Budapest to Novi Sad
The adventure begins with a morning reception in the Royal Waiting Room at Budapest Nyugati station. Board the Danube Express and your sleeping car attendant shows you to your accommodation. Settle down in the privacy of your compartment or take a seat in the lounge car as the journey begins through the Hungarian countryside towards Serbia. Lunch is taken en route to Novi Sad where a guided tour includes Liberty Square and the beautiful Dunavska (Danube) Street in the Old Town, then the impregnable Petrovaradin Fortress, known as the “Gibraltar of the Danube”. Leaving Novi Sad, the train crosses the mighty Danube with dinner served as it continues its passage on through Serbia.
Sofia
Daybreaksees the Danube Express snaking through the rugged splendour of the 17 kilometre long Sićevo gorge. Up to 400 metres deep, this canyon carved by the Nišava River forms part of a major natural route which, from ancient times, has connected Europe and Asia. The Bulgarian border is crossed and, in the capital Sofia, the delights of one of Europe’s oldest cities are revealed. From the ancient city walls and the Rotunda of St George to the St Sophia Church and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia has a unique and eclectic mix of Western and Central European architecture. After lunch on board, sit back and unwind as the scenery glides past – rolling farmland, forested mountains and rural Bulgarian villages. Relax with a drink before dinner as the journey continues through the scenic Maritsa River valley and crosses the border into Turkey late in the evening.
Istanbul
Wake and enjoy breakfast as the Danube Express travels alongside the Bosphorus. Asia is glimpsed across the water as east meets west before morning arrival at Sirkeci station in Istanbul, the world’s only metropolis straddling two continents.
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