Budapest VS Vienna VS Prague

Budapest, Vienna, and Prague are three popular destinations in Central Europe. You can get there easily by airplane, train or car from any city in Europe. 

• Vienna has a remarkable classical music and art scene with the best options for pastries
• Budapest is famous for its thermal bath and party scene. Moreover it is also affordable and has the best cuisine
• Prague has its famous historical landmarks. Along with being the most walkable, it is also famous for its beer

To get an even more detailed idea between Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, keep reading this article. 

Budapest VS Vienna VS Prague: Quick Comparison

The table shows a quick difference between the three mighty cities of Central Europe. 

Factors	Budapest	Vienna	Prague
Location	Hungary	Austria	Czech Republic / Czechia
Accommodation	Least Expensive	Most Expensive	Mildly Expensive
Things to do	Thermal Spa, Techno Party	Opera House, Museum, Art Gallery	Prague Castle, Old Town, Beer Tour
Foods to Try	Goulash, Langos, Kürtőskalács	Wiener Schnitzel, Apfelstrudel, Sachertorte	Trdelnik, Svíčková, Koláče
Night Life	Most Exciting with the Techno scene	Relatively calm	Provides a good mix of bars and party scene
Pricing	Least Expensive	Most Expensive	Mildly Expensive

Budapest VS Vienna VS Prague: Detailed Comparison

Location

All three cities are the capital of their countries. Budapest is in Hungary while just a train ride away Vienna is located in Austria. Whereas Prague is inside the Czech Republic. 

Conveniently all three cities are located in Central Europe and they are just a train ride away from each other. Keep in mind that, although a major tourist hub three of these cities are different from each other.

In Budapest, Hungarian is widely spoken whereas in Prague it is Czech. Although quite multicultural, Vienna’s top spoken language is German. 

Best Way to Get There

You can get to Prague, Budapest, or Vienna by airplane. There are regular flights from the United States, Australia, Canada, and the UK to these countries. If you are flying in from Europe, Ryan Air offers low-price options starting from 15 euros to get to these cities. 

Driving is another great option to visit Prague, Budapest, or Vienna. The table below shows the duration required from some major European cities if you drive at the speed of around 65 miles per hour. 

From	Budapest	Vienna	Prague
London	18 hours	15 hours 30 minutes	13 hours
Paris	15 hours	13 hours	11 hours
Munich	07 hours 30 minutes	04 hours 30 minutes	04 hours
Madrid	25 hours	25 hours	23 hours 30 minutes
Milan	09 hours 15 minutes	08 hours 45 minutes	09 hours 30 minutes

However, when in Europe, the best way to get around is using the train. No matter where you are especially in France and Italy, there are some amazing options to choose from. 

There are daily direct trains to three of these cities from Munich, Zurich, Berlin, Dresden, and Bratislava. If you are coming from Eastern European cities like Krakow, Minsk, and Moscow there are night trains to Prague. 

The best part is that the intercity service is also one of the best in the world. You have frequent train connections between Budapest, Vienna, and Prague with high-speed rail. 

You can use the Rail Europe website to cut your train tickets in advance. 

Accommodation

If you are young and on a budget then Budapest has the cheapest options to stay whereas Vienna is the most expensive in this list. This has particularly got to do with the overall affordable cost of living in Hungary in comparison to Austria. 

We have made a table that shows some of the neighborhoods from each of the cities you can choose based on your budget or priority. 

Type of Tourist	Budapest	Vienna	Prague
On a Budget	Terezvaros [District 6]	Leopoldstadt [2nd District]	Žižkov, Holešovice, Smíchov, or Vinohrady
On Romantic Getaway	District 5	Innere Stadt [1st District]	Old Town [Staré Město]
On Business Trip	Palace District	Innere Stadt [1st District], landstraße [3rd District]	Old Town [Staré Město], New Town District

Based on this, you can easily decide which district or neighborhood to choose. 

Budapest

If you are staying in Terezvaros or District 6 in Budapest, there are some great options to choose such as the Hotel Oktogon Haggenmacher and Eurostars Ambassador. 

As someone on a honeymoon, there are some great options to choose such as the Aria and Buddha Bar Hotel. Aria Hotel is just next to the St.Stephen’s Basilica and the hotel has rooms playing music in different genres. You can also try the famous boat hotel Grand Jules on the Buda side of the Margaret Bridge.

Bonus: Check out what to choose for a honeymoon between Italy and Spain. 

Vienna

If you decide to stay in the inner city center of Vienna or the Innere Stadt, you get plenty of options such as Appartement-Hotel an der Riemergasse, Boutique Hotel Das Tigra, and Grand Hotel Wien which are quite on the pricy end. 

