From East to West with London: Self-Launched Vienna to London

Fly into Vienna International Airport (VIE). Take the City Airport Train (CAT) or S-Bahn to the city centre (~£5). Check into your hostel or budget hotel in the 1st or 6th district — central and walkable. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings: stroll the Ringstrasse, grab a coffee at a traditional Viennese café, and explore the area around Stephansdom. No fixed plans tonight — settle in and relax.

🚌City Airport Train (CAT) or S-Bahn from VIE to Wien Mitte, ~£5-9

🛏Wombats City Hostel Vienna or Motel One Wien-Staatsoper, ~£20-35/night

• →Arrive and check in to budget accommodation
• →Self-guided stroll along the Ringstrasse and Stephansdom area
• →Grab a Viennese coffee and Apfelstrudel at a local café

Join a self-guided or GetYourGuide walking tour of Vienna's highlights: the Hofburg Palace, the Kunsthistorisches Museum exterior, the Belvedere gardens, and the Opera House. In the afternoon, take tram D or bus 38A out to the charming Grinzing wine village on the city's outskirts — a highlight of the original tour — where you can sample local Heuriger wine at a traditional wine tavern. Walk back or hop on public transport.

🚌Vienna public transport day pass ~£6; Tram D + Bus 38A to Grinzing

🛏Wombats City Hostel Vienna or Motel One Wien-Staatsoper, ~£20-35/night

• →Self-guided panoramic walk of Vienna's imperial centre (Hofburg, Opera, Ringstrasse)
• →Optional: Schönbrunn Palace visit — book timed entry in advance via schoenbrunn.at, ~£18
• →Tram/bus trip to Grinzing wine village — try a Heuriger wine tavern

Take the Railjet train from Wien Hauptbahnhof to Budapest Keleti — a scenic 2h30m journey along the Danube (~£15-30 booked in advance via oebb.at or raileurope.com). On arrival, drop bags at your hostel then head straight for a Danube boat cruise — book via GetYourGuide or direct with Legenda Cruises (~£12-15). Follow with a self-guided walk along Váci utca and the riverfront. In the evening, consider a local restaurant for Hungarian goulash.

🚌Railjet train Wien Hbf to Budapest Keleti, ~£15-30 booked in advance via oebb.at

🛏Maverick City Lodge Budapest or Corvin Hotel, ~£20-35/night

• →Railjet train Vienna to Budapest (~2h30m)
• →Danube River boat cruise, book via GetYourGuide or Legenda Cruises (~£12-15)
• →Self-guided walk: Váci utca, Chain Bridge, and Parliament exterior
• →Optional: Magyar Folklore & Dinner Show — book direct if available (~£60)

Take an early Flixbus or RegioJet coach from Budapest to Prague, stopping in Bratislava for 1-2 hours en route (~£20-35, journey ~7-8h total). In Bratislava, walk up to the castle or wander the charming old town. Arrive in Prague in the evening, check in, and take a first evening stroll across Charles Bridge at dusk.

🚌Flixbus or RegioJet from Budapest to Prague via Bratislava, ~£20-35 booked via flixbus.com or regiojet.com

🛏Sir Toby's Hostel Prague or Mosaic House Design Hostel, ~£18-30/night

• →Flixbus or RegioJet coach Budapest to Prague (~7-8h)
• →Short stop and self-guided walk in Bratislava Old Town and Castle
• →Evening walk across Charles Bridge, Prague

A full day in one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Book a GetYourGuide walking tour of Prague's highlights (~£15-20) or go self-guided with a map. Prague Castle (buy tickets on-site or online, ~£12) is a highlight — budget 2-3 hours. Walk back down through Malá Strana to Charles Bridge, then take an afternoon Vltava River boat ride (book via GetYourGuide or direct with Prague Venice Boats, ~£12). Spend the evening in the Old Town Square watching the Astronomical Clock.

🚌Prague public transport day pass ~£4; tram and metro within the city

🛏Sir Toby's Hostel Prague or Mosaic House Design Hostel, ~£18-30/night

• →Visit Prague Castle — buy tickets in advance online, ~£12
• →Self-guided walk: Malá Strana, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square
• →Vltava River boat ride, book via GetYourGuide or Prague Venice Boats, ~£12
• →Evening: Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock

An epic travel day with two great stop-offs. Take a morning RegioJet or Flixbus to Pilsen (Plzeň) — worth a stroll around the Republic Square and the famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery (~£10 tour). Continue by regional train or Flixbus to Nuremberg, then change for a regional train or taxi to Rothenburg ob der Tauber — a perfectly preserved medieval walled town, ideal for a 1-2 hour wander. Continue by train to Frankfurt, arriving evening. Alternatively, book a direct Flixbus Prague–Frankfurt and plan your own Rothenburg detour day-trip another time.

