Danube Bike & River Cruise: Budapest to Prague

Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.

A VBT representative will greet you at the airport to start your adventure off right. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your hotel in Budapest. From your centrally located hotel, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming city at your leisure.

At 9:30 a.m., meet your private VBT walking tour guide in the hotel lobby. Please be checked out of your room, dressed ready to walk, and do not forget to bring your Budapest Transportation Pass. Join up with your local guide for a walking tour through the city’s highlights. Enjoy your first lunch on board, after arriving at the dock in Budapest at approximately 1:00 p.m. to board your Emerald Cruises ship.

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to relax in the ship’s common areas or explore more of Budapest.

Later, meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers on board for an introduction to the week, followed by a safety and bike-fitting session. After the introduction meeting, get acquainted with your bike and with riding on bike paths and bike lanes on a warm-up ride along the Danube River. A welcome dinner in the ship’s Reflections Restaurant and traditional Hungarian folklore performances are in store this evening.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Budapest Warm-up — 6 km (4 miles)

What to Expect:

Your warm-up ride follows paved, dedicated bike lanes alongside vehicular traffic on both banks of the Danube, with spectacular views of the city. Your ride ends at the ship. As you ride, get acquainted with your bicycle, route notes, Ride with GPS, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

Cumulative Distance Range: 6 km (4 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spin through the lush outskirts of Buda to Szentendre, a delightful artists’ community. Upon arrival in Szentendre you’ll have some free time to browse the galleries and shops and to discover its narrow Baroque streets. Afterwards you will learn how to prepare goulash and strudel before lunch at a popular restaurant. Then continue to Vác, the capital of the Danube Bend.

Admire views of the Baroque town center  and the river during the ferry crossing. In Vác we invite you first to visit an exciting and famous local exhibition. Afterwards you have some time at leisure before your small group rejoins the ship in Vác.

On your return to the ship, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and dinner. With its regional specialties, tonight’s meal completes the day’s Hungarian theme!

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Budapest to Szentendre — 20 km (12 miles)

Afternoon Szentendre to Vác ferry — 15 km (9 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s biking is on flat, paved bike path along the Danube. The first part of the morning ride is in a relatively quiet, urban environment, while the second part is on a designated bike path away from the traffic. After lunch, an optional ride continues on country roads with some traffic to the Vác ferry. VBT offers a support vehicle from Szentendre.

Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 35 km (12 – 21 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Awake this morning in Bratislava, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation walking tour with your trip leader. You’ll find an unusual mix of 20th-century Communist-era architecture, Baroque palaces, medieval spires, and the narrowest house in Europe—all overlooked from a hillside by the rectangular white castle and watchtowers of Bratislava Castle.

Mid-morning, you pedal out of town, crossing the Danube by way of the “UFO” bridge, and traverse the forests and meadows of Danube-Auen National Park, one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube. Arrive in Hainburg, a small town on the Austrian bank, where Joseph Haydn studied music as a young boy. After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, arrive at Schloss Hof, the “hunting lodge” of Prince Eugene of Savoy. A guided visit introduces the lodge and the estate. You’re invited to roam the splendid gardens and castle.

Mid-afternoon, travel back to Slovakia and to your waiting ship. Alternatively, you can choose to cycle back along the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back in Bratislava, enjoy some leisure time before dinner and the late departure for Vienna.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Bratislava to Schloss Hof — 34 km (21 miles)

Afternoon Schloss Hof to Bratislava — 20 km (13 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s ride features a combination of bike paths and town streets. While both Slovakia and Austria feature bike paths, we would like to make you aware that the paths in Slovakia are slightly less well-maintained. The afternoon option is partly along a busy country road.

Cumulative Distance Range: 34 – 54 km (21 – 34 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your ship is in Vienna from very early this morning until very late tonight, so you will have a convenient base from which to explore Austria’s glorious capital.

Vienna is renowned as one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities, so you can make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. This morning, our small group will enjoy a private walking tour of Vienna with the help of an experienced local tour guide.

After lunch on board, your bike ride leads to the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile (21 km) strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries.

Or explore Vienna on your own, pursuing your own whims and interests in the city of Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. The gracious boulevards of Vienna are awash in culture and elegance. Head to the Ringstrasse, the circular avenue that replaced the city’s demolished medieval wall, to marvel at the breathtaking architecture from the gleaming Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the famed Vienna State Opera. And be sure to take a break in one of the city’s famed coffee houses to experience Viennese café culture firsthand.

