Danube Express · 12 days · 11 nights
Balkan Explorer: Venice to Istanbul
Venice · Trieste · Postojna · Pula · Rijeka · Sarajevo · Mostar · Belgrade · Sofia · Plovdiv · Istanbul
Danube Express · 11 days, 10 nights
Grand Alpine Express: Budapest to Venice
Eleven days from Budapest to Venice through the Austrian Tyrol, the Swiss Alps, the Italian lakes and Slovenia's Lake Bled.
- BudapestDay 1
- ViennaDay 3
- Semmering PassDay 3
- JenbachDay 4
- Lake AchenDay 4
- InnsbruckDay 4
- ZürichDay 5
- ComoDay 6
- BellagioDay 6
- VeronaDay 7
- Lake BledDay 8
- RadovljicaDay 8
- LjubljanaDay 8
- PostojnaDay 9
- VeniceDay 9
Train stopExcursion by road
Duration11 days
Nights10
RouteBudapest → Venice
Places visited15
From, per personUS$22,557
Overview
After two nights in Budapest, the train crosses Austria over the Semmering Pass into the Tyrol, then Switzerland and the Gotthard route to Lake Como. Verona, Lake Bled, Ljubljana and the Postojna Caves follow before two nights in Venice.
- Crossing the Semmering Pass with its 16 viaducts and 15 tunnels
- A private concert by the Vienna Residence Orchestra
- Europe's oldest steam cog railway and a cruise on Lake Achen
- A Swiss fondue lunch in Zürich
- A boat cruise on Lake Como with lunch in Bellagio
- The Roman Arena in Verona
- A pletna boat to the island church on Lake Bled
- A private visit to the Postojna Caves
Day by day
Day 1Arrive in BudapestBudapest
You are met and taken to the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace for two nights. A welcome reception dinner in this Art Nouveau landmark overlooks the Danube.
Day 2BudapestBudapest
A guided visit to the Hungarian Parliament is followed by a coach tour across the river to Buda's old town and Fisherman's Bastion. The rest of the day is free for the thermal baths, a walk by the Danube or the hotel spa.
Day 3Vienna & the Semmering PassOn board the Danube Express
A drinks reception at Nyugati station precedes the morning departure, with lunch on board to Vienna. A horse-drawn carriage ride through the Old Town is followed by a classical concert at Palace Daun Kinsky, then the train climbs over the UNESCO-listed Semmering Pass as evening falls.
Day 4Lake Achen & InnsbruckOn board the Danube Express
Passing Kitzbühel, the train reaches Jenbach. After lunch you ride the Achenseebahn steam cog railway up to Lake Achen and cruise the lake with coffee and strudel, then take a guided walk through Innsbruck.
Day 5ZürichOn board the Danube Express
The train runs through the Vorarlberg and Liechtenstein and along the length of Lake Zürich. After a Swiss fondue lunch, choose a guided walk of the Old Town with the Fraumünster Church or a visit to the Kunsthaus art museum, before dinner on board heading for Italy.
Day 6Gotthard & Lake ComoOn board the Danube Express
Along Lake Zug and Lake Lucerne, the train climbs to the Gotthard and descends through Lugano into Italy. A private boat cruise on Lake Como brings you to Bellagio for lunch and free time, then a guided tour of Como before dinner on board.
Day 7VeronaOn board the Danube Express
After running along Lake Garda's southern shore, the morning centres on Verona's Roman Arena. A traditional Italian lunch is followed by a guided walk through the historic centre and free time.
Day 8Lake Bled & LjubljanaOn board the Danube Express
The train climbs through the Julian Alps to Lake Bled, where you can take a pletna boat to the island church and climb to Bled Castle, or circle the island and visit Radovljica for a chocolate tasting. Lunch at Tito's Villa is followed by a guided walk and river boat trip in Ljubljana.
Day 9Postojna & VeniceVenice
A private morning visit to the Postojna Caves is followed by the run to Venice across the lagoon causeway, arriving at Santa Lucia in the late afternoon. A private boat takes you to your central hotel for two nights, and after dinner there is a private evening tour of St Mark's Basilica.