🚌RegioJet/Flixbus Prague to Pilsen (~£8), regional train Pilsen to Nuremberg (~£15), regional train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (~£10), train to Frankfurt (~£20). Alternatively direct Flixbus Prague–Frankfurt ~£25

🛏Five Elements Hostel Frankfurt or Generator Frankfurt, ~£18-28/night

• →Stop in Pilsen: Pilsner Urquell Brewery tour (~£10) and Republic Square
• →Stop in Rothenburg ob der Tauber: walk the medieval walls and town
• →Arrive Frankfurt — evening stroll along the Römerberg riverfront

Take the S-Bahn or regional train from Frankfurt to Rüdesheim am Rhein (~45 min, ~£10). Board the KD Rhine cruise from Rüdesheim to St. Goar (~£20-25, ~2h of stunning castle-lined scenery — book via k-d.com). Continue by regional train from St. Goar to Cologne (~1.5h). Walk past the magnificent Cologne Cathedral (free to enter). Then take the high-speed ICE train from Cologne to Amsterdam (~2h30m, ~£25-40 booked in advance via bahn.com or raileurope.com). Arrive Amsterdam evening.

🚌S-Bahn Frankfurt–Rüdesheim ~£10; KD Rhine boat ~£20-25; regional train St. Goar–Cologne ~£15; ICE train Cologne–Amsterdam ~£25-40 via bahn.com

🛏Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark or ClinkNOORD Hostel, ~£20-35/night

• →Rhine cruise Rüdesheim to St. Goar via KD Rhine (~£20-25), book at k-d.com
• →Stop at Cologne — visit Cologne Cathedral (free entry)
• →ICE train Cologne to Amsterdam (~2h30m)

A packed day of classic Dutch sights. Take bus 391 from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaanse Schans (~30 min, ~£4 each way) — the iconic windmill village is free to walk around; enter a windmill for ~£4-6. Head on to Volendam by bus (~20 min) for a stroll along the harbour, then take the seasonal ferry to Marken island (~£4). Return to Amsterdam and take a self-guided canal walk or book a GetYourGuide city walking tour (~£15). Many diamond-cutting workshops offer free entry (e.g. Gassan Diamonds — book free via their website).

🚌Amsterdam GVB/EBS day bus pass ~£8; Bus 391 to Zaanse Schans; local buses to Volendam and Marken ferry

🛏Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark or ClinkNOORD Hostel, ~£20-35/night

• →Bus to Zaanse Schans windmill village (free to enter, windmill interior ~£5)
• →Bus to Volendam harbour village
• →Ferry to Marken island (~£4)
• →Self-guided Amsterdam canal walk or GetYourGuide walking tour (~£15)
• →Free Diamond Cutting Workshop at Gassan Diamonds — book via gassandiamonds.com

Take the Thalys or Eurostar train from Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels (~1h45m, ~£20-35) or a Flixbus (~3h, ~£15). In Brussels, allow 2 hours to visit the Grand Place (free), snap a photo of Manneken Pis, and optionally see the Atomium from outside (entry ~£13 if you wish to go in). Continue by Thalys/Eurostar train or Flixbus to Paris (~1h20m by train, ~£20-40; ~3h by bus, ~£15). Check in to your Parisian hostel and take an evening stroll.

🚌Thalys/Eurostar Amsterdam–Brussels ~£20-35 via raileurope.com; Brussels–Paris ~£20-40; or Flixbus for both legs ~£15-20 each via flixbus.com

🛏Generator Paris or St Christopher's Inn Paris, ~£22-35/night

• →Train or Flixbus Amsterdam to Brussels (~1h45m by train)
• →Brussels: Grand Place (free), Manneken Pis, and optional Atomium visit (~£13)
• →Train or Flixbus Brussels to Paris (~1h20m by Thalys)

Explore Paris on your own terms. Take the Metro to the main sights — Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur (free), and the buzzing streets of the Marais. Book a GetYourGuide walking tour of central Paris (~£15-20) for local insight. Consider a half-day excursion to the Palace of Versailles: take RER C from Paris (~45 min, ~£7 return) and pre-book timed entry tickets via chateauversailles.fr (~£19-21) — as past travellers strongly advise booking ahead! Spend the evening exploring Paris's lively restaurant scene.