This evening, you are invited to join the Viennese Evening Concert excursion, featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. This private event is available only to those on our ship

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Vienna and Danube Island — 20 km (12 miles)

What to Expect:

The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Cumulative Distance Range: 20 km (12 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your ship is moored in Krems, Austria, when you awake. The town and its surrounding is a center of Wachau wine production. From here you begin to cycle towards Dürnstein. Admire its stunning powder-blue bell tower soaring above red roofs. A cliffside castle, which once held Richard the Lionheart captive, watches over the scenic town.

Later this morning, cycle through what is perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the Danube, the Wachau Valley, Austria’s celebrated wine-growing region. The “Wachau Cultural Landscape” was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. As for its physical landscape, it is blessed with lush vineyards and hillside orchards set among castle ruins, churches, and abbeys. Few places match the Wachau for its striking beauty and rich viniculture. Ride through the scenic hamlets of Spitz and Wiessenkirchen, nestled between the Danube and its rising banks.

On arrival in Melk, celebrate the ride over a lunch of Austrian specialties. Afterward, you can continue cycling along the river on a loop ride, or go for a short walk, maybe exploring the city’s spectacular Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries.  In the afternoon you are invited to join a private wine-tasting in the city center of Melk.

Upon returning to the ship, you’ll have time to relax before dinner on board. This afternoon, the ship charts a course for Engelhartszell and Passau.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Krems to Melk — 40 km (24 miles)

Afternoon Optional loop outside Melk — 18 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

Begin biking from Krems, again following the Danube Bike Path. You can extend your ride after lunch in Melk. Both options are mostly on paved bike paths with some short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway.

Cumulative Distance Range: 40 – 58 km (24 – 35 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your bicycle is waiting for you in Engelhartszell, where you disembark after an early breakfast to start your ride. This morning’s route to Passau follows the Danube Bike Path on a leisurely ride. After leaving Austria, continue cycling before taking a short detour along the river Inn, to Passau, the scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz. Enjoy lunch onboard your river cruise ship and join an informative walking tour with a local guide, followed by free time to explore.

Afterward, you may join an optional hike to Veste Oberhaus, Passau’s famous castle on the other side of the river. Reboard the ship late afternoon and set sail for Regensburg. Enjoy a Captain’s Gala Dinner and evening activities on board.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Engelhartszell to Passau — 33 km (20 miles)

What to Expect:

Bike along the left bank, on a section of the Danube Bike Path that is mainly flat and entirely paved. You will cycle the last section in an urban environment, across the relatively quiet city center of Passau.

Cumulative Distance Range: 33 km (20 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As you’ll see when you awake, Regensburg is an imposing town of red-roof houses at the convergence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Its 12th-century stone bridge features 16 arches spanning the Danube and reaching into the Old Town.

After breakfast, cycle along the scenic Danube banks to Kelheim. Following the Danube Bike Path, your scenic ride continues to be easy and mostly car-free. Pause for a typical, Bavarian lunch in a small, historical restaurant.

In the afternoon board a small ship in Kelheim for a scenic 45-minute sail through the Danube Gorge (Donaudurchbruch). Upon arrival in Weltenburg, your presence is requested at a world famous abbey for a private visit, followed by a beer-tasting. Afterwards, a shuttle will take you back to the ship for dinner with live music played by a traditional Bavarian band. The ship will moor in Regensburg if you would like to enjoy an evening walk in town.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Regensburg to Kapfelberg — 26 km (16 miles)

Afternoon Kapfelberg to Kelheim — 13 km (8 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is your constant companion on this scenic and easy ride upstream to Kelheim. The short option ends at Kapfelberg, with a shuttle on to Kelheim to board the small ship to Weltenburg. The long option is a ship-to-ship ride. Today is the only day with significant sections of packed gravel (about 60%). Almost the entire ride is on vehicle-free bike paths.

Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 39 km (16 – 24 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Disembark after breakfast and travel by coach to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, arriving in the early afternoon. Travel time is about 3.5 hours including a mandatory driver’s break of 30 minutes.

Your hotel room may not be available until after 2:00 p.m. If you arrive early, you may store your luggage with the reception desk. The rest of the day is free to relax or begin your exploration of the city with your included 1-day Prague Transportation Pass.

At the hotel, your VBT representative will be available to provide tips to help you get around, point you to restaurants and sites that suit your interests, and help you purchase tickets for some of Prague’s many high-quality classical music venues. This meet & greet will be followed by a 1.5-hour walking tour of Prague. In addition, VBT provides you with city information that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do during your stay in Prague.

