Hungary

A DIY version of G Adventures' 18-to-Thirtysomethings rail route from Rome to Budapest, hitting Rome, Florence, Venice, Ljubljana, Vienna and Budapest in nine fast-paced days. You book the same hostel dorms and trains yourself, join the Migrantour Rome walk direct with the social enterprise, and self-guide the orientation walks with free walking tours. Expect shared dorms, overnight-friendly Italian and Slovenian hostels, cheap regional trains and flixbus-style coaches, and plenty of €3 espresso, €6 pizza slices and thermal-bath afternoons. Costs are rough backpacker estimates at 2025-26 rates and exclude international flights.

Travel Crew

~£580

A self-launched take on Prague Best Experience's 7-day gourmet-and-history private tour through Prague, Český Krumlov, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. You'll hit the same headline sights and foodie highlights — Old Town and Charles Bridge, Český Krumlov's castle, Schönbrunn and Sachertorte, Bratislava's old town, Buda Castle and goulash — but stitch it together yourself with cheap intercity trains and buses plus small-group food tours booked through GetYourGuide, Klook or the operators' own sites. You'll pay roughly a fifth of the private tour price and travel at your own pace, which is a much better fit for solo travellers than a two-person-minimum private package.

Travel Crew

~£508

A 14-day self-launched version of Expat Explore's coach mega-tour: Amsterdam loop through the Rhine Valley, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana, Venice, Tuscany, the Swiss Alps, Paris and Ghent. Instead of a 50-person coach and fixed 3* hotels, you ride the same rail corridors independently (NS, Deutsche Bahn, RegioJet, ÖBB, FlixBus, Trenitalia, SBB, TGV/Thalys), stay in hostels and simple guesthouses, and book the same headline experiences yourself via GetYourGuide/direct. Same bucket-list itinerary, roughly a third of the cost — but be warned, this is a fast-paced route: expect early trains and one-night stands.

Travel Crew

~£1,485

A self-launched overland version of Lueftner Cruises' 8-day "Danube Rhapsody" river cruise, swapping the ship for trains, buses and a fast ferry along the same Danube route: Passau, the Wachau Valley (Melk & Dürnstein), Vienna, Budapest, the Danube Bend (Esztergom, Visegrád, Szentendre), Bratislava and Linz. You hit the same landmarks — Melk Abbey, Schönbrunn, the Ringstrasse, Fishermen's Bastion, Bratislava's Old Town, Linzer Torte — but with hostel/guesthouse beds, self-booked walking tours, a Hungarian folkloric evening and a vineyard tasting instead of a cruise director's excursion desk. Roughly a third of the cruise price, and you pick your own dates. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP at budget/backpacker rates.

Travel Crew

~£680

A self-launched version of Europamundo's 8-day coach circuit from Prague through Munich, Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Salzburg, Lake Traunsee, Vienna and Budapest, finishing back in Prague. Instead of a 72-person coach and 4-star hotels, you'll use trains and buses (RegioJet, FlixBus, ÖBB, MÁV), stay in well-located hostels and budget guesthouses, and book the same headline experiences — Prague Castle, the Vltava boat, Swarovski Kristallwelten, the Traunsee cruise, Danube sightseeing boat — yourself via GetYourGuide or directly with the operator. Prices are rough estimates in GBP for one person sharing a dorm or twin, excluding flights.

Travel Crew

~£645

A 5-day self-launched take on Crucemundo's Danube Christmas Markets river cruise — same three capitals, same festive markets, but by train, bus and on foot instead of a 148-passenger ship. Start and finish in Vienna, hop the 2h40m Railjet to Budapest, then the scenic 2h30m train along the Danube Bend to Bratislava, and back to Vienna in 1 hour. You lose the floating hotel and the Captain's Dinner, you gain the freedom to linger at the Rathausplatz punch stalls until midnight, wander Budapest's ruin bars, and spend a fraction of the cruise fare. Book intercity tickets early (ÖBB Sparschiene, MÁV, RegioJet) for the cheapest fares; December is cold and dark by 16:30, so plan market time for late afternoon and evening.

