Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest in one trip: three Danube capitals with a single flight
A 5-night budget itinerary: fly into Vienna, take the bus on to Bratislava and Budapest, then head back to Vienna for your flight home. Nights, travel times and tips.
Updated on 17 September 2026
At a glance
- One return flight to Vienna, three capitals: Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, all on the Danube.
- 5 nights: 2 in Vienna, 1 in Bratislava, 2 in Budapest. On the day of your flight you're back in Vienna by late morning.
- About 7 hours on the bus in total, split into three short legs: none of them takes more than three hours.
- The loop works just as well in reverse, or starting from Budapest or Bratislava: pick whichever city has the cheapest flight that day.
Travel times are approximate: check timetables and stops on the operator's website before you book.
The route
| Leg | Transport | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Your airport → Vienna | Flight | depends on where you fly from |
| Vienna → Bratislava | Bus | about 1 hour |
| Bratislava → Budapest | Bus | about 2.5 - 3 hours |
| Budapest → Vienna | Bus | about 3 hours |
| Vienna → your airport | Flight | depends on where you fly from |
Vienna · 2 nights
This is where you land, and where you base yourself for the first two days. The old town is easy to explore on foot: St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg, the Graben and Kärntner Straße. Day two leaves time for the Belvedere, the Naschmarkt and, if you're up for it, Schönbrunn.
From the airport: trains and buses link Vienna-Schwechat Airport to the city centre in 20-30 minutes. Some long-distance buses stop right at the airport.
Bratislava · 1 night
Slovakia's capital is small and laid-back: the white castle on the hill, the old town with St. Martin's Cathedral and the Blue Church. One night is enough to see it without rushing, and restaurants and accommodation cost less than in Vienna.
From Vienna: about an hour by bus. It's one of the shortest international routes in Europe, with frequent departures throughout the day.
Budapest · 2 nights
The biggest of the three. Buda with the Castle and Fisherman's Bastion, Pest with the Parliament, St. Stephen's Basilica and the bars of the Jewish Quarter. Save half a day for the thermal baths, and a sunset stroll along the Danube.
From Bratislava: about two and a half to three hours by bus. Watch out for your arrival station: buses in Budapest use more than one terminal.
Back to Vienna
On the day of your flight, catch a morning bus from Budapest: you'll be in Vienna in about three hours. Choose an afternoon or evening flight and leave at least three hours between the bus arriving and your flight departing: the bus and the flight are separate tickets, and if the bus runs late the airline won't wait for you.
If you'd rather not take the risk, spend your last night in Vienna and fly out the next day at a relaxed pace.
Tips to keep costs down
- Compare flights to all three cities: Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest are served by several low-cost airlines. The trip is a loop, so you can start it from whichever is cheapest.
- Book your buses early: the lowest fares sell out first, especially on Fridays and Sundays.
- Travel with hand luggage only: a bag is usually included on the bus, but on the plane a cabin trolley almost always costs extra.
- Currency: Austria and Slovakia use the euro, Hungary the forint. With a card that has no foreign transaction fees, there's no need to change cash.
Let FlyDown work it out
When you create a watch you can switch on More cities in one trip: for every flight it finds, FlyDown checks which cities you can reach by bus from your destination, splits the nights between your arrival city and the others, and shows you the full loop with bus times and costs, within the budget you've set.