Central Europe by Cosmos (Self-Launched Edition)
15 days · Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia)
Cosmos charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£899 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
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.
Day-by-day
Arrive Frankfurt-am-Main
Frankfurt, Germany
Land at Frankfurt Airport and take the S-Bahn (S8/S9, ~£4.50, 15 min) into the city centre. Check into a hostel near the Hauptbahnhof or in Sachsenhausen, then walk the Römerberg old town and the Main riverbank. Pick up a Deutsche Bahn train ticket or interrail pass plan for the next legs. Cheap dinner option: Apfelwein tavern in Sachsenhausen (~£12).
🚌Airport S-Bahn S8/S9 to Frankfurt Hbf, ~£4.50
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse near Frankfurt Hbf (e.g. dorm/hostel ~£25)
- →Wander Römerberg old town square
- →Main riverbank walk
- →Buy onward train tickets / activate rail pass
- →Sachsenhausen Apfelwein tavern dinner
Frankfurt to Berlin via Weimar
Weimar → Berlin, Germany
Early train from Frankfurt to Weimar (ICE/IC, ~£35-45, ~2h45). Store bags at the station and spend 3-4 hours in Weimar's UNESCO-classical old town: Goethe House, Schiller House, the Market Square and the park on the Ilm. Then continue by train to Berlin (~£25-30, ~2h15). Check into a hostel in Mitte or Kreuzberg.
🚌Frankfurt→Weimar ICE ~£40; Weimar→Berlin IC ~£28; both bookable on bahn.de or a flexible Interrail pass
🛏Hostel in Berlin Mitte / Kreuzberg (dorm ~£22 or budget private ~£45)
- →Walking tour of Weimar old town
- →Goethe & Schiller houses (exterior/entry ~£7)
- →Weimar Market Square
- →Arrive Berlin, evening in Kreuzberg
Berlin city sights
Berlin, Germany
Self-launch Berlin with a free/walking-tip-based city tour (Sandemans, ~£3-5 tip) covering Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie. Walk Unter den Linden past the State Opera, and explore Kurfürstendamm. Optional: one-day Berlin AB transport ticket (~£7.50) or a museum island pass. Evening: street food at Markthalle Neun or a currywurst (~£6).
🚌Berlin AB day ticket ~£7.50, or use a 24h/48h WelcomeCard
🛏Hostel in Berlin (dorm ~£22)
- →Free walking tour (Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Memorial)
- →Unter den Linden & State Opera
- →Kurfürstendamm stroll
- →East Side Gallery & Museum Island (optional)
Berlin to Warsaw via Poznań
Poznań → Warsaw, Poland
Take the Berlin–Warsaw route and break the journey in Poznań (~£25-35 with a Deutsche Bahn/Polrail combo, or a FlixBus Berlin→Poznań ~£15). Spend a few hours in Poznań's colourful Old Market Square (Stary Rynek) and cathedral island, then continue to Warsaw (FlixBus/train ~£12-18, ~3h). Check into a hostel in Śródmieście near Nowy Świat.
🚌Berlin→Poznań ~£20; Poznań→Warsaw FlixBus/train ~£14
🛏Hostel in central Warsaw (dorm ~£15)
- →Poznań Stary Rynek
- →Poznań cathedral island (Ostrów Tumski)
- →Evening walk on Warsaw's Nowy Świat
Warsaw sightseeing
Warsaw, Poland
Join a free walking tour of Warsaw's Old Town (UNESCO), Royal Castle, and the Warsaw Uprising landmarks (tip ~£4). Afternoon: Łazienki Park, the POLIN Museum (Jewish history, ~£8) or the Warsaw Rising Museum. Cheap but hearty Polish food: pierogi or żurek in a milk bar (bar mleczny) for ~£5-7. Optional evening: Praga district street art and riverside bars.