Travel Crew

~£330

A self-launched version of Europamundo's 19-day "European Dance" coach tour, which bundles 35 destinations across nine countries into one very full bus schedule (reviewers repeatedly call it rushed). This DIY route keeps the same headline stops — Rome, Florence, Venice, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Pilsen, Rothenburg, the Rhine, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Rouen, Canterbury and London — but swaps the 4-star out-of-town hotels for well-located hostels and guesthouses, and replaces the coach with trains, regional buses and low-cost ferries. You trade the group logistics for flexibility: stay longer in Venice, skip the Murano factory stop, and add a night in Budapest. All costs are approximate per person and assume dorms or simple doubles, supermarket lunches and one restaurant meal a day. Rail passes and advance booking are the key to keeping this affordable.

Travel Crew

~£1,985

A self-launched version of G Adventures' 13-day London-to-Budapest rail adventure, riding the same iconic trains — Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel, the TGV to Switzerland, the legendary Glacier Express, and onward rail legs to Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and Budapest. Independent travellers book each train ticket themselves (rail passes or point-to-point advance fares), stay in hostels, guesthouses and budget hotels, and choose their own optional activities. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP and assume advance-booked rail fares and hostel/budget accommodation.

Travel Crew

~£1,580

A self-launched version of Europamundo's 11-day coach loop from Prague to Warsaw, covering Prague, Lednice, Győr, Budapest, Bratislava, Trenčín, Kraków, Auschwitz, Katowice, Opole, Wrocław, Poznań and Toruń. Instead of a 72-person coach group and 4-star chain hotels, you'll travel by cheap intercity buses and trains (RegioJet, FlixBus, ÖBB, PKP Intercity), stay in hostels and budget guesthouses, and book the same walking tours, castle entries and museum tickets yourself through GetYourGuide, Klook or the sights' own websites. Roughly half the cost of the packaged tour, on your own schedule.

Travel Crew

~£528

A self-launched 13-day run from Prague to Warsaw through four countries, recreating Europamundo's coach circuit using trains, buses and local tours you book yourself. Hit the UNESCO highlights — Lednice Castle, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Malbork Castle — plus big-city panoramas in Prague, Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw, and lesser-known stops like Wadowice, Opole's open-air museum, Torun and Gdansk's Solidarity Centre. Budget guesthouses and hostels replace the 4* coach hotels, and public transport replaces the private coach, cutting the price by well over half. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP.

Travel Crew

~£850

A self-launched take on Wingbuddy's 10-day Central Europe semi-guided group tour, which runs from Prague to Budapest via Vienna and starts at US$1,649pp (~£1,300) before flights. This version keeps the same three cities, the same landmark highlights (Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Schönbrunn, the Ringstrasse, Buda Castle, Fishermen's Bastion, the thermal baths) and the same relaxed pace — but you book your own 3-star-ish guesthouses/hostels, ride the excellent Czech/Austrian/Hungarian rail network between cities, and join GetYourGuide walking tours and skip-the-line palace tickets instead of a fixed group. Everything is approximative, based on 2025/26 backpacker-and-budget-traveller rates in GBP.

Travel Crew

~£424

A self-launched 11-day run through Central Europe's great cities — Prague, Dresden, Berlin, Warsaw, Kraków (with Auschwitz-Birkenau) and Budapest — using trains and buses instead of a coach and tour director. You book your own hostels and guesthouses, join day tours and walking tours via GetYourGuide/Klook or local operators, and eat your way through Czech wine, Berlin currywurst, Polish pierogi and Hungarian goulash. Same route, same big sights, a fraction of the group tour price.