Day 10VeniceVenice
Choose a guided walk from the Rialto Bridge with a gondola ride and lunch, or an excursion to Murano and Burano. The afternoon is free or can include a walking tour of St Mark's Square, and the day ends with a farewell dinner at the hotel.
Day 11Depart Venice
After breakfast you are transferred to the airport, or you can extend your stay in Venice.
Where you spend each night
- Night 1Budapest
- Night 2Budapest
- Night 3On board the Danube Express
- Night 4On board the Danube Express
- Night 5On board the Danube Express
- Night 6On board the Danube Express
- Night 7On board the Danube Express
- Night 8On board the Danube Express
- Night 9Venice
- Night 10Venice
The map is schematic. Dashed lines are excursions by road.
Most spacious
Superior Deluxe Class
12 cabins per departure · 8.6 m²
- King-size bed made up each evening
- Full-length sofa and two chairs for daytime
- Two large picture windows, one that opens
- En-suite shower room with WC (1.9 m²)
- Double wardrobe, safe, Wi-Fi and USB ports
Classic
Deluxe Class
5 cabins per carriage · 7.74 m²
- Two lower beds made up during dinner
- Two armchairs and a free-standing chair
- Large picture window that opens partially
- En-suite shower, washbasin and WC, heated towel rail
- Toiletries, dressing gown and hairdryer provided
Every cabin has its own private shower room, individually controlled air-conditioning and a dedicated cabin attendant.
- Hotel nights in Budapest and Venice
- Private en-suite cabin on the Danube Express
- Cabin attendant service with evening turndown
- An experienced tour management team throughout
- A UK-registered doctor and medical facilities on board
- Arrival and departure transfers
- All gratuities, on and off the train
- Luggage porterage throughout the journey
- Freshly prepared meals on board plus dining in local restaurants
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included
- Expertly guided off-train excursions as described in the itinerary
- Freedom of Choice touring options on selected days
- 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 10 dinners
- Deposit
- 30% of the total at booking
- Final payment
- 125 days before departure
Dates and prices
Live availability. Choose a cabin type, then select Book Now to reserve online, or Join waitlist on sold-out dates.
Deluxe Class
April 30, 2027
US$ 24,518.00
US$ 22,556.56 pp dbl
August 22, 2027
US$ 24,518.00
US$ 22,556.56 pp dbl
April 30, 2027
US$ 36,663.00
US$ 33,729.96 pp sgl
August 22, 2027
US$ 36,663.00
US$ 33,729.96 pp sgl
Superior Deluxe Class
April 30, 2027
US$ 31,442.00
US$ 28,926.64 pp dbl
August 22, 2027
US$ 31,442.00
US$ 28,926.64 pp dbl
April 30, 2027
US$ 52,554.00
US$ 48,349.68 pp sgl
August 22, 2027
US$ 52,554.00
US$ 48,349.68 pp sgl
Join the waitlist
This departure is currently sold out. Leave your details and we will contact you the moment a cabin becomes available.
Questions about this journey
Does the Grand Alpine Express cross the Swiss Alps?
Yes. The train travels through Liechtenstein into Switzerland, along Lake Zürich, Lake Zug and Lake Lucerne, and over the Gotthard route into Italy. The Semmering Pass in Austria is another scenic highlight.
Which lakes does the journey visit?
You cruise Lake Achen in the Tyrol and Lake Como, with lunch in Bellagio, pass Lake Garda on the way to Verona, and visit Lake Bled in Slovenia by traditional pletna boat. Each lake visit is paired with free time or a guided walk ashore.
How many hotel nights are there?
Four: two at the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace in Budapest at the start and two in a central Venice hotel at the end. The six nights in between are on the train.
Are there early starts?
Occasionally, to make the most of certain destinations, but these are balanced with slower days. If you would rather skip an excursion, you can stay on board or the team can arrange something else.
Which meals are included?
Ten breakfasts, nine lunches and ten dinners are included, along with alcoholic and soft drinks. Lunches include a Swiss fondue in Zürich and lunch at Tito's Villa in Slovenia.
What does it cost and when does it run?
The journey runs in spring and summer. Live dates and fares are shown on this page, and our reservations team can help on (866) 484-7882.
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