Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest Review, And Great Alternatives

Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest review. 

NOTE: This response from Mahart Passnave, the hydrofoil’s operator, landed in my inbox in May 2017: ‘We are sorry to inform you that we do not operate the Budapest – Vienna regular service any more.’

However, there are good alternative options out there, possibly even better ones for a day trip. CLICK HERE to explore alternatives.

Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest review. What is it really like to do this trip? For his round birthday, I gave my dad two cruise tickets for the hydrofoil from Vienna to Budapest and back. He loves boat rides and has owned various little boats for many years. On a sunny day in May, he finally boarded the hydrofoil with his partner Inge. Here are Fritz and Inge’s main impressions:

The Upsides

Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest review. “The hydrofoil looks great from outside and the seats were really comfortable.”

“The two locks that we passed, Freudenau near Vienna and Gabcikovo in Slovakia, were really interesting. It was impressing to see the 18m lock of Gabcikovo and imagine all the engineering excellence it must have taken the Slovaks and Hungarians to build that lock in the middle of the vast plains around.” “Because the hydrofoil glides above the water level, the ride is very smooth and no one on board became seasick.”

The Downsides

Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest review. “We actually found the scenery of the Danube between Vienna and Budapest rather dull. It’s mostly plains and the highest elevations around Gabcikovo in Slovakia are probably the cabbages in the fields. It’s really different to a boat trip through the Wachau Valley, for example.”

“The entertainment and tour information on board could have been better. There were occasional short films about some of the towns we passed, and a video screen showing the scenery taken from a web camera at the front of the boat.” “The food at the sandwich bar was very simple for a 5 to 6 hour ride. It’s best to take your own snacks with you.”

Alternatives To The Hydrofoil Vienna Budapest

When you think of it there may be better alternatives to the hydrofoil Vienna Budapest trip anyway. Instead of spending six uneventful hours on the way, why not half your trip time to Budapest by private transfer?

Once in Budapest, the Danube cuts right through the historic city, throwing a really exciting scenery at you.  Just embark on a local sightseeing boat ride. Actually, my favourite is the small private boat that whizzes you and your fellow travellers across the Danube in Budapest. See this video taken by a passenger:

The car ride will take no more than three hours, which leaves plenty of time for sightseeing. If you feel like it you can arrange stopovers with your driver in beautiful towns on the way. Among the most popular places are the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, the old Hungarian capital of Esztergom, and baroque Gyor.

If you are keen on an efficient day tour from Vienna to Hungary’s capital I’ll share my Vienna Budapest day trip with you. In fact I spent as many hours exploring Budapest than my dad had just going one way by hydrofoil.

By the way, instead of a private transfer or guided day tour you can always take the train from Vienna to Budapest. 

VISA requirements:

EU citizens may enter Austria, Slovakia and Hungary with an identity card. Children are requested to show a passport). Non-EU citizens travelling from Budapest to Vienna or vice versa may need a visa for Hungary and Austria. Non-EU citizens travelling from Budapest to Bratislava may need a visa for Hungary and Slovakia.

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