Budapest vs Vienna: Thermal baths or Habsburg palaces?
Budapest has the most beautiful thermal baths in Europe (Széchenyi). Vienna has Schönbrunn Palace and world-class coffee houses.
Updated: 22 July 2026 · compiled by the CheapTrips editors
Choose Budapest for thermal baths and ruin bars. Choose Vienna for imperial palaces and coffee houses. Flights from the Netherlands take about 2 hours to Budapest and about 1 hour 45 to Vienna. On price, Budapest is a good deal cheaper. For a first visit most travellers pick Vienna.
Budapest
Budapest is the Pearl of the Danube: thermal baths from the Ottoman era, ruin bars in old former ghetto buildings and the most beautiful lighting in Central Europe.
Flight from NL: €60 return
View Budapest →Vienna
Vienna is imperial grandeur in a modern guise: Habsburg palaces, coffee houses where Freud wrote down his ideas, and one of the highest quality-of-life scores in the world.
Flight from NL: €80 return
View Vienna →Budapest vs Vienna at a glance
| Budapest | Vienna | |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight from NL | €60 return | €80 return |
| Flight time from Schiphol | about 2 hours | about 1 hour 45 |
| Coast / beach | No | No |
| Museums | Good | World-class |
| Nightlife | Lively | Decent |
| Winter weather | Cold | Cold |
| Best months | April, May, June, September, October | April, May, June, September, October |
| Ideal length | 3 days | 3 days |
| Price level | € | €€€ |
Budapest and Vienna are both popular for a trip from the Netherlands, but they feel quite different. Budapest is known for thermal baths and ruin bars, while Vienna is about imperial palaces and coffee houses. On price, Budapest is a good deal cheaper. Budapest ideally needs 3 days, while you can see Vienna well in 3 days. The best months are April, May, June, September, October for Budapest and April, May, June, September, October for Vienna. Want to combine them: The train runs in about 2 hours 40 between Budapest and Vienna, one of Europes easiest twin-city routes. All prices below are indicative and based on return flights from Schiphol or Eindhoven outside the school holidays.
Best time to visit compared
Budapest
April-June and September-October: 18-25°C and the baths are perfect to combine with lovely weather. December is fairytale-like with Christmas markets and thermal baths in the snow. July/August is hot but the baths are ideal for cooling off.
Vienna
April-June and September-October: pleasant 18-22°C with parks in bloom. December is magical with Christkindlmarkt on several squares. Avoid July/August (35°C, little air conditioning) and January/February (grey, sometimes below zero).
Flights + transfer from the Netherlands
Budapest
From Schiphol to Budapest-Ferenc Liszt (BUD) in 2 hour. KLM and Wizz Air. To center: bus 100E €3, or train. Locally: metro/tram €1, 24-hour pass €6.
Vienna
From Schiphol to Vienna (VIE) in 1 hour 50 minutes. KLM, Austrian Airlines. From airport: CAT-train €14 or S-Bahn S7 €4,30. Locally: metro/tram-ticket €2,40, 24-hour pass €8.
Costs compared
Budapest
Hostels from €12, mid-range hotels €50-80, vacation rentals €60 per night. Food: lángos €3, lunch goulash €8, dinner €15-22, beer €2.
Vienna
Hostels from €25, mid-range hotels €90-140, vacation rentals €100 per night. Food: würstelstand €4, traditional lunch €12-15, dinner €25-35, coffee with cake €10.
Who is it for?
Choose Budapest if you are...
Spa fans, lower budget, party seekers (ruin bars).
Choose Vienna if you are...
Fans of classical music and palaces, coffee-culture lovers, those who want something a bit more refined.
Our verdict
Budapest is 40% cheaper. Vienna is more expensive but more refined. 2.5-hour train between them.
Plan your trip
Frequently asked: Budapest or Vienna
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Discover these destinations
See the individual travel guides with live prices from the Netherlands.