Don’t worry, if you are on a budget you can have an amazing time at the Motel One Wien-Prater and SO/Vienna, the latter overlooks the Danube Canal. All of these hotels are in Leopoldstadt. 

Prague

Prague is relatively affordable with budget-friendly hotels like Hidden Art Boutique Residence in Žižkov and Anna in Vinohrady.

If you prefer the old town then Astoria Hotel and Ventana are some great options to try.  

Public Transportation

Budapest provides a well-organized and affordable transportation network. Whereas Vienna’s public transport is highly reliable, safe, and clean. Along with them, Prague’s transportation system is recognized for its cleanliness, speed, and reliability, featuring an integrated and user-friendly setup.

Budapest has one of the oldest metro in Europe which is efficient and comes in four different lines i.e. M1, M2, M3, and M4. It also has a comprehensive network of trams and buses. You can get a surreal experience of the city through the Danube River Cruises. 

When you get to Budapest, make sure to get the Budapest Card which is an all-in-one pass offering unlimited public transportation within city limits along with other perks for around 33 euros per day. 

Vienna offers the Wiener Linien and Ring Tram which are bus and tram services offering a convenient travel option throughout the city. With Ring Tram, you can hop on and off to create your own tour. 

There is also an Open-air pedicab which offers a unique experience when you are in Vienna. 

Prague also offers an excellent metro and tram service to get you around the city. The metro system has three lines which take you to different parts of the city. Biking is another great option you can try in Prague.

But among the three, Prague is the most walkable city. So, if you are into walking, Prague is a great option to get around. 

Bonus: Find out the best option between Antwerp and Brussels. 

Things to do

Vienna with its classical vibe is an excellent city to have a fine time at the art gallery, museum, and opera halls. Prague offers a better experience with its beer halls, gothic architecture, and historical buildings. Budapest is the best option when it comes to its thermal baths and food. 

If you visit during winter, all three cities offer a remarkable experience with their Christmas market and overall charm. 

Budapest

Budapest is a picturesque city in Hungary with the mighty Danube River running in between. As soon as you get to this city get a Budapest Card. It is around 33 euros per day for adults and children above 6. 

With this card, you get free entry to places like the Hungarian National Gallery, the Hungarian National Museum, the Castle Museum, and the Buda Tower. 

You can get around 20% discount on thermal baths such as Széchenyi Baths, and Rudas Baths to get the full experience of the spa city. For a detailed idea, check the Budapest city website. 

Apart from this, Budapest offers a lot of options with its St. Stephen Basilica, the Hungarian Parliament Building, and the Hungarian State Opera. 

If you are looking for a party experience then Budapest is one of the best cities in Europe. With amazing techno scenes at Arzenal, AETHER, and ENTER, and the night spa party or sparty at Széchenyi Baths, you are never short of fun activities in Budapest. 

Vienna

Vienna is well known for its art and classical music scene with a wide display of art galleries, museums, theaters, and opera houses. Just like Budapest, it has the Danube River. 

When you get to Vienna, pay for a Vienna City Card. It starts as low as 17 euros per day and offers exciting perks like discounts on museums, restaurants, and hotels, and free public transportation. 

It boasts its beauty from the historical architecture present throughout the city such as the Schönbrunn, and Belvedere. Apart from them, you can get the best classical music experience in the world from venues like the Musikverein, the Wiener Staatsoper, and the State Opera House. 

Prague

Prague is as Central European as it gets. This is a city where you get the mix of Germanic and Slavic worlds at the same time. 

A lot of people visit Prague for its iconic Old Town or just to walk around the Charles Bridge. But you can also hike up to Prague Castle and visit the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. Its Jewish Quarter is also a famous place to visit. 

You can enjoy a black light theatre show and when in Prague, don’t forget to go on a beer tour. Czech beer is one of the most famous in the entire world. 

Foods to Try

Vienna is world famous for its pastries and Wiener Schnitzel whereas Budapest has Goulash and Chimney Cake. Finally, Prague offers delicacies like Svíčková and Trdelník. 

Among the three cities, Budapest offers the most delicious collection of foods to try. You can get everything from spicy Goulash to savory Langos. If you have a sweet tooth, the city won’t disappoint you as it offers Kürtőskalács and Chimney Cake. 

If you go to Vienna, you must try the Wiener Schnitzel, Apfelstrudel, and Sachertorte. Finally, in Prague try their Trdelnik, Koláče, Svíčková, and of course beer. 

Pricing

Vienna is the most expensive city between the three whereas Budapest is the cheapest. Prague is in between when it comes to overall cost. 

In Vienna, the consumer prices are about 36% higher than that of Budapest whereas Prague has 20.8% lower living costs than Budapest. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague are great cities to visit and you will get a remarkable experience from all three. So, if you are looking to visit these central European gems then book your ticket now.