Where to go when - Summer
21/05/2020 · By Sukie Chapman
Plan your summer getaway with Great Rail Journeys. Explore picturesque destinations and create unforgettable memories with like-minded travellers.
Read moreSave £200pp on Cruise 2024 last-minute holidays, when you book by 1st July 2024.
No Single Supplement subject to availability on selected departures.
2024 Tour code: DLR24
About the tour
Experience the magic of the Danube as we cruise comfortably to Imperial Vienna and Budapest. Step back in time to explore the Ottoman and Habsburg empires. Walk among eclectic architecture in Budapest, enjoy a private music recital in Vienna and ignite the senses with plenty of local flavour.
Interested in this tour but haven't found a date that
works for you?
You might also like our similar tour The
Classic Blue Danube!
Unforgettable experiences
What’s included
Itinerary
Our holiday begins as we meet at London St Pancras to begin our journey. We ride the Eurostar to Brussels, then continue by rail to Frankfurt, the financial capital of Germany, where we spend our first night. This lively city is renowned for its attractive Romerplatz, an old trading square where merchants used to sell their goods and where you can find the historic Rathaus building.
For departures 17/06/2024 and 23/06/2024 we will overnight at the Mercure Koblenz hotel in Koblenz.
*If you would like to travel by air, view our Fly & Cruise option here.
Additional information
Train
Ship
Enhance your holiday
Upgrades
Reviews
4.2 / 5 · 70 reviews
JohnD
Submitted 27/Jun
Cruise was very enjoyable with excellent Great Rail Staff and a good crew . However there was several long rail journeys to join and leave the cruise and these were even longer due to DB Rail's ongoing problems .
Collected by Trustpilot
Steve Hirst
Submitted 26/Jun
Our boat and it’s staff was delightful our only complaint is about the rail journeys in Europe and the appalling meal we were served on our last evening
Collected by Trustpilot
lacroix
Submitted 26/Jun
Overpriced and fairly boring. Two days in particular involved far too long travelling on trains. The journey times were not balanced enough. Both during our journey and on the boat too much time was spent rushing us, only to leave us waiting around. Shame as we have enjoyed our other rail holidays
Collected by Trustpilot
Mr/Mrs Chance
Submitted 26/Jun
The cabin was quiet and comfortable despite being on the lower deck. Everywhere was clean and well maintained. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was amazing. Every evening we had a 5 star dining experience. Guided tours were mixed. Some were excellent and a few were being guided to a crowded cathedral and back with a history lesson enroute.
Collected by Trustpilot
Judith Gallop
Submitted 26/Jun
The Delights of the Danube holiday was just as we anticipated. Good rail journeys, albeit some of them rather long, followed by an excellent time on our cruise ship with many tours included in the Cities we visited. Our tour managers, both on the trains and the ship were very helpful and informative at all times. We thoroughly recommend this holiday.
Collected by Trustpilot
Derek White
Submitted 21 Sep 2023
As we like rail travel we chose this holiday linking with a river cruise which we enjoy. This was one of your longer journeys, heading towards the cruise from Budapest. There were several holdups on the outward 2 day train journey and there was anxiety that connections would not not be made. Simon, our train courier, was excellent, keeping us up-to-date. Unfortunately we arrived too late for dinner at the NH hotel in Nuremburg and were given sandwiches instead, not a good start as we had set off early that morning. After another held-up journey to Budapest the next day we arrived at the ship late, rather exhausted. The cruise was delightful, accommodation brilliant, staff helpful, food good. We enjoyed visiting such interesting countries though we opted out of the Austrian trips to Salzburg or Austrian lakes and enjoyed a very relaxing cruise from Linz to Passau instead. The recital by the string quartet from the Vienna Philharmonic was a highlight and the musical duo were excellent too. It was unfortunate that on occasions we were moored next to another cruise ship, thereby blocking the view from our cabin. Consequently we did not stay in our cabin on Mozart deck as the moored ship next to ours made it dark. The train journey home was delayed to Brussels so we had to rush to check-in and then we were told Eurostar to St Pancras was delayed by 50 minutes. We therefore missed our rail connections and finally managed to get home by 12.30am on Saturday 9th September. We will recall the cruise and the beautiful ship with pleasure and were fortunate with the weather, but we would not consider long train journeys with various connections again, which were arduous. (We used the Baggage Man which was an excellent service.)
Collected by Trustpilot
River Cruise Holidays 2025
Experience the magic of cruising along some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways. Glide serenely along the romantic Rhine, explore the blue Danube or meander through the enchanting Douro Valley. With our river cruises, you’ll drift through beautiful landscapes and historic towns.