Travel Crew

~£575

A self-launched 12-day hop across four countries — Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary — hitting Berlin, Weimar, Dresden, Prague, Český Krumlov, Vienna and Budapest. This is the DIY version of G Adventures' "Central & Eastern Europe Highlights": same cities, same rail corridors, but you book your own hostels/pensions, ride the same trains and buses for a fraction of the guided-group price. Expect gothic cathedrals, medieval old towns, brewery cellars, thermal baths and a lot of very good cake. Rough estimates in GBP; book trains early (Deutsche Bahn, RegioJet, ÖBB, MÁV) to lock in the cheap fares.

Travel Crew

~£1,408

A self-launched overland follow-the-Danube route that mirrors CroisiEurope's 12-day Oltenita-to-Vienna river cruise using trains, buses and local ferries instead of a cruise ship. Travel from the Black Sea coast and Bucharest through the Bulgarian bank (Ruse, the Iron Gates), into Serbia (Belgrade, Novi Sad), on to Hungary (Mohacs, Budapest), Slovakia (Bratislava) and finally Austria (Vienna). You book each leg yourself, stay in hostels and budget guesthouses, and pick up the same landmarks — Constanta, the Danube-Black Sea Canal, Bucharest's Parliament, the Iron Gates gorge, Gellert Baths, Schoenbrunn Palace — as cheap self-bookable day trips and walking tours. Costs are approximate budget-backpacker estimates in GBP per person, excluding flights.

Travel Crew

~£567

An independent 8-day cycling adventure following the Danube from Vienna through three countries and three capitals — Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. The commercial version runs as a 4-star self-guided trip with luggage transfers; this self-launched version replicates the same route and daily distances using budget guesthouses and hostels, a self-arranged bike rental, local trains and the Szentendre–Budapest boat, and your own navigation app. Total riding is around 281 km over six days, mostly flat riverside paths with some undulating sections. All costs are approximate per person and assume shared accommodation with breakfast included where noted.

Travel Crew

~£425

A self-launched 12-day rail-and-bus run through Central Europe and northern Italy, hitting the same cities as the Choose Balkans group tour — Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Venice and Milan — but booked independently at hostel prices. You'll ride the same intercity trains and buses, soak in the Széchenyi Baths, walk Zagreb and Ljubljana's old towns, day-trip to Lake Bled, and finish with a Venice gondola shared among new friends and Milan's Duomo. All costs are approximate per person in GBP and assume dorm beds, self-catering plus local eats, and standard-class public transport.

Travel Crew

~£940

A 15-day self-launched rail-and-hostel version of G Adventures' "Paris to Budapest: Famous Sites & Tasty Bites" covering Paris, Interlaken, Rome, Florence, Venice, Ljubljana, Vienna and Budapest. You book your own hostel beds and trains (Interrail/Eurail Global Pass or point-to-point tickets), self-book the same optional activities via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct, and follow the same city-hopping route at roughly a third of the guided-tour price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP and assume hostel dorms, supermarket + street-food eating, and second-class rail.

Travel Crew

~£1,211

A self-launched version of Cosmos's 15-day Central Europe loop — Frankfurt → Weimar → Berlin → Poznań → Warsaw → Kraków/Auschwitz → Tatra Mountains → Budapest → Bratislava → Vienna → Prague → Nuremberg → Frankfurt. Same headline stops and experiences, but using trains and budget buses instead of a coach group, and hostels/guesthouses/budget hotels instead of 4-5* tour hotels. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP and will vary with season and how far ahead you book.

Travel Crew

~£899

Trace the classic Berlin-to-Budapest route through the beating heart of Central and Eastern Europe. From Berlin's café culture and Krakow's medieval lanes to Prague's Gothic squares and Vienna's imperial grandeur, this self-launched trip strings together the region's most iconic cities by train and local bus. Visit sobering Auschwitz, soak in thermal baths along the Danube, and eat and drink your way through five countries — at your own pace and a fraction of the guided price.