🚌Paris Metro day pass (Navigo Jour) ~£8; RER C to Versailles ~£7 return

🛏Generator Paris or St Christopher's Inn Paris, ~£22-35/night

• →Self-guided walk: Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur (free), and Le Marais
• →Optional GetYourGuide Paris walking tour (~£15-20)
• →Optional excursion to Palace of Versailles — RER C ~£7 return, entry ~£20 (pre-book via chateauversailles.fr)

Start the morning at the Eiffel Tower — pre-book timed entry to the second floor via toureiffel.paris (~£18-22; queues can be very long without a reservation). Then take a Seine River cruise — Bateaux Parisiens or Bateaux Mouches (~£15, book via GetYourGuide or direct). After lunch, take a SNCF train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen (~1h10m, ~£10-20 via sncf-connect.com). Spend the evening exploring Rouen's stunning old town and the Gothic Rouen Cathedral.

🚌Paris Metro to Eiffel Tower ~£2; SNCF train Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen ~£10-20 via sncf-connect.com

🛏Auberge de Jeunesse Rouen or ibis Rouen Centre, ~£18-30/night

• →Eiffel Tower visit — second floor access, pre-book at toureiffel.paris (~£18-22)
• →Seine River cruise with Bateaux Parisiens or Bateaux Mouches (~£15)
• →SNCF train Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen (~1h10m)
• →Evening self-guided walk: Rouen Cathedral and medieval old town (free)

Take a morning train or Flixbus from Rouen to Calais (~2h, ~£15-25). Cross the English Channel by DFDS or P&O ferry from Calais to Dover (~1h30m, ~£20-35 per person — book via dfds.com or poferries.com). From Dover, take a Southeastern train to Canterbury (~25 min, ~£6) for a quick self-guided walk through the medieval city and past Canterbury Cathedral (exterior free; entry ~£16 if you wish to go inside). Continue by train to London St Pancras or Victoria (~1h, ~£15-25). Check in to your London hostel and take a first walk to Tower Bridge.

🚌Train/Flixbus Rouen–Calais ~£15-25; Calais–Dover ferry ~£20-35; Dover–Canterbury train ~£6; Canterbury–London train ~£15-25

🛏Generator London or St Christopher's Inn London Bridge, ~£25-38/night

• →Train/bus Rouen to Calais (~2h)
• →DFDS or P&O Ferries Calais to Dover (~1h30m, book at dfds.com or poferries.com, ~£20-35)
• →Southeastern train Dover to Canterbury (~25 min); self-guided walk and Canterbury Cathedral
• →Train Canterbury to London (~1h); evening walk to Tower Bridge (free)

A full day to explore the British capital. Pick up an Oyster card or use contactless for the Underground. Walk the South Bank from Tower Bridge to the Tate Modern (free). Cross to the North Bank for Parliament, Westminster Abbey exterior, Buckingham Palace (Changing of the Guard is free — check timetable at royal.uk), Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Soho, and Chinatown — all free. Book a GetYourGuide walking tour for deeper local context (~£15-20), or join a free Sandeman's walking tour (tip-based).

🚌London Underground Oyster/contactless day cap ~£8; walking between central sights

🛏Generator London or St Christopher's Inn London Bridge, ~£25-38/night

• →South Bank walk: Tower Bridge to Tate Modern (free)
• →Westminster: Parliament, Westminster Abbey exterior, Buckingham Palace — Changing of the Guard (free)
• →Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Soho, and Chinatown walk (free)
• →Optional GetYourGuide London walking tour (~£15-20) or Sandeman's free tour (tip-based)

Your final day in London. Start at the British Museum in Bloomsbury — free entry, book a timed slot in advance via britishmuseum.org. Spend at least 2-3 hours exploring its world-class collection. Head north to Camden Market for lunch and a browse of its eclectic stalls. Enjoy a farewell meal in one of London's diverse neighbourhoods. Depart from any of London's airports or St Pancras International (Eurostar) for onward travel.

🚌London Underground Oyster/contactless ~£6; National Express or Tube to airport/St Pancras for departure

🛏Check-out — depart or extend stay independently

• →British Museum — free entry, book timed slot in advance at britishmuseum.org
• →Camden Market — lunch and explore the stalls
• →Farewell meal in London — try Borough Market or Brick Lane