Berlin to Budapest: Self-Launched Imperial Capitals Route

Land in Berlin and take the S-Bahn or express bus from BER airport into the city (approx. £3.50–4.50, 40–50 min). Check into a hostel in Kreuzberg, Neukölln or Mitte (dorms from about £18–25/night, private rooms £40–60). Spend the afternoon on a free self-guided wander: East Side Gallery, Oberbaumbrücke and the Landwehrkanal. Evening: cheap currywurst or a döner kebab (£4–6) and a supermarket beer by the canal.

🚌BER airport express bus/train to city centre, ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm in Kreuzberg/Neukölln (e.g. budget hostel or indie guesthouse), £18–25

• →Self-guided East Side Gallery and Kreuzberg walk
• →Landwehrkanal evening stroll

Join a tip-based free walking tour of central Berlin (book on GetYourGuide or just turn up at Brandenburg Gate; tip £5–10). It covers Museum Island, the TV Tower, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the Holocaust Memorial — the same landmarks the coach tour's panoramic drive passes. In the afternoon visit the Berlin Wall Memorial and Documentation Centre on Bernauer Straße (free) and book a free Reichstag dome slot online in advance (register at bundestag.de).

🚌Berlin AB day ticket for U-Bahn/S-Bahn/tram, ~£8.50

🛏Hostel dorm in Berlin, £18–25

• →Tip-based free walking tour of central Berlin (GetYourGuide)
• →Berlin Wall Memorial & Documentation Centre (free)
• →Reichstag dome visit (free, pre-register online)
• →Holocaust Memorial

Take an early FlixBus or the EC train from Berlin to Dresden (bus ~£10–15, 2h; train ~£18–25). Drop bags in a station locker and walk the Altstadt: Frauenkirche, Zwinger and the Brühl's Terrace (all free). Late afternoon continue by FlixBus or RegioJet train to Prague (~£12–18, 2h). Check into a hostel in Vinohrady or Žižkov (dorms £12–18, private £30–45) and head to Old Town Square for the evening.

🚌Berlin–Dresden FlixBus ~£12 + Dresden–Prague RegioJet/FlixBus ~£15

🛏Hostel dorm in Vinohrady/Žižkov, Prague, £12–18

• →Self-guided Dresden Altstadt walk (Frauenkirche, Zwinger)
• →Old Town Square at dusk

Morning on a tip-based free walking tour of Old Town, the Astronomical Clock and the Jewish Quarter (tip £5–10). Afternoon: tram 22 up to Prague Castle and buy a Circuit B ticket (~£9) for St Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane and Old Royal Palace. Finish with a one-hour Vltava river cruise (book on GetYourGuide or Klook from ~£12) and a cheap Czech pub dinner — svíčková or goulash with beer for £7–9.

🚌Tram/metro 24h ticket ~£4.50

🛏Hostel dorm in Prague, £12–18

• →Free walking tour of Old Town (tip-based)
• →Prague Castle Circuit B ticket ~£9
• →Vltava River boat ride ~£12 (GetYourGuide/Klook)

Take an early RegioJet or Alex train/FlixBus from Prague to Munich (~£18–25, 4.5–5.5h). Store bags at Munich Hbf, walk to Marienplatz for the Glockenspiel, the English Garden and a beer-hall lunch (£10–14). Late afternoon take the direct ÖBB/DB railjet or FlixBus over the Brenner Pass to Innsbruck (~£15–25, 1h45–2h15). Stay in a hostel or family guesthouse near the Altstadt (dorms £20–28, private £45–65).

🚌Prague–Munich ~£20 + Munich–Innsbruck ~£18

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Innsbruck Altstadt, £20–28

• →Self-guided Munich Old Town walk (Marienplatz, English Garden)
• →Evening stroll under Innsbruck's Golden Roof

Take the regional S-Bahn/train to Wattens and the Swarovski Crystal Worlds (adult ticket ~£20 online, gardens included) — bus 4127 or the shuttle from Innsbruck station connects. Then continue by train to Kitzbühel (~£10) for a wander through the colourful medieval centre and, if time and budget allow, the Hahnenkamm cable car (skip if tight on cash). Late afternoon train to Salzburg (~£12–18, 1h30). Hostel in the Salzburg old town or Schallmoos (dorms £18–26).

🚌Innsbruck–Wattens–Kitzbühel–Salzburg regional trains ~£25 total

🛏Hostel in Salzburg, £18–26

• →Swarovski Crystal Worlds admission ~£20 (book direct or GetYourGuide)
• →Kitzbühel old town walk
• →Optional Hahnenkamm cable car (~£25, extra)

Morning in Salzburg: Hohensalzburg Fortress funicular and courtyard (~£10), Mirabell Gardens and the Getreidegasse (free). Midday take the train to Gmunden on Lake Traunsee (~£8, 1h), then the local Traunsee boat (Schifffahrt Traunsee, ~£12–15 one way) to Traunkirchen or St. Wolfgang — the four-castle views from the water are the highlight of the coach tour's day. Evening train Gmunden–Vienna via Attnang-Puchheim (~£20–28, 3h). Hostel in Vienna's 7th or 2nd district (dorms £20–28).

🚌Salzburg–Gmunden ~£8 + Traunsee boat ~£13 + Gmunden–Vienna ~£24

🛏Hostel in Vienna, £20–28

• →Hohensalzburg Fortress ~£10
• →Traunsee Lake boat cruise ~£13
• →St. Wolfgang / Traunkirchen stop

Start with a tip-based free walking tour of the Innere Stadt (tip £5–10) covering the Hofburg, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Ringstrasse. Afternoon: tram 60 or U4 to Schönbrunn Palace — book the Imperial Tour (~£18, timed entry online). Finish in a traditional Kaffeehaus (Melange + slice of cake ~£8) or head to Grinzing for a heuriger wine tavern if you want the coach tour's evening flavour without the price tag.

🚌Vienna 24h public transport ticket ~£7

🛏Hostel in Vienna, £20–28

• →Free walking tour of central Vienna
• →Schönbrunn Palace Imperial Tour ~£18 (book direct)
• →Optional heuriger wine tasting in Grinzing ~£15

Take a RegioJet or ÖBB train Vienna–Budapest Keleti (~£10–20, 2h30). Check into a hostel or budget hotel on the Pest side (dorms £12–18, private £30–40). Afternoon: tip-based free walking tour of Pest (Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, Váci utca). At sunset take a public Danube river boat — a BKK line or the Legenda/GetYourGuide evening cruise (~£10–15) for the illuminated Buda Castle and Chain Bridge views.

🚌Vienna–Budapest RegioJet train ~£15

🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Pest, £12–18

• →Free walking tour of Pest
• →Sunset Danube river cruise ~£12 (GetYourGuide/Klook)
• →Váci utca and Basilica area

Morning hike or bus up to Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion for the classic Parliament panorama (free to walk the terraces). If your flight is late, soak in a thermal bath — Széchenyi or the cheaper Rudas (~£18–22) — and grab a bowl of goulash soup (£5–7) before heading to the airport. Bus 100E to Ferenc Liszt Airport is ~£2.50, or book a shared shuttle (~£8).

🚌Budapest 100E airport bus ~£2.50

🛏Check-out (final night optional extra if flying next morning)

• →Buda Castle & Fisherman's Bastion walk
• →Optional thermal bath entry ~£20
• →Goulash lunch