Travel Crew

~£1,120

This self-launched version of Ajdinis's popular Budapest–Istanbul–Cappadocia route lets you cover the same incredible arc of Eastern European and Turkish heritage on your own terms — without the group tour price tag. You'll explore Romanian castles, Ottoman mosques, Cappadocian cave landscapes and Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, all using budget hotels, public transport, and self-bookable tours via GetYourGuide and Klook. Note: the original tour uses internal flights (Bucharest–Istanbul and Istanbul–Cappadocia); we've included budget airline estimates for these legs. All costs are approximate per-person estimates.

Travel Crew

~£675

An epic self-launched sweep across Central and Western Europe — from Budapest's thermal baths to Kraków's Jewish Quarter, Prague's beer halls, Berlin's historic monuments, Amsterdam's canals by bike, Belgian waffles in Brussels, and finally London. This is the same route as G Adventures' EJBL tour, done independently using trains, hostels, and self-booked activities at a fraction of the group tour price. Perfect for budget-minded 18–30s who want the full adventure without the guided markup.

Travel Crew

~£820

This self-launched version of Exodus's classic Budapest to Istanbul cultural trail takes you through Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey — four capitals, World Heritage villages, medieval castles and ancient ruins — at a fraction of the guided tour price. You'll swap the group coach for trains, buses and shared minibuses, and trade hotel packages for well-rated budget hotels and guesthouses. The route is highly backpacker-friendly with excellent public transport links throughout. All key experiences — walking tours, wine tastings, castle visits and city highlights — are easily bookable independently via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates for a solo budget traveller.

Travel Crew

~£667

Skip the group tour premium and do Europe's most magical Christmas market trail independently. This self-launched version follows the same Zagreb → Ljubljana → Graz → Budapest route as G Adventures' classic festive itinerary, swapping guided orientation walks for self-navigated exploration and private-vehicle transfers for affordable cross-border trains. You'll visit the same twinkling market squares, sip the same mulled wine, and stay in comfortable budget hotels — all for a fraction of the price. Estimated costs are approximate and based on current backpacker/budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£485

Skip the luxury river cruise and do the legendary Danube route yourself — Prague, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Melk, Vienna, and Budapest — on trains, regional buses, and local ferries. You'll hit every major landmark from Hradčany Castle to the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Budapest's thermal baths, staying in well-rated hostels and budget hotels along the way. All for a fraction of what Avalon Waterways charges for the same corridor. These cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£820

Six countries, nearly a dozen cities, and zero tour group premiums. This self-launched version of G Adventures' iconic Paris-to-Budapest route takes you through France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, and Hungary using trains, public buses, and hostels — the same epic experiences at a fraction of the cost. Picnic by the Eiffel Tower, swim in Lake Bled, explore Rome's backstreets, and soak in Budapest's thermal baths. All bookable independently via GetYourGuide, Trainline, and direct hostel sites. Costs below are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£1,140

Hit seven countries across Central Europe independently — from Berlin's underground clubs to Venice's romantic canals, via Krakow, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest and Lake Bled. This self-guided version swaps the Intrepid group leader for your own research, replaces private transfers with trains and buses, and cuts the cost dramatically. You'll stay in a mix of budget hotels and hostels, eat like a local at milk bars and street food stalls, and book activities directly or via GetYourGuide. All the same magic, none of the group tour premium. Costs are approximate estimates per person based on budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£840

Hit seven countries across Central Europe independently — from Berlin's underground clubs to Venice's romantic canals, via Krakow, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest and Lake Bled. This self-launched version swaps the Intrepid group leader for your own research, replaces private transfers with trains and buses, and cuts the cost dramatically. You'll stay in a mix of budget hotels and hostels, eat like a local at milk bars and street food stalls, and book activities directly or via GetYourGuide. All the same magic, none of the group tour premium. Costs are approximate estimates per person based on budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£840