Included Meals: Breakfast

After an included breakfast this morning, complimentary transportation to the Prague airport will be provided (an approximately 30 to 40-minute drive, depending on traffic) for your departing flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

You are responsible for making your own way to Budapest, Hungary, to meet your trip leaders and fellow guests at 9:30 a.m. at the Mamaison Andrassy Hotel. Please be dressed ready to walk.

Should you arrive late, please plan to go directly to the ship, which is in port overnight and until mid-day on the following day. Please note that you cannot embark before 12:30 p.m., as the ship is being prepared for you.

The ship will be docked in front of the Infopark, on the Buda side of the river, between the Petőfi and Rákóczi bridges. As the exact location of the ship may change, please call the ship on your arrival in Budapest for directions.

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to relax in the ship’s common areas, or explore more of Budapest.

Later, meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers on board for an introduction to the week, followed by a safety and bike-fitting session. After the introduction meeting, get acquainted with your bike and with riding on bike paths and in bike lanes on a warm-up ride along the Danube River. A welcome dinner in the ship’s Reflections Restaurant and traditional Hungarian folklore performances are in store this evening.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Budapest Warm-up — 6 km (4 miles)

What to Expect:

Your warm-up ride follows paved, dedicated bike lanes alongside vehicular traffic on both banks of the Danube, with spectacular views of the city. Your ride ends at the ship. As you ride, get acquainted with your bicycle, route notes, Ride with GPS, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

Cumulative Distance Range: 6 km (4 miles)

Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Spin through the lush outskirts of Buda to Szentendre, a delightful artists’ community. Upon arrival in Szentendre you’ll have some free time to browse the galleries and shops and to discover its narrow Baroque streets. Afterwards you will learn how to prepare goulash and strudel before lunch at a popular restaurant. Then continue to Vác, the capital of the Danube Bend.

Admire views of the Baroque town center  and the river during the ferry crossing. In Vác we invite you first to visit an exciting and famous local exhibition. Afterwards you have some time at leisure before your small group rejoins the ship in Vác.

On your return to the ship, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and dinner. With its regional specialties, tonight’s meal completes the day’s Hungarian theme!

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Budapest to Szentendre — 20 km (12 miles)

Afternoon Szentendre to Vác ferry — 15 km (9 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s biking is on flat, paved bike path along the Danube. The first part of the morning ride is in a relatively quiet, urban environment, while the second part is on a designated bike path away from the traffic. After lunch, an optional ride continues on country roads with some traffic to the Vác ferry. VBT offers a support vehicle from Szentendre.

Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 35 km (12 – 21 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Awake this morning in Bratislava, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation walking tour with your trip leader. You’ll find an unusual mix of 20th-century Communist-era architecture, Baroque palaces, medieval spires, and the narrowest house in Europe—all overlooked from a hillside by the rectangular white castle and watchtowers of Bratislava Castle.

Mid-morning, you pedal out of town, crossing the Danube by way of the “UFO” bridge, and traverse the forests and meadows of Danube-Auen National Park, one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube. Arrive in Hainburg, a small town on the Austrian bank, where Joseph Haydn studied music as a young boy. After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, arrive at Schloss Hof, the “hunting lodge” of Prince Eugene of Savoy. A guided visit introduces the lodge and the estate. You’re invited to roam the splendid gardens and castle.

Mid-afternoon, travel back to Slovakia and to your waiting ship. Alternatively, you can choose to cycle back along the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back in Bratislava, enjoy some leisure time before dinner and the late departure for Vienna.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Bratislava to Schloss Hof — 34 km (21 miles)

Afternoon Schloss Hof to Bratislava — 20 km (13 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s ride features a combination of bike paths and town streets. While both Slovakia and Austria feature bike paths, we would like to make you aware that the paths in Slovakia are slightly less well-maintained. The afternoon option is partly along a busy country road.

Cumulative Distance Range: 34 – 54 km (21 – 34 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your ship is in Vienna from very early this morning until very late tonight, so you will have a convenient base from which to explore Austria’s glorious capital.

Vienna is renowned as one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities, so you can make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. This morning, our small group will enjoy a private walking tour of Vienna with the help of an experienced local tour guide.

After lunch on board, your bike ride leads to the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile (21 km) strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries.

Or explore Vienna on your own, pursuing your own whims and interests in the city of Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. The gracious boulevards of Vienna are awash in culture and elegance. Head to the Ringstrasse, the circular avenue that replaced the city’s demolished medieval wall, to marvel at the breathtaking architecture from the gleaming Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the famed Vienna State Opera. And be sure to take a break in one of the city’s famed coffee houses to experience Viennese café culture firsthand.

