Self-Launched Balkans & Central Europe: Belgrade to Vienna by Bus and Train
9 days · Balkans & Central Europe (Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria)
Choose Balkans charges £2,210
No-markup version: ~£462 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day independent version of Choose Balkans' semi-private Belgrade-to-Vienna loop, done solo on public buses and trains. You cover the same four capitals and fortress towns — Belgrade, Novi Sad, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna — with a bonus stop in Subotica and Győr, sleeping in hostels and budget guesthouses and joining free walking tours plus a local wine cellar visit instead of a paid guide. All costs are approximate and assume hostel dorms or budget private rooms, self-catered breakfasts and street food, and second-class public transport.
Day-by-day
Arrive Belgrade: Knez Mihailova and Skadarlija
Belgrade, Serbia
Fly or bus into Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and take the A1 shuttle bus or city bus 72 into the centre (~£2-3, 30-45 min) instead of a private transfer. Check into a hostel in Stari Grad (Old Town). Join the free 10:30 or 17:00 Belgrade walking tour (tip-based, £3-5 tip) covering Knez Mihailova pedestrian street, Republic Square and Kalemegdan Fortress, then wander Skadarlija's cobbled bohemian quarter in the evening. Dinner of ćevapi or pljeskavica with a local beer costs £8-12.
🚌Airport A1 shuttle or bus 72 ~£3; everything else on foot
🛏Hostel in Stari Grad (e.g. hostel dorm £12-18/night; budget private room £25-35)
- →Free walking tour of Belgrade Old Town (tip-based)
- →Knez Mihailova Street stroll
- →Kalemegdan Fortress and river views
- →Skadarlija evening wander
Belgrade to Novi Sad via Sremski Karlovci wine cellars
Sremski Karlovci & Novi Sad, Serbia
Take a morning train from Belgrade to Petrovaradin/Novi Sad (~£5-7, 1h15-1h45) or a bus (~£5). Stop off in Sremski Karlovci on the Fruška Gora wine trail — reachable by local bus or a short taxi from Petrovaradin. Visit the baroque Four Lions Fountain square and book a cellar tasting directly with a family winery such as Vinarija Kiš or a small Karlovci cellar (£8-12 for a tasting with 4-6 wines). Overnight in Novi Sad old town.
🚌Train Belgrade–Novi Sad ~£6; local bus to Sremski Karlovci ~£1.50 each way
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Novi Sad centre (£15-22)
- →Sremski Karlovci Four Lions Fountain and baroque centre
- →Independent Fruška Gora wine cellar tasting
- →Petrovaradin riverside walk
Novi Sad: Petrovaradin Fortress and old town
Novi Sad, Serbia
Free walking tour of Novi Sad (tip-based) or a self-guided route: Zmaj Jovina and Dunavska pedestrian streets, the Bishop's Palace, and the Danube Park. Cross the river to Petrovaradin Fortress — the 'Gibraltar of the Danube' — for the clock tower, underground military galleries (small entry fee ~£3) and the best sunset over the Danube. Optional evening in the fortress'artist studios and bars.
🚌On foot plus local bus to Petrovaradin ~£1
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Novi Sad centre (£15-22)
- →Free walking tour of Novi Sad
- →Petrovaradin Fortress and underground galleries
- →Zmaj Jovina and Dunavska streets
- →Danube sunset viewpoint
Novi Sad → Subotica → Budapest
Subotica, Serbia → Budapest, Hungary
Morning bus or train from Novi Sad to Subotica (~£4-6, 1h45). Spend 3-4 hours in Subotica: the Art Nouveau City Hall (guided tower visit ~£3), the Cathedral of St Teresa of Avila, and the magnificent Subotica Synagogue (small entry fee). Lunch on a Hungarian-influenced goulash or a Subotica coffee and cake (£6-9). Then take the late-afternoon train Subotica–Szeged–Budapest or direct bus to Budapest (~£10-15, 3-4h). Check into a hostel in District VII (Jewish Quarter).
🚌Bus/train Novi Sad–Subotica ~£5; Subotica–Budapest bus or rail via Szeged ~£13
🛏Hostel in Budapest District VII (£12-20 dorm; £30-40 private)
- →Subotica City Hall Art Nouveau tour
- →Cathedral of St Teresa of Avila
- →Subotica Synagogue
- →Baross Gabor-style coffee stop in Austro-Hungarian setting
Budapest: Basilica, Parliament, Fisherman's Bastion, Buda Castle
Budapest, Hungary
Join the free Pest walking tour (tip-based) covering St Stephen's Basilica, Andrássy Avenue, the Opera House, Heroes' Square and the Parliament building exterior. Cross the Chain Bridge on foot and take the historic funicular or walk up to Buda Castle (UNESCO) and Fisherman's Bastion for the classic Danube panorama — Fisherman's Bastion upper terraces are free, the lower turrets cost ~£3. Evening: ruin bars in District VII or a Danube riverside walk (£8-12 for drinks and street food).
