London to Vienna: Self-Launched Trail
8 days · London to Vienna
Contiki charges £1,270
No-markup version: ~£624 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Hit five iconic European cities — Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Prague, and Vienna — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched version of Contiki's classic London to Vienna Trail swaps the group coach for trains, trams, and budget flights, and replaces packaged hostel bundles with hand-picked budget stays. You'll visit the same landmarks, eat the same food, and have the same adventures — but with the freedom to linger where you like and save hundreds in the process. All costs are approximate estimates per person.
Day-by-day
London to Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then a connecting Intercity train to Amsterdam Centraal — total journey around 4.5–5 hours. Book in advance via Eurostar and NS International for the best prices (~£50–70 combined). Arrive in Amsterdam by early afternoon, check into your hostel near the centre, and spend the evening exploring the canal-ring streets. Grab a rijsttafel at a local Indonesian restaurant or street fries (patat) for dinner. Stroll along the Prinsengracht for a free panoramic taste of the city at dusk.
🚌Eurostar London St Pancras → Brussels Midi (~£35 booked ahead), then IC train Brussels → Amsterdam Centraal (~£20–30). Book via eurostar.com and nsinternational.com.
🛏Generator Amsterdam, Stayokay Vondelpark, or similar well-rated central hostel — dorm bed ~£20–28/night
- →Walk the Jordaan neighbourhood and canal ring (free)
- →Panoramic evening stroll along Prinsengracht (free)
- →Street food dinner — Dutch patat with mayo (~£4)
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
A full free day to explore Amsterdam at your own pace. Visit the Anne Frank House (book online in advance, ~£14), wander the Red Light District by day for its fascinating social history, and rent a bike to cover more ground like a local (~£10 for the day). For an optional canal cruise, book directly via GetYourGuide for a 1-hour cruise (~£14–18, cheaper than the Contiki optional). In the evening, take the free ferry behind Centraal Station to Amsterdam Noord for craft beer at NDSM wharf.
🚌Tram and metro day ticket (~£8) or hire a bike (~£10)
🛏Generator Amsterdam or similar — dorm bed ~£20–28/night
- →Anne Frank House (book online ahead, ~£14)
- →Red Light District self-guided walk (free)
- →Bike rental and ride around Vondelpark and canal ring (~£10)
- →1-hour canal cruise via GetYourGuide (~£15)
- →Free ferry to Amsterdam Noord / NDSM wharf (free)
Amsterdam to Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Take an early Intercity Express (ICE) or Flixbus from Amsterdam to Berlin — the train takes around 6 hours and is the most scenic option (~£25–50 booked in advance via DB/Omio). Alternatively, Flixbus is as cheap as £15 but takes 9+ hours. Arrive in Berlin by early/mid afternoon. Check into your hostel near Mitte or Alexanderplatz. Spend the evening at the East Side Gallery (the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall — free to walk along) and grab a döner kebab for dinner (~£5) — Berlin's unofficial street food icon.
🚌ICE train Amsterdam → Berlin Hbf (~£25–50 booked ahead via omio.com or bahn.de). Berlin U-Bahn/S-Bahn day ticket (~£9).
🛏Generator Alexanderplatz, A&O Berlin Mitte, or Wombats Berlin — dorm bed ~£18–26/night
- →East Side Gallery walk (free)
- →Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag exterior (free)
- →Döner kebab dinner at Mustafa's or similar (~£5)
Berlin
Berlin, Germany
A full day in Berlin. Start with the Holocaust Memorial (free, but moving — allow an hour), then head to Checkpoint Charlie. For the real history hit, book a Berlin Third Reich & Cold War walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£12–15) — equivalent to Contiki's optional at a lower price. In the afternoon, explore the alternative side of Berlin: Kreuzberg's street art, the Mauerpark flea market (weekends), and grab a currywurst. In the evening, head to a rooftop bar in Mitte or catch a show at Berghain/Watergate if nightlife is your thing.
🚌Berlin U-Bahn/S-Bahn day ticket (~£9)
🛏Generator Alexanderplatz or similar — dorm bed ~£18–26/night
- →Holocaust Memorial (free)
- →Checkpoint Charlie (outdoor memorial free, museum optional ~£12)
- →Führerbunker site and Tiergarten walk (free)
- →Third Reich & Cold War walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£13)
- →Kreuzberg street art and alternative Berlin self-guided walk (free)
- →Currywurst at Curry 36 (~£4)
Berlin to Prague via Dresden
Prague, Czech Republic
Take an early morning train from Berlin Hbf to Dresden Hbf (~2 hours, ~£15 via bahn.de), and spend 2–3 hours exploring Dresden's stunning Altstadt: the Frauenkirche, the Zwinger Palace courtyard (free to enter the courtyard), and the Semperoper Opera House exterior. Then hop back on a train from Dresden to Prague (~2.5 hours, ~£15–20). Arrive in Prague by early evening, check into your hostel in the Old Town or Žižkov area, and take a self-guided evening stroll across Charles Bridge.
