Classic Danube Self-Launched: Passau to Budapest by Train, Bus & Local Boat

Arrive in Passau by rail from Munich (direct regional trains take about 2h15–2h30, roughly £20–25 booked ahead on bahn.de) — the same route the operator's own team recommends instead of their €445 private transfer. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the Altstadt or just across the river in Innstadt, then walk the cobbled lanes of the old town and stand on the Ortspitze where the Inn, Ilz and Danube meet. Climb to Veste Oberhaus if the weather holds for the classic rooftop view, or take the free stroll up to the Pilgrimage Church of Mariahilf. Evening: a cheap dinner and a glass of local Passauer beer on the riverbank.

🚌Munich Airport → Passau by regional train, ~£20–25

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Passau Altstadt/Innstadt (dorm or twin)

• →Self-guided walk of Passau old town and Ortspitze confluence
• →Veste Oberhaus viewpoint (small entry fee)
• →Walk up to Mariahilf church

Take the regional train/bus combo from Passau to Krems or directly along the Danube line (change at Linz or St. Valentin; ~3–4 hours, roughly £20–28 with a Bavarian/Lower Austria regional ticket). Base yourself in Dürnstein or Krems. Climb the short, steep path to the Dürnstein castle ruins where Richard the Lionheart was held — the view over the Wachau valley terraces is the whole point of this stop and costs nothing. Wander down to Pranger Square and the blue-and-white Stiftskirche, then do a self-guided Wachau wine stop at a Heuriger or a small cellar door in Dürnstein (tastings roughly £12–18) — the same Wachau tasting the cruise sold as an optional extra.

🚌Regional train Passau → Krems/Dürnstein, ~£20–28

🛏Dürnstein or Krems hostel/pension

• →Dürnstein castle ruins hike (free)
• →Pranger Square and Stiftskirche
• →Wachau wine tasting at a Heuriger (~£12–18)

Ride the Wachau section by public ferry or the Danube cycle/walking path to Melk (ferry Dürnstein–Melk is seasonal and roughly £12–15; alternatively the train is £5–8). Spend the late morning at Melk Benedictine Abbey — self-book an abbey admission ticket online (£12–14) and tour the library, church and terraces at your own pace instead of with 150 other passengers. In the afternoon continue by regional train Melk → St. Pölten → Vienna (about 1h10–1h30, £12–18). Check into a Vienna hostel, then spend the evening in the 7th or 2nd district for affordable food and a beer garden.

🚌Wachau ferry or train to Melk (~£5–15); regional train Melk → Vienna (~£12–18)

🛏Hostel in Vienna (Neubau or Leopoldstadt)

• →Wachau section by public ferry
• →Melk Abbey self-guided admission (~£12–14)
• →Evening wander in Neubau

Take the U-Bahn and trams — Vienna's public transport day pass is about £6–8 and gets you everywhere the cruise bus tour went. Morning: Schönbrunn or the Hofburg's Imperial Apartments, or just do the free-ring walk along the Ringstrasse past the Opera House and Parliament. Afternoon: Naschmarkt for lunch, then a coffee house sit (Melange ~£4) and a climb up the Stephansdom south tower. Evening: book a classical concert at the Kursalon or Musikverein directly (standing or cheaper-tier seats from £20–35) — exactly the optional excursion the ship's cruise director arranged for guests, but you book it yourself.

🚌Vienna public transport day pass, ~£6–8

🛏Hostel in Vienna

• →Ringstrasse self-guided walk
• →Schönbrunn or Hofburg entry (~£15–25)
• →Kursalon or Musikverein classical concert (~£20–35)

Take the direct Railjet/EC train Vienna → Budapest Keleti (2h40, £20–35 booked ahead on RegioJet, ÖBB or MÁV). Drop bags at a hostel in District VII (Jewish Quarter) — the cheapest and most social base in the city. Afternoon: walk Andrássy út to Heroes' Square, the City Park and Széchenyi Baths, or head straight to the Great Market Hall before it closes. Evening: ruin bars in District VII — Szimpla Kert and its neighbours — and a bowl of goulash for £6–8. Bring forints; cards are widely accepted but small vendors prefer cash.

🚌Railjet/EC Vienna → Budapest, ~£20–35

🛏Hostel in Budapest District VII

• →Heroes' Square and City Park
• →Great Market Hall (free entry)
• →Ruin bar crawl in District VII

A proper full day in Budapest — the thing the cruise timetable didn't allow. Book a Parliament tour ticket directly on the Hungarian Parliament website (non-EU adult roughly £18–25) for the morning. Then cross the Chain Bridge to the Buda side and walk up to Fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church (bastion terraces free; church ~£6). Afternoon: Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths (£15–20) — bring your own towel. Finish with sunset from Gellért Hill, then a cheap dinner in the 8th district. A 24-hour Budapest travel card is about £5–6.

🚌24-hour Budapest travel card, ~£5–6

🛏Hostel in Budapest District VII

• →Hungarian Parliament guided tour, self-booked (~£18–25)
• →Fishermen's Bastion and Matthias Church (~£6)
• →Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths (~£15–20)

Take the morning two-hourly train Budapest → Bratislava-Petržalka or the direct service to Bratislava hlavná stanica (2h20–2h40, £10–18). Do a self-guided old-town loop: Old Town Hall and the city history museum, the Slovak National Theatre, the Blue Church, and the UFO Tower observation deck on the SNP Bridge (~£10). Lunch on bryndzové halušky for £5–7. This replaces the cruise's walking tour with a free audio-guide or a £10 GetYourGuide small-group walk if you prefer company. Late afternoon, continue by train Bratislava → Vienna → Melk/St. Pölten (£20–30) to position yourself for tomorrow, or stay the night in Bratislava and shift the schedule a day.

🚌Train Budapest → Bratislava (~£10–18); Bratislava → Vienna/St. Pölten (~£20–30)

🛏Pension near Melk/St. Pölten (or Bratislava hostel)

• →Bratislava old town self-guided walk
• →Blue Church and SNP Bridge UFO Tower (~£10)
• →Optional GetYourGuide walking tour (~£10)

Slow morning in Melk — a short walk along the Danube path or a second look at the abbey gardens if you missed them. Take the regional train back west (Melk/St. Pölten → Linz → Passau, about 2h30–3h, £20–28) and, if your flight is later, spend a final hour in Passau for coffee and last-minute shopping in the Altstadt. Munich Airport is a straightforward 2h30 regional train away (~£22–28). If you want to stretch the trip, swap Day 8 for a night in Linz or extend Budapest by a day — this route is entirely flexible since every leg is an individual ticket.

🚌Regional train Melk/St. Pölten → Passau (~£20–28); onward to Munich Airport (~£22–28)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Morning walk along the Danube at Melk
• →Final coffee in Passau Altstadt