This evening, you are invited to join the Viennese Evening Concert excursion, featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. This private event is available only to those on our ship

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Vienna and Danube Island — 20 km (12 miles)

What to Expect:

The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Cumulative Distance Range: 20 km (12 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your ship is moored in Krems, Austria, when you awake. The town and its surrounding is a center of Wachau wine production. From here you begin to cycle towards Dürnstein. Admire its stunning powder-blue bell tower soaring above red roofs. A cliffside castle, which once held Richard the Lionheart captive, watches over the scenic town.

Later this morning, cycle through what is perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the Danube, the Wachau Valley, Austria’s celebrated wine-growing region. The “Wachau Cultural Landscape” was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. As for its physical landscape, it is blessed with lush vineyards and hillside orchards set among castle ruins, churches, and abbeys. Few places match the Wachau for its striking beauty and rich viniculture. Ride through the scenic hamlets of Spitz and Wiessenkirchen, nestled between the Danube and its rising banks.

On arrival in Melk, celebrate the ride over a lunch of Austrian specialties. Afterward, you can continue cycling along the river on a loop ride, or go for a short walk, maybe exploring the city’s spectacular Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries.  In the afternoon you are invited to join a private wine-tasting in the city center of Melk.

Upon returning to the ship, you’ll have time to relax before dinner on board. This afternoon, the ship charts a course for Engelhartszell and Passau.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Krems to Melk — 40 km (24 miles)

Afternoon Optional loop outside Melk — 18 km (11 miles)

What to Expect:

Begin biking from Krems, again following the Danube Bike Path. You can extend your ride after lunch in Melk. Both options are mostly on paved bike paths with some short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway.

Cumulative Distance Range: 40 – 58 km (24 – 35 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your bicycle is waiting for you in Engelhartszell, where you disembark after an early breakfast to start your ride. This morning’s route to Passau follows the Danube Bike Path on a leisurely ride. After leaving Austria, continue cycling before taking a short detour along the river Inn, to Passau, the scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz. Enjoy lunch onboard your river cruise ship and join an informative walking tour with a local guide, followed by free time to explore.

Afterward, you may join an optional hike to Veste Oberhaus, Passau’s famous castle on the other side of the river. Reboard the ship late afternoon and set sail for Regensburg. Enjoy a Captain’s Gala Dinner and evening activities on board.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Engelhartszell to Passau — 33 km (20 miles)

What to Expect:

Bike along the left bank, on a section of the Danube Bike Path that is mainly flat and entirely paved. You will cycle the last section in an urban environment, across the relatively quiet city center of Passau.

Cumulative Distance Range: 33 km (20 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As you’ll see when you awake, Regensburg is an imposing town of red-roof houses at the convergence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Its 12th-century stone bridge features 16 arches spanning the Danube and reaching into the Old Town.

After breakfast, cycle along the scenic Danube banks to Kelheim. Following the Danube Bike Path, your scenic ride continues to be easy and mostly car-free. Pause for a typical, Bavarian lunch in a small, historical restaurant.

In the afternoon board a small ship in Kelheim for a scenic 45-minute sail through the Danube Gorge (Donaudurchbruch). Upon arrival in Weltenburg, your presence is requested at a world famous abbey for a private visit, followed by a beer-tasting. Afterwards, a shuttle will take you back to the ship for dinner with live music played by a traditional Bavarian band. The ship will moor in Regensburg if you would like to enjoy an evening walk in town.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Regensburg to Kapfelberg — 26 km (16 miles)

Afternoon Kapfelberg to Kelheim — 13 km (8 miles)

What to Expect:

Today’s ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is your constant companion on this scenic and easy ride upstream to Kelheim. The short option ends at Kapfelberg, with a shuttle on to Kelheim to board the small ship to Weltenburg. The long option is a ship-to-ship ride. Today is the only day with significant sections of packed gravel (about 60%). Almost the entire ride is on vehicle-free bike paths.

Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 39 km (16 – 24 miles)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, disembark your ship and conclude your Danube odyssey with transportation to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.

Your trip ends at the docks in Regensburg, Germany, on the morning of disembarkation. The ship is scheduled to arrive in port the day before. You may travel from here on your own by taxi to the train station, a distance of one mile (1.8 km), which should take about 5 minutes by taxi, to board a train, which takes you directly to the Munich International Airport in one hour and 20 minutes. The ship’s staff will be happy to arrange a taxi for you.

Included Meals: Breakfast