Prague – Budapest (and Reverse)

Border and Travel Notes

• Passports are generally not required at the border anymore, and former lengthy crossing times no longer apply. Drivers may still have to complete formalities that can take about 10 minutes.
• There are several motorway restaurants between Prague and Brno. Alternatively, stop in Bratislava for lunch (Euros required).
• Another possible stop is Brno (roughly midway). It’s less attractive than Bratislava and more difficult to navigate if unfamiliar.

Driving Times (Approximate)

Prague → Brno: 2h 30m (210 km)

Brno → Bratislava: 2h (130 km)

Bratislava → Gyor: 1h 30m (72 km)

Gyor → Budapest: 1h 30m

Border formalities: allow 10–30 minutes.

Bratislava – Possible Visit and Lunch Stop

Bratislava is a small, easy, and attractive town for a short sightseeing stop. A formal walking tour is optional, but you can show a lot in a short time, so prepare some commentary.

Coach drop-off: Rázusovo Nábrežie, in front of the Park Inn Hotel Danube, immediately east of Most SNP (the “UFO” bridge). The bus park is ~400m further east along Rázusovo Nábrežie, near the Slovak National Museum. Arrange a pickup time with the driver.

Walking route: From the Park Inn, enter the pedestrian zone. Consider leading the group past the Cathedral (Hungarian coronation site), along Michalská (main shopping street), and through the Old Town to the main square. Alternatively, give free time to explore. Statues such as “The Watcher” and “The Frenchman” are popular photo stops.

Tips: The Old Town is compact—no more than 10 minutes across. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and ATMs. Public toilets are limited; basic facilities are located at the far end of Hviezdoslavovo Square (right of the Slovak National Theatre). Otherwise, recommend using restaurant facilities where lunch is taken.

Brno – Possible Visit and Lunch Stop

Come off the motorway, follow signs to Centrum, and head for the train station (Hlavní nádraží). Drive past the main entrance and turn left two blocks later onto Rooseveltova. Bus parking is available by the Janáček Theatre.

Group logistics: Arrange a rendezvous time with the driver. Walk the group (about 5 minutes) into the main square (Náměstí Svobody). There are many cafés, restaurants, banks, ATMs, and exchange offices (better rates than banks).

Give the group free time for lunch, then reconvene in Náměstí Svobody and walk them back to the bus.