Danube Express 2008 -- Central Europe by Private Train

Aboard the Danube Express
8 Days, 7 Nights
Get 2 complimentary hotel nights in Budapest* when you book these trips back-to-back in 2008:
Polish Explorer, Sept. 4 - 11
Central Europe by Private Train, Sept. 13 - 20
*Budapest nights are Sept. 11 & 12 and include entrance to the
annual Steam Locomotive Grand Prix festival and dining car competition!

Day 1: Budapest
Arrival in Budapest for a two-night stay in this cosmopolitan city straddling the Danube. You will stay in the recently refurbished Hotel Astoria (4 star), or similar, situated in the very centre, only a few minutes walk from the Danube and with easy access to all parts of the city. Dinner will be in the hotel and you will have time for a stroll along the river to see the illuminated city.

Day 2: Budapest
Your morning sightseeing tour includes the Cathedral, Heroes Square and City Park on the Pest side. On the Buda side you will visit Gellert Hill for possibly the best views of Budapest and finally Castle Hill with the St Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. In the afternoon you have the option of a visit to the Children’s Railway in the Buda Hills. In the evening you will have dinner in a restaurant close to the hotel.

Day 3: Tatra Mountains
After departure from Budapest, settle down in the Lounge Car with a drink as the Danube Express heads north alongside the scenic Danube. You then cross the border with Slovakia, past Kosice, and into the Tatra Mountains to experience some spectacular scenery. Lunch and dinner are on board and the bar car is available for you throughout the journey. Overnight the train heads westwards, crosses into the Czech Republic then continues to the magnificent city of Prague.

Day 4: Prague
After a full breakfast, cooked to order, there is a full-day sightseeing tour. You will see St Vitus’ Cathedral and the former Royal Palace. After lunch cross the Charles Bridge and into the Old Town Square with it’s famous astronomical clock. You will have some free time in the Old Town before returning to the train. Dinner will be served as the train travels eastwards towards Poland.

Day 5: Krakow
Arrival in Cracow will be after breakfast and included in the tour will be Wawel Castle, the Old Market Square, the Cloth Hall and St Mary’s Church. After lunch, you will be taken by coach to the Wieliczka Salt Mine for an underground tour through an amazing underground city. The train will depart from close to the Salt Mine and there will be a farewell dinner on board.

Day 6: Berlin
After arrival in Berlin it’s goodbye to the Danube Express. In the morning you will be taken on a tour of this once divided city. You will see the Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Reichstag. Early afternoon you will be taken to your hotel, the Derag Hotel Grosser Kurfrst, or similar, for a two-night stay. The hotel is centrally situated within easy reach of Unter den Linden, Friedrichstrasse and Alexanderplatz. Dinner is included this evening in the hotel.

Day 7: Berlin
Morning excursion past the Wannsee Lakes to Potsdam for a visit to the New Palace and gardens of Sanssouci. You will have free time in the afternoon for browsing the shops of Friedrichstrasse or perhaps a visit to one of the many museums in the area. Dinner in the hotel or a local restaurant.

Day 8: Tour ends
After breakfast we say our goodbyes and go our separate ways.

	Classic Double	Classic Single	Deluxe Double	Deluxe Single
Central Europe by Private Train	$3,850	$4,940	$5,140	$9,750

Northbound:
(Budapest-Berlin)

Sept. 13-20

Deposit
A deposit of $1,000 per person is required within seven days of booking in order to confirm reservations. Credit cards are accepted for deposits. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Click here to download our tour booking form. Please read over our terms and conditions before booking. Deposits made for this tour are nonrefundable.

The Danube Express Train
The new Danube Express private train, headquartered in Budapest, is our newest entry in IRT’s lineup of the top 25 trains in the world. We were the first agency in North America to test it out, and we think Society of IRT travelers will love it.

Its four itineraries focus on Central Europe, although the train ventures as far as Berlin, Istanbul and Vienna.

A typical air-conditioned eight-car Danube Express train will be an intimate experience with just 54 maximum passengers. The consist includes staff car, two older “classic” sleepers (rooms are 33.2 square feet, with upper and lower berths; toilet and shower are down the hall), diner, lounge car with piano and three “deluxe” sleepers (two lower berths, en-suite shower and toilet). Deluxe sleeper rooms are 83.4 square feet, including the ensuite facilities. They are due for completion in January 2008. A staff member gives your “wake-up” call with a soft knock and morning coffee or tea; beer, wine and soft drinks are available throughout the journey and are included in the cost. Meals are delicious but not fancy and served at a single seating; service is experienced and friendly but not formal. The staff has been working on the train with European clients for many years, operating as the Royal Hungarian Express. The bar car seems always open, and the piano player, Apollo Berényi, sings hundreds of American and English-language songs and welcomes sing-alongs.