapest’s magnificent neo-Renaissance Opera House, decorated with statues of some of the world’s greatest composers.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Budapest, capital of Hungary, with fine baroque, neoclassical, and art nouveau buildings
- Royal Palace, painstakingly restored and reopened as a museum, its main wing furnished to period standards
- Matthias Church, where King Matthias Corvinus had both of his royal weddings
- Facade of the Budapest Opera House, which at one time hosted Franz Liszt and Gustav Mahler
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Days 3-4: Vienna (Austria)
Enjoy a morning reception at the Royal Waiting Room in Budapest’s Nyugati station before boarding the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train and departing for Vienna. Settle into your comfortable cabin and have lunch on board as the train heads for Vienna. Explore Vienna, Austria’s capital, and indisputably the center of the musical world in the 18th and 19th centuries. Take a romantic carriage ride in the heart of Old Town Vienna, the Innere Stadt, admiring its main religious edifice, St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Elegant reception at the Royal Waiting Room in Budapest’s Nyugati station
- Vienna, capital and largest city of Austria, spanning both sides of the Danube
- Innere Stadt, Vienna’s Old Town, home to many of the cities iconic sights including St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Burgtheater, and the Hofburg Imperial Palace
- A horse drawn carriage ride
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Days 5-6: Salzburg
Explore Salzburg, a city that looks like a picture from a fairy-tale, that perfectly captures the charming coziness of the festive season. Discover 17th-century Mirabell Palace and the Mozart Residence turned into museum. Walk along Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most famous street. And finally, enjoy Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, one of the most beautiful and oldest Christmas markets in the world.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Salzburg, the fairy-tale city of Mozart
- Mirabell Palace – a UNESCO world heritage site and Salzburg’s landmark built in 1606 and remodeled in the 18th century into a magnificent baroque palace complex
- Getreidegasse – Salzburg’s most famous street
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt – one of the most beautiful and oldest Christmas markets in the world
- DomQuartier, a unique cultural highlight in the heart of Salzburg
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Days 7-8: Munich (Germany)
Munich, the third-largest city in Germany, is the capital of Bavaria, one of the oldest states in Europe. Munich is a cultural hub, renowned for its museums, art galleries, nightlife and beer gardens. Discover the 17th-century Nymphenburg Palace; the English Garden, with its famous sunbathing area; the Hofbrauhaus, serving beer since 1644; the futuristic Allianz Arena that lights up when a night game is being played; and the BMW headquarters and museum. This evening enjoy the farewell dinner.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Christmas market on Marienplatz in the heart of Munich
- Haidhausen district – a popular residential area
- Christmas market at Weißenburger Platz
- Bavarian inn with different kind of beers and traditional Bavarian white sausage with pretzels
Dates & Prices
Minimum group size: Minimums vary – call for confirmation status
Land Tour Price, Per Person.
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2024 Dates
Dec 3 - 10Deluxe Class, double occupancy$9,995Deluxe Class, single occupancy$14,995Superior Deluxe Class, double occupancy$12,495Superior Deluxe Class, single occupancy$20,595
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2025 Dates
Dec 3 - 10Deluxe Class, double occupancy$10,495Deluxe Class, single occupancy$15,695Superior Deluxe Class, double occupancy$13,395Superior Deluxe Class, single occupancy$22,095
What's Included
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Tour Includes
- Accommodation aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train.
- Hotel accommodation per the itinerary (2 nights in Budapest, 2 nights in Munich).
- All meals starting with dinner on Day 1 until breakfast on final tour day.
- A generous allowance of wine or local beer, soft drinks, and water with all lunches and dinners.
- Complimentary tea, coffee, and mineral water around the clock from your car attendant while on board the train.
- Complimentary draft beer in the Bar Car for all passengers.
- Arrival/departure transfers, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates and in the tour start/end cities.
- All guided off-train tours per itinerary.
- The services of an experienced Train Tour Manager, with local guides for scheduled off-train touring.
- All gratuities.
- Baggage handling.
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Not Included
- International airfare or surface transport to the starting/ending cities of the tour. MIR is able to arrange your air itinerary. If you wish to obtain an air quote, please contact us for details.
- Items of a purely personal nature (laundry, telephone, bar account, photography at museums, etc.)
- Optional pre- or post-tour extensions.
- Drinks, beyond draft beer in the Bar Car, and beer and wine at set meals.
- Visa fees, any excess baggage charges, airport departure taxes, vaccination or medical costs.
- Travel and trip cancellation insurance.
Activity Level
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Level 2: Moderate
Level 2: Moderate
This rail journey by private train features significant touring on foot, throughout which travelers are expected to keep up with other group members, and will feature cold weather and icy and/or wet walking surfaces. Walking during touring days will be on a variety of base surfaces, with many streets and sidewalks being uneven. Elevators are generally not available during touring excursions, leading to some stair climbing. Challenges on board the train include long onboard distances with heavy doors as well as steep steps and gaps to navigate while embarking and disembarking. Only those willing to accept local standards of amenities and services should consider joining this program.
Travelers must be able to walk a mile per day keeping up with other group members. Streets and sidewalks can be uneven or unexpected surfaces, and handrails are not always present. Steps, which may be required due to lack of elevators, may be steep and/or uneven, and may also lack handrails. The weather will be cold and likely wet and icy when off the train. The distance on board the train between sleeping and dining carriages may be significant, and there are many heavy doors to navigate when moving throughout the train. Getting on and off the train involves navigating steep steps, low platforms, and possible gaps between the train and the platform. Navigating rail stations may also involve traveling up and over steep steps/footbridges to cross tracks, or steep steps and dark tunnels to cross under to/from the train station. Although porterage is provided where possible, you may have to carry your baggage for short distances.
General shortcomings of the tourism infrastructure may include problems with bureaucratic service, and availability and quality of public restrooms when not on board the train.
Gallery
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1/11 Christmas market at the Town Hall in Vienna, Austria. Bartl / Austrian National Tourist Office
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2/11 Graben Street in Vienna, Austria. Bartl / Austrian National Tourist Office
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3/11 Christmas market at the Town Hall in Vienna, Austria. G. Popp / Austrian National Tourist Office
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4/11 On board the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train.
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5/11 The Plague Column in Vienna. Volker Preusser / Austrian National Tourist Office
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6/11 Budapest Chain Bridge by night.
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7/11 A sunset view of beautiful Budapest
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8/11 Dining car on the Golden Eagle Danube Express.
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9/11 Vienna’s grand neo-Gothic Rathaus is decked out for the holidays. Photo credit: Österreich Werbung / Wiesenhofer
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10/11 St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. G. Popp / Austrian National Tourist Office
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11/11 Golden Eagle Danube Express attendants.
