
9-16 July 2022
https://www.harmonyvoyages.co.uk/oysterband-danube-river-cruise/
Much as I enjoy Jane McDonald (and lately Susan Calman) travelling the world on giant cruise ships, no way would you get me on one, it's my idea of hell. But how about a river cruise, visiting cities I'd never been to but wanted to? Before lockdown for example I was planning a trip to take advantage of free travel for pensioners in Hungary. Then, I saw that Oysterband were planning such a journey down the Danube to Budapest, and so, after paying a deposit to Harmony Voyages, I sought the advice of The Man in Seat 61 to plan the rail journeys there and back.
Now, I don't like getting up early, so it was the 15.04 Eurostar to Brussels, a night at the Ibis Gare Midi, then on to Passau - the start of the cruise - via Frankfurt Airport ( this duffer managed to get off a stop too early - at Plattling - but it allowed me to have a pint of dunkel and a pretzel waiting for a local train.) I'd booked a night in the Art Hotel because I thought it was near the station. Wrong! It was quite a walk, and as a conversion of an old house, there were many creaky wooden steps to ascend! Luckily a couple had arrived same time as me and gave me a hand. The 'private bathroom' was a disappointment too, being at the end of a long corridor.

Now, no matter how well you pack you always forget something. This time it was the USB to tiny USB cable used to charge my battery pack. Luckily the sound guy on the boat charged it up for me. Two other annoyances were dodgy GPS roaming on my phone which meant I couldn't play Pokemon Go or use maps to find out where I was, and the pin on my Halifax Clarity card was not being accepted. Santander card did come to the rescue but watch out for transaction fees!
On Day 3 of the cruise (11 Juy) we called at Linz and took a ride on the steepest friction tram outside of Portugal (and maybe San Francisco). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%B6stlingbergbahn
Day 6 (14 July) Bratislava. I thought I'd take a tour of the city on a Dotto train or army truck, but had half an hour to wait so jumped on a tram - and got lost! No, I didn't go up the 'flying saucer'.
https://www.u-f-o.sk/en/ufo-vyhliadka.html



That evening, searching out Ruin Bar Szimpla Kert, I came across an Apple shop so asked a young Genius how come I wasn't receiving internet on my phone? A few clicks later it was all working. Asking how he did it, he shrugged and said it was something to do with the carrier. I was no wiser but at least maps were working, for now! A ruin bar BTW is a cross between a 1980s warehouse party and a farmers market. A bit too busy for me!

Hungarian Railway Museum Magyar Vasúttörténeti Park
I intended to take a scheduled local train from Budapest Nyugati Station 11.20 or 13.20 but couldn't see one on the departure board (I was expecting a heritage railcar ). So, after a long trek underground to a temporary container ticket office, and a back-up of instructions from Zsuzanna at reception, I took two buses and a walk in the heat to get there. I was greeted by two huge roundhouses filled with (mainly) black locos.
http://www.vasuttortenetipark.hu/en
Day 12 Monday 18 July
Budapest to Prague (with replacement bus!)
Budapest Nyugati 09.40 to 37/36
Prague Hlavni 16.42
Hotel EXE City Park Prague
Day 13 (Tuesday 19 July)
Prague to Brussels
DB had been sending me emails that there could be possible delays on this service and lo and behold on the Czech/German border we all had our passports checked by the German Border police. Then further along the line, instead of proceeding to Regensburg the train turned back, we were thrown off and had to await a local to take us there.
Day 14 Wednesday 20 July
Brussels 12.56 to London 14.00
St Pancras - home
