St Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice (photo © Michal Jesensky / dreamstime.com).
St Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice (photo © Michal Jesensky / dreamstime.com).
From Vienna to Budapest through Slovakia
This route links the two great cities of Habsburg power: Budapest and Vienna. In the final phase of the Habsburg Empire, these two cities were the twin centres of political influence and commercial innovation in Austria-Hungary. With an arcane web of law and privileges and a rich medley of cultures and languages, this was a disparate empire. But from about 1840, the railways assumed ever greater importance in linking the scattered Habsburg territories. This is a route that blends Habsburg style with assertive Modernism and along the way takes in some grand mountain scenery.
MAP Double click on the map (or double tap on mobile) to zoom in. You can connect onto other routes in places shown in red (just click/tap on the red map icon marking the place to reveal other routes linked to it). Zoom out of the map again by cliking the 'minus' sign at the top left of the map.
Whether you are making a long grand tour or just planning a couple of weekend breaks, Europe by Rail is the perfect guide. The book describes 