🚌Public transport day pass ~£5 (metro, tram, bus)
🛏Hostel in Budapest District VII (£12-20)
- →Free Pest walking tour
- →St Stephen's Basilica (free entry, donation for dome)
- →Parliament and Heroes' Square walk
- →Buda Castle and Fisherman's Bastion
- →Ruin bar evening
Budapest → Győr → Bratislava
Győr, Hungary → Bratislava, Slovakia
Take an early train from Budapest Keleti to Győr (~£6-8, 1h20). Self-guided walk of Győr's baroque old town: Town Hall, Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the Győr Synagogue, Baross Gábor Street and the confluence of the Danube, Rába and Rábca rivers. Try a local Hungarian lunch or blueberry beer in a riverside café (£6-9). Mid-afternoon train Győr–Bratislava (~£10-14, 1h30-2h via Rajka or direct regional services). Evening stroll in Bratislava's Old Town.
🚌Train Budapest–Győr ~£7; train Győr–Bratislava ~£12
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Bratislava Old Town (£15-25)
- →Győr old town self-guided walk
- →Győr Town Hall and Cathedral of the Virgin Mary
- →Győr Synagogue
- →Baross Gábor Street and river confluence
Bratislava: castle, Old Town Hall and Michael's Gate
Bratislava, Slovakia
Free walking tour of Bratislava (tip-based) hits the Medieval Old Town Hall, Michael's Gate and tower (climb for ~£3), the Primate's Palace and Hlavné námestie. Walk up to Bratislava Castle (grounds free, museum ~£7 if you want it) for views over the Danube to Austria. Coffee in a historic café (Café Mayer or Kormidlo) ~£3-5. Optional evening at the UFO observation deck or a Slovak wine bar.
🚌On foot; tram day ticket ~£3 if needed
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Bratislava Old Town (£15-25)
- →Free Bratislava walking tour
- →Michael's Gate tower climb
- →Bratislava Castle and gardens
- →Old Town Hall courtyard
Bratislava to Vienna: Stephansplatz and the Ringstrasse
Vienna, Austria
Hop the direct regional train or bus from Bratislava to Vienna (~£8-10, 1h05 by train from Bratislava-Petržalka, or £5 by Flixbus/RegioJet). Drop bags at a hostel in the 2nd or 7th district. Join the free Vienna walking tour from Albertinaplatz (tip-based) around Stephansplatz, Michaelerplatz, Heldenplatz and the Hofburg exterior, then walk the Ringstrasse past the Rathaus and the State Opera. Evening: a drink at a Naschmarkt bar or a Heuriger wine tavern in the suburbs (£10-15). Note: Vienna's own itinerary day can lean on the Vienna Pass or a 24h transport ticket.
🚌Bratislava–Vienna train ~£9; Vienna 24h transport pass ~£7
🛏Hostel in Vienna Districts 2-7 (£20-30 dorm; £45-60 budget private)
- →Free Vienna walking tour
- →Stephansplatz and Stephansdom exterior
- →Hofburg, Michaelerplatz and Heldenplatz
- →Ringstrasse, Rathaus and State Opera
- →Naschmarkt evening
Vienna museums and departure
Vienna, Austria
Pick two or three of the same sights the tour includes, booked individually: the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments in the Hofburg (~£15), the Austrian National Library State Hall (~£11), the Kunsthistorisches Museum (~£19) or the State Opera standing-room ticket (~£4-8 for evening performances — buy the morning of). Finish with a Melange and a slice of Sachertorte (~£7) before heading to Vienna Airport by S-Bahn or CAT (~£4-14, 20-30 min) or onward by train.
🚌S-Bahn S7 to airport ~£4.50; CAT ~£14
🛏Departure day (no overnight) or a final hostel night if flying early (£20-30)
- →Sisi Museum and Hofburg Imperial Apartments
- →Austrian National Library State Hall
- →Kunsthistorisches Museum (optional)
- →Vienna State Opera standing room (optional)
- →Coffee and Sachertorte
Self-launched vs. Choose Balkans
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Choose Balkans | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£462 | £2,210 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,748 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Choose Balkans-style trips? Check them out here.~£462
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 Self-Launched Balkans & Central Europe: Belgrade to Vienna by Bus and Train cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £462 per person for 9 days in Balkans & Central Europe (Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria). 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 Choose Balkans?+
Yes — Choose Balkans charges around £2,210 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £462 — a saving of roughly £1,748 (79%) per person.
How long is the Balkans & Central Europe (Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria) trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Balkans & Central Europe (Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria).
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, budget trip through Balkans & Central Europe (Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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