🚌Tram/metro day ticket ~£3
🛏Hostel in central Warsaw (dorm ~£15)
- →Free walking tour of Old Town & Royal Route
- →Łazienki Park
- →POLIN Museum or Uprising Museum (~£8)
- →Milk-bar pierogi dinner
Warsaw to Kraków via Jasna Góra & Auschwitz
Kraków, Poland
Train to Częstochowa (~£12, 2h30) and visit the Jasna Góra monastery and Black Madonna. Then continue to Oświęcim for a guided entry to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial (pre-book free timed entry — donation guide ~£10-15). Finish with a regional train to Kraków (~£8). Auschwitz is emotionally heavy: book well in advance and allow time to process.
🚌Warsaw→Częstochowa ~£12; Częstochowa→Oświęcim ~£8; Oświęcim→Kraków ~£5
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Kraków Old Town (dorm ~£16)
- →Jasna Góra monastery & Black Madonna
- →Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial (pre-booked timed entry, ~£12)
- →Arrive Kraków, evening in Kazimierz
Kraków & Wieliczka Salt Mine
Kraków, Poland
Morning walking tour of Kraków Old Town: Market Square (Rynek Główny), St Mary's Basilica, the Cloth Hall and Wawel Cathedral/Castle (Wawel courtyard free; cathedral ~£5). Afternoon excursion to the UNESCO Wieliczka Salt Mine — book the English tour direct or via GetYourGuide (~£18-25) and get there on the local bus/train (~£2). Evening: zapiekanka in Kazimierz (~£4).
🚌Public transport day ticket ~£3; bus/minibus to Wieliczka ~£2
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Kraków (dorm ~£16)
- →Kraków Old Town & Wawel walking tour
- →Wieliczka Salt Mine guided tour (~£20)
- →Kazimierz Jewish Quarter
- →Cloth Hall & St Mary's Basilica
Kraków to Budapest via the Tatra Mountains & Slovakia
Tatra Mountains → Budapest, Hungary
Take a bus or train from Kraków to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains (~£8-10, 2h30) for a short hike or cable-car ride (Gubałówka/Kasprowy, ~£7). Then cross into Slovakia — either via Poprad or direct long-distance bus/FlixBus to Budapest (~£25-35, 6-7h). This is a long travel day; an alternative is booking a Kraków–Budapest FlixBus directly (~£20) and doing the Tatras as a separate day hike.
🚌Kraków→Zakopane ~£9; Zakopane/Poprad→Budapest bus ~£28
🛏Hostel in central Pest, Budapest (dorm ~£14)
- →Tatra Mountains viewpoint / short hike
- →Gubałówka cable-car or walk
- →Scenic cross-Slovakia drive
- →Arrive Budapest, evening ruin-bar
Budapest city sights
Budapest, Hungary
Free walking tour of Pest (Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, Heroes' Square, Andrássy Avenue) with a tip (~£4). Cross to Buda for Fisherman's Bastion and Castle Hill, then optional Danube evening cruise with a drink (~£12-18, bookable on GetYourGuide). Soak at a thermal bath — Széchenyi or Gellért (~£12-18). Eat Hungarian: goulash or lángos for ~£7.
🚌Metro/tram day ticket ~£4
🛏Hostel in central Pest (dorm ~£14)
- →Free Pest walking tour (Parliament, Heroes' Square)
- →Fisherman's Bastion & Castle Hill
- →Optional Danube evening cruise (~£15)
- →Széchenyi thermal bath (~£15)
Budapest to Vienna via Bratislava
Bratislava, Slovakia → Vienna, Austria
Train or RegioJet/FlixBus from Budapest to Bratislava (~£8-12, 2h30). Spend 3-4 hours in Bratislava's medieval Old Town: Michael's Gate, the Main Square and the castle viewpoint. Then continue to Vienna by train or bus (~£8-11, 1h). Check into a hostel or budget hotel near Westbahnhof or in the 7th district (Neubau).
