Lower Danube

[raydobbs]

I’m looking to book a river cruise about  on the Danube between Budapest and Bucharest. I know that the river flows towards Bucharest which would seem to be the best way to travel but has anyone travelled upstream from Bucharest to Budapest? I am considering travelling June/ July next year and would like to know what the temperatures are like during that period. Thanks

[WisRiver]

We were on a Viking River Cruise from Bucharest to Budapest in June, 2018.  Weather was cool and cloudy in Romania and Bulgaria, sunny and pleasant in the Balkans and Hungary.  Who knows what the weather will be next year.  I understand it has extremely warm in Central and Eastern Europe this summer.  

[franski]

We did this cruise with Viking a few years ago - in late April.  We had hot & dry weather --> in excess of 30 degrees celcius. I was hoping it would be a bit cooler - but it was manageable - until the air conditioning unit broke down!!

 

It was suggested that we start our tour in Bucharest - as you sail towards areas that have recovered a bit more financially (ie: improved infrastructure....).  If you start in Budapest, it could be a bit depressing sailing towards areas still struggling a bit.  

 

We are doing this itinerary again next October with Avalon --> but are spending 2 nights in Brasov (Transylvania) before boarding the boat at Fetesti - closer to Km 0 on the Danube. 

 

Fran

[Andee]

We sailed from Deggendorf to Bucharest June 20 to July 3. No rain, but about half of the days were 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which we found miserable. 

[pontac]

21 hours ago, raydobbs said:

I’m looking to book a river cruise about  on the Danube between Budapest and Bucharest. am considering travelling June/ July next year and would like to know what the temperatures are like during that period. Thanks

 

Hi @raydobbs

 

Last month we cruised Budapest - Bucharest June 3-13 2019. The weather was around 25C, no rain. I was with Viking and the rooms are airconditioned to your setting. The public rooms and coaches are also air-conditioned to a temperature I always found too chilly.

 

You may find the thread on this trip of information, and my brief report on page 22 of the thread, link below

 

[ural guy]

We did Bud-Buc a few years back, I think just because it was cheaper?

 

I always wondered though, if you're going downstream, do you sometimes get a bit more time in port, or do they just throttle back on the engines, and the transit times between ports are about the same?

 

[Floridiana]

Since Bucharest is not on the Danube, how long is the bus ride from the port to the city?

[laverendrye]

14 hours ago, Floridiana said:

Since Bucharest is not on the Danube, how long is the bus ride from the port to the city?

My recollection is that it was about an hour from Bucharest to the port of Giurgiu where we embarked.

[Floridiana]

Thank you, that's not too bad.

[raydobbs]

Hi All, Thanks for your comments, still haven’t made my mind up so keep the advice coming. 

[Kenster]

I wouldn't let the flow of the river be a deciding factor.  Choose a cruise that fits your schedule. There'll be little to no difference in overall timings.  Example: We've sailed the Rhine/Danube both directions between Amsterdam and Vienna.  The direction the water flowed never entered our mind. I don't believe the flow is that great anyway.  Something like 3-10 kilometers per hour (2-6 miles per hour).  Basically, insignificant.   Enjoy the ride!

[pontac]

On 7/28/2019 at 11:23 AM, laverendrye said:

My recollection is that it was about an hour from Bucharest to the port of Giurgiu where we embarked.

 

Our trip in June this year ended in Bucharest. 

 

You don't travel from the port of Giurgiu directly to your hotel, instead you travel through Budapest to the other side to the village museum, that took 2.5 hours - with a comfort stop at a filling station along the way. After the museum you are bussed to the lunch venue and then back into the centre of Bucharest for a walking tour. Luckily Mrs P spotted our hotel and we bailed out of the walking tour and we walked the other direction to the Radisson Blu hotel. Our baggage was already in our room as it had been separately shipped.

 

Why did the journey take so long? First because the roads are in terrible condition with the bus slowing almost to a stop to creep over bridges. But mostly because traffic in Bucharest is so dense and we had to pass through the centre to get to the museum.

 

OTOH, the journey next morning to the airport in a mini-bus only took 25 minutes.