Danube Express 2008 -- Transylvania and the Bosphorus

Day 1: Budapest
Arrival in Budapest for a two-night stay in this cosmopolitan city straddling the Danube. You will stay in the recently refurbished Hotel Astoria (4 star), or similar, situated in the very centre, only a few minutes walk from the Danube and with easy access to all parts of the city. Dinner will be in the hotel and you will have time for a stroll along the river to see the illuminated city.

Day 2: Budapest
Your morning sightseeing tour includes the Cathedral, Heroes Square and City Park on the Pest side. On the Buda side you will visit Gellert Hill for possibly the best views of Budapest and finally Castle Hill with the St Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. In the afternoon you have the option of a visit to the Children’s Railway in the Buda Hills. In the evening you will have dinner in a restaurant close to the hotel.

Day 3: Kecskemet
During lunch the Danube Express heads south onto the Great Hungarian Plain to Kecskemet where you will be taken on a short walking tour of this picturesque town. After rejoining the train you can relax in the lounge car before dinner as the journey continues to the Romanian border.

Day 4: Sighisoara
A full, cooked to order, breakfast is provided before you arrive in Sighisoara. There will be a short walking tour of this wonderfully preserved medieval city and supposed birthplace of Dracula. Lunch is taken on the train as it continues to Brasov. You then have the opportunity to visit Bran Castle (called Dracula’s Castle by some) and the magnificent Peles Palace situated amongst spectacular mountain scenery. Dinner is on board the train as it heads south to cross the Danube on its way to Bulgaria.

Day 5: Veliko Turnovo
A full day sightseeing off the train. Your comprehensive programme includes a tour of the fortress town and World Heritage site of Veliko Turnovo, lunch with a folklore show together with a visit to one of the seven ancient monasteries in the area. On return to the Danube Express you are invited to drinks in the lounge car followed by a farewell dinner in the restaurant car. The border with Turkey is crossed in the early hours.

Day 6: Istanbul
The last few miles into Istanbul are alongside the Bosphorus and you will have glimpses of Asia. On arrival you will be taken on a sightseeing tour to include the Golden Horn, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome and Basilica of St Sophie. There are two nights in the modern Hotel Lares Park (4 star), or similar, situated close to Taksim Square. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.

Day 7: Istanbul
Morning visit to the Blue Mosque followed by a cruise on the Bosphorus from which you will be able to see the beauty of Istanbul from the water. In the afternoon you are free to wander through the Grand Bazaar or perhaps take the ferry across to Asia. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.

Day 8: Tour ends
After breakfast you transfer to Istanbul airport for departing flights.

	Classic Double	Classic Single	Deluxe Double	Deluxe Single
Transylvania and the Bosphorus	$3,850	$4,940	$5,140	$9,750

Eastbound: (Budapest-Istanbul)	Sept. 21-28
Westbound: (Istanbul-Budapest)	Sept. 24-Oct. 1

Deposit
A deposit of $1,000 per person is required within seven days of booking in order to confirm reservations. Credit cards are accepted for deposits. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Click here to download our tour booking form. Please read over our terms and conditions before booking. Deposits made for this tour are nonrefundable.

The Danube Express Train
The new Danube Express private train, headquartered in Budapest, is our newest entry in IRT’s lineup of the top 25 trains in the world. We were the first agency in North America to test it out, and we think Society of IRT travelers will love it.

Its four itineraries focus on Central Europe, although the train ventures as far as Berlin, Istanbul and Vienna.

A typical air-conditioned eight-car Danube Express train will be an intimate experience with just 54 maximum passengers. The consist includes staff car, two older “classic” sleepers (rooms are 33.2 square feet, with upper and lower berths; toilet and shower are down the hall), diner, lounge car with piano and three “deluxe” sleepers (two lower berths, en-suite shower and toilet). Deluxe sleeper rooms are 83.4 square feet, including the ensuite facilities. They are due for completion in January 2008. A staff member gives your “wake-up” call with a soft knock and morning coffee or tea; beer, wine and soft drinks are available throughout the journey and are included in the cost. Meals are delicious but not fancy and served at a single seating; service is experienced and friendly but not formal. The staff has been working on the train with European clients for many years, operating as the Royal Hungarian Express. The bar car seems always open, and the piano player, Apollo Berényi, sings hundreds of American and English-language songs and welcomes sing-alongs.