The Danube Express is a private hotel-on-wheels that carries its guests through Central Europe, the Balkans, Italy and Türkiye. You unpack once, sleep on board most nights, and spend the days on expertly guided excursions, with meals, wines, tours and gratuities all included.
Twelve days from the Venetian lagoon to the Bosphorus, through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Bulgaria.
A week from Istanbul to Budapest through Bulgaria and Romania, with Peleș and Bran castles and the medieval towns of Transylvania.
Eleven days from Budapest to Venice through the Austrian Tyrol, the Swiss Alps, the Italian lakes and Slovenia's Lake Bled.
Eight festive days from Budapest to Munich, with the Christmas markets of Vienna and Salzburg and a private Silent Night performance.
Ring in the New Year in Vienna on a nine-day round trip from Budapest via Graz, Český Krumlov, Prague and Košice.
Twelve days from Budapest to Vienna through Poland, Berlin, Dresden, Prague and Salzburg, with a private Chopin recital in Warsaw.
Twelve days from Venice down the length of Italy and across the Strait of Messina by train ferry to Sicily, ending in Taormina.
Six days from Sicily to Venice: baroque Ragusa, Palermo, the Strait of Messina by train ferry, coastal Maratea and Verona.
Nine days across Türkiye from Istanbul to Cappadocia, with Ephesus, Hierapolis, Laodicea and Ankara along the way.
Fourteen days from Paris to Cappadocia: Champagne, Vienna, Postojna, Belgrade and Sofia, then Istanbul and across Anatolia.
Eight days from Paris to Istanbul by private train, through Champagne, Vienna, the Postojna Caves, Belgrade and Sofia.
Eight days westbound from Istanbul to Paris, via Sofia, Belgrade, the Postojna Caves, the Semmering Pass, Vienna and Champagne.
Every cabin has its own private shower room, individually controlled air-conditioning and a dedicated cabin attendant.
The Bar Lounge Car is the social heart of the train: a relaxed place to watch the scenery, play cards, read or get to know fellow travellers. A resident pianist plays in the evenings, and the bar stays open until the last guest goes to bed.
This is also where the Tour Manager briefs you on the programme. Printed daily itineraries give train timings, the weather at the next stop and details of the following day's excursions, and talks on local history and culture or language lessons are held along the way.
The restaurant cars seat every guest in a single sitting with open seating, so you can dine with whoever you like. The Executive Chef and his team cook with local ingredients wherever possible, and menus take their inspiration from the regions the train passes through.
Breakfast is a buffet of fruit, cereals and cold plates, with cooked dishes served at the table. Lunch and dinner are accompanied by wines chosen from around the world, plus beer, soft drinks and bottled water. Dress is informal throughout, and vegetarian and other dietary needs are catered for.
There are two cabin classes and both have a private en-suite shower room. Superior Deluxe cabins measure 8.6 m² with a king-size bed, a sofa and two picture windows, while Deluxe cabins measure 7.74 m² and convert from an armchair sitting room by day to two lower beds at night.
Most nights are spent in your cabin as the train travels between destinations, so you wake up somewhere new. Every journey also begins and ends with hotel nights, and some include extra hotel stays along the way, such as Belgrade on the Balkan Explorer or Cappadocia on the Türkiye routes.
Meals on board and in local restaurants, alcoholic and soft drinks, guided excursions, hotel stays shown in the itinerary, transfers, luggage porterage and all gratuities on and off the train are included. Optional extras such as a hot-air balloon flight in Cappadocia carry a supplement.
The restaurant cars seat all guests in one sitting with open seating, so you can sit with whoever you like. The chef cooks with local ingredients where possible and draws on the cuisine of each region, and wine, beer and soft drinks are served with lunch and dinner.
No. The dress code is informal throughout, and most guests wear casual clothes by day and smart casual in the evening.
Yes. A UK-registered doctor travels with every departure and the train carries medical facilities. If you have a health condition, let us know at the time of booking so it can be passed on.
Routes include Paris to Istanbul and the reverse, Venice to Istanbul through the Balkans, the Grand Alpine Express from Budapest to Venice, Castles of Transylvania, Eastern Europe Discovery, two Italian journeys, two Türkiye journeys ending in Cappadocia, and festive Christmas Markets and New Year in Vienna departures. Each one combines nights on board with hotel stays at the start and end.
For mountain scenery, the Grand Alpine Express is the obvious pick; for history and the Balkans, the Balkan Explorer; for a shorter taste, Paris to Istanbul or A Taste of Italy. The winter journeys centre on Christmas markets and a New Year's Eve gala in Vienna. Live dates and fares are shown on this page, and our reservations team can help on (866) 484-7882.
Luxury Train Vacations is a service of TravBuzz Inc. · Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST41461