🚌Train Berlin → Dresden (~£15, ~2 hrs via bahn.de). Train Dresden → Prague (~£15–20, ~2.5 hrs). Prague metro/tram day ticket (~£3).
🛏Plus Prague Hostel, Mosaic House, or Czech Inn — dorm bed ~£16–22/night
- →Frauenkirche, Dresden — exterior and interior (free entry, tower ~£7)
- →Zwinger Palace courtyard, Dresden (free)
- →Semperoper opera house exterior walk (free)
- →Evening stroll across Charles Bridge, Prague (free)
- →Prague Castle silhouette from the Old Town (free)
Prague
Prague, Czech Republic
A full day to fall in love with Prague. Climb to Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral in the morning (~£12 for the combined ticket), then walk down through Malá Strana to Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square — watch the Astronomical Clock chime at the top of the hour (free). For lunch, grab a svíčková (braised beef with dumplings) at a local pub for ~£6. In the afternoon, book a Prague bike tour via GetYourGuide (~£18) or a Vltava river cruise (~£15). In the evening, enjoy a Czech pilsner at a local pivnice (pub) — Pilsner Urquell on tap for £1.50.
🚌Prague metro/tram day ticket (~£3)
🛏Plus Prague Hostel or similar — dorm bed ~£16–22/night
- →Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral (~£12)
- →Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock (free)
- →Charles Bridge walk (free)
- →Prague bike tour via GetYourGuide (~£18)
- →Vltava river cruise (~£15)
- →Czech pub dinner — svíčková and pilsner (~£10)
Prague to Vienna
Vienna, Austria
Take a morning train or Flixbus from Prague to Vienna (~4 hours by train, ~£20–35 via Railjet/Omio, or ~£10–15 by Flixbus). Check into your Vienna hostel by early afternoon. Spend the afternoon exploring the Ringstrasse: the Vienna State Opera, Kunsthistorisches Museum exterior, and the Belvedere gardens (free). For dinner, go full Viennese: Wiener Schnitzel at a local Beisl (pub-restaurant) for ~£12. In the evening, book a Mozart & Strauss concert independently at the Kursalon or similar venue (~£25–35 direct, same or cheaper than the Contiki optional).
🚌Railjet train Prague → Vienna Hbf (~£20–35 booked via omio.com or oebb.at, ~4 hrs). Vienna U-Bahn/tram day ticket (~£5).
🛏JO&JOE Vienna, Wombats Vienna City, or Meininger Vienna — dorm bed ~£20–28/night
- →Ringstrasse walk — State Opera, Parliament, Kunsthistorisches Museum exterior (free)
- →Belvedere Palace gardens (free)
- →Wiener Schnitzel dinner at a local Beisl (~£12)
- →Mozart & Strauss concert at Kursalon Vienna (~£30 direct booking)
Vienna — Final Day
Vienna, Austria
Your last morning in Vienna — make it count. Visit the Naschmarkt, Vienna's famous open-air market, for a cheap and brilliant breakfast (~£5). Head to the Schönbrunn Palace gardens (free to walk in) or pay ~£15 for the Grand Tour of the palace interior. Stroll through the 1st district, visit St Stephen's Cathedral (free, tower climb optional ~£5), and grab a coffee and Apfelstrudel at a traditional Viennese café. Depart from Vienna International Airport or Vienna Hbf for onward travel.
🚌Vienna U-Bahn/tram to airport or Hbf (~£3–5). Flight or train home booked independently.
🛏Check out — no accommodation needed unless extending
- →Naschmarkt breakfast and browse (~£5)
- →Schönbrunn Palace gardens (free) or Grand Tour interior (~£15)
- →St Stephen's Cathedral (free, tower optional ~£5)
- →Coffee and Apfelstrudel at a traditional Viennese café (~£8)
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£624 | £1,270 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £646 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£624
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does London to Vienna: Self-Launched Trail cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £624 per person for 8 days in London to Vienna. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £1,270 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £624 — a saving of roughly £646 (51%) per person.
How long is the London to Vienna trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through London to Vienna.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, backpacker trip through London to Vienna, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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