🚌Budapest→Bratislava ~£10; Bratislava→Vienna ~£10
🛏Hostel in Vienna Neubau / Westbahnhof area (dorm ~£28 or budget private ~£55)
- →Bratislava Old Town & Michael's Gate
- →Bratislava Castle viewpoint
- →Walk Vienna's 7th district & Naschmarkt
Vienna sightseeing
Vienna, Austria
See Vienna on foot and by tram: Hofburg Imperial Palace from Heroes' Square, the State Opera and Parliament, the Rathaus and the Museum Quarter. Add a Schönbrunn Palace park walk (gardens free) or a standing-room ticket at the State Opera (~£8-14). Coffee-house culture break with a Melange and slice of Sachertorte (~£8). Optional day trip by train to Bratislava or the Wachau valley if you want extra scenery.
🚌Vienna 24h transport ticket ~£7
🛏Hostel in Vienna (dorm ~£28)
- →Hofburg Palace & Heroes' Square
- →State Opera & Parliament (exteriors)
- →Rathaus & Museum Quarter
- →Optional Schönbrunn Palace & gardens
- →Viennese coffee house
Vienna to Prague
Prague, Czechia
Railjet or RegioJet train Vienna→Prague (~£15-25, 4h; book RegioJet for the cheapest fares). Check into a hostel in Old Town or Vinohrady. Evening wander across the illuminated Charles Bridge and around Old Town Square to see the Astronomical Clock. Cheap Czech dinner: svíčková or a beer-hall goulash for ~£8; beer here is famously cheap (~£2 a pint).
🚌Vienna→Prague train (RegioJet/Railjet) ~£20
🛏Hostel in Prague Old Town / Vinohrady (dorm ~£15)
- →Charles Bridge at dusk
- →Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock
- →Czech beer hall dinner
Prague sightseeing
Prague, Czechia
Free walking tour of Prague Old Town, the Jewish Quarter (Josefov — synagogues + Old Jewish Cemetery ticket ~£12) and Wenceslas Square (tip ~£4). Afternoon: Prague Castle District self-guided walk (St Vitus Cathedral ~£10, Golden Lane) or a brewery tour. Optional evening: river cruise or a classical concert in a church hall (~£15).
🚌Prague 24h transport ticket ~£4 (or walk everything)
🛏Hostel in Prague (dorm ~£15)
- →Free Old Town & Jewish Quarter walking tour
- →Prague Castle & St Vitus Cathedral (~£10)
- →Charles Bridge & Lesser Town
- →Optional Vltava river cruise or concert (~£15)
Prague to Frankfurt via Nuremberg
Nuremberg, Germany → Frankfurt, Germany
Train Prague→Nuremberg (~£20-30 with a Czech/German combo ticket, 3h30) and spend an afternoon in Nuremberg's Old Town: the Hauptmarkt market square and the Frauenkirche (Our Lady's Church), plus the castle hill viewpoint. Continue to Frankfurt (~£25-35, 2h15) for a final night near the station or in Sachsenhausen.
🚌Prague→Nuremberg ~£25; Nuremberg→Frankfurt ~£30
🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse near Frankfurt Hbf (dorm ~£25)
- →Nuremberg Hauptmarkt & Frauenkirche
- →Nuremberg Castle viewpoint
- →Final evening on Frankfurt's Main riverbank
Departure from Frankfurt
Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany
Take the S-Bahn back to Frankfurt Airport for your flight home. If your flight is late, squeeze in a final walk along the Main or a museum on the Museumsufer (many are ~£8). Allow at least 2-3 hours before departure for check-in.
🚌Frankfurt Hbf→Airport S-Bahn S8/S9, ~£4.50
🛏—
- →Museumsufer (optional)
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£899 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,701 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£899
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 Central Europe by Cosmos (Self-Launched Edition) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £899 per person for 15 days in Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia). 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 Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £899 — a saving of roughly £1,701 (65%) per person.
How long is the Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia) trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia).
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, budget, city-breaks trip through Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czechia), 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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