Prague, Vienna, and Budapest are three of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Europe. The most common route that tourists take when exploring these three beautiful cities is to start in Budapest, move to Vienna, and then to Prague. They are easily connected and several transportation options are available, so moving around won’t be such a hassle.
But if you’ve decided to start your trip in Vienna, then this guide is for you. Here you will find a number of ways to travel from Vienna to Prague and Vienna to Budapest to help you decide which route you must take.
By train
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Vienna-Prague
A Vienna to Prague train has an average travel time of 5 hours and 13 minutes. There are trips that have shorter travel hours depending on your chosen train route. There are 12 trains in a day that run between the two cities, with the first train leaving at 6:50 and the last leaving at 22:31. Ticket prices start at 49 Euros.
Departure areas in Vienna are the Wien Praterstern, Wien Meidling, and Wien Westbahnhof railway stations. Arrival in Prague will either be via the Praha Holesovice station or the Praha Hlavni Nadr.
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Vienna-Budapest
The train from Vienna to Budapest has an average travel time of 2 hours and 44 minutes. An average of 15 trains run between the two cities in a day, each leaving at an hour and 33-minute intervals. Ticket prices start at 29 Euros.
Departures are from Wien Meidling, Wien Huetteldorf, and Wien Westbahnhof stations, and arrivals are in Budapest Kelenfoe and Budapest Keleti railway stations.
By bus
If you have more time to spare, taking the bus is a cheaper alternative to get to Prague or Budapest from Vienna. Bus fares are lower compared to train tickets, but it will take a bit longer for you to arrive at your destination. However, there are instances when taking the bus becomes a faster option depending on the availability of train routes.
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Vienna-Prague
Most buses from Vienna to Prague are operated by Eurolines, Flixbus, Infobus, and RegioJet. These bus routes are direct, departing from Erdberg Station in Vienna and arriving at Hlavní Nádraží bus station in Prague.
Bus fares to Prague range from 15-18 Euros. The earlier you buy your tickets, the cheaper they are.
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Vienna-Budapest
Vienna to Budapest buses are managed by Flixbus or Regiojet. These buses have direct routes that depart from Vienna’s International Bus terminal and arrive at Nepliget bus station in Budapest.
Bus fares to Budapest range from 14-17 Euros. Fares are cheaper when purchased months before your trip.
By private car
Renting a private car with a local driver is a great way to move from Vienna to either Prague or Budapest. You won’t have to worry about being left behind by the train or bus and you can decide your own schedule.
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Traveling from Vienna to Prague by car will cost you around 43 Euros the least and travel time is at 3 hours.
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Traveling to Budapest from Vienna will cost you at least 38 Euros, with a travel time of 2 hours.
If you are short on time and must only pick one of the two cities, here are a few suggestions:
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Budapest is the way to go if you want to spend less on travel time. It is a bigger city than Prague, so you need to select which tourist destinations you want to visit in case you can’t explore the whole city.
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Prague is a better choice if you want to visit a lot of tourist spots easily. The city is more compact and smaller than Budapest, so getting around won’t be that complicated. However, it does take longer hours to travel from Vienna to Prague.