Central Europe on rails

Who it is for

For anyone who likes twentieth-century history and wants to link five cities by train, setting aside part of the days for travel.

Not for anyone who wants sun and beaches.

The strategy

The sequence runs from Berlin to Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Kraków. Check the timetable, duration and connections of each leg before allocating nights; the journeys do not all take the same time. Include station transfers, hotel changes and a break on arrival, especially on the leg to Kraków.

What you will see

• Brandenburg Gate, Berlin. Built between 1788 and 1791 by Carl Gotthard Langhans, it's the only survivor of the old customs wall's eighteen gates.
• Charles Bridge, Prague. 516 m long, about 10 m wide and with 16 arches, begun on July 9, 1357 and finished in the early 15th century.
• Stephansdom, Vienna. The Gothic cathedral at the exact point the city measures itself from; the south tower, 136.4 m tall, was completed in 1433, and the roof has about 230,000 glazed tiles in a colorful pattern.
• Parliament, Budapest. Designed by Imre Steindl, built from 1885 to 1904, 268 m long and 96 m tall, with 691 rooms.
• Rynek Główny, Kraków. A square roughly 200 by 200 meters (3.79 ha) laid out under the 1257 charter, the largest medieval square in Europe.

Day by day

Berlin

1. 1
   Day 1: The Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island

   1. 5ReichstagWorth a visit
   2. 1Brandenburg GateUp to half an hourEssential
   3. 3Memorial to the Murdered Jews of EuropeEssential
   4. 2Museum IslandEssential
   5. 9Humboldt ForumUp to half an hourIf there is time
2. 2
   Day 2: The Wall line and the east

   1. 6East Side GalleryWorth a visit
3. 3
   Day 3: Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Tempelhofer Feld

   1. 7Tempelhofer FeldWorth a visit
4. 4
   Day 4: Potsdam (day trip) · if you have more time

   

Prague

1. 5
   Day 5: Old Town, Josefov and the river

   1. 5Old Town Square and the OrlojWorth a visit
   2. 3Josefov: Old-New Synagogue and Old Jewish CemeteryHalf a day or moreEssential
   3. 2Charles BridgeUp to half an hourEssential
2. 6
   Day 6: The castle, Malá Strana and Petřín

   1. 2Charles BridgeUp to half an hourEssential
   2. PetřínOne to two hoursIf there is time
3. 7
   Day 7: New Town, Cubism and the neighborhoods

   1. 6Wenceslas Square and the National MuseumUp to half an hourWorth a visit
   2. 8Municipal House and the House of the Black MadonnaUp to half an hourWorth a visit
   3. 7VyšehradOne to two hoursWorth a visit

Vienna

1. 8
   Day 8: The imperial center inside the Ring

   1. 1StephansdomEssential
   2. 5HofburgWorth a visit
   3. 3Kunsthistorisches MuseumEssential
   4. 4StaatsoperEssential
2. 9
   Day 9: Baroque, Klimt, and wine on the slope

   1. 2SchönbrunnEssential
   2. 6Upper BelvedereWorth a visit
3. 10
   Day 10: 20th century, market, and the Danube

   1. 7MuseumsQuartier and LeopoldUp to half an hourWorth a visit

Budapest

1. 11
   Day 11: Pest: riverbank or Városliget

   1. 1Parliament (Országház)Essential
   2. 4Shoes on the Danube BankUp to half an hourEssential
   3. 6St. Stephen's BasilicaWorth a visit
   4. 9Heroes' Square and VárosligetUp to half an hourWorth a visit
   5. 3Széchenyi BathsEssential
2. 12
   Day 12: Buda: choose a visit and allow a break

   1. 2Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias ChurchEssential
   2. 5Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd)Up to half an hourWorth a visit
3. 13
   Day 13: Pest: choose remembrance, the market or a concert · if you have more time

   

Kraków

1. 14
   Day 14: The medieval ring

   1. 1Rynek Główny and Podziemia RynkuEssential
   2. Collegium MaiusUp to half an hourIf there is time
   3. 5Czartoryski MuseumWorth a visit
   4. 3WawelEssential
2. 15
   Day 15: Wawel, Kazimierz and Podgórze

   1. 3WawelEssential
   2. 7Ghetto Heroes SquareUp to half an hourWorth a visit
   3. 4Schindler's Factory and MOCAKEssential
3. 16
   Day 16: Nowa Huta and both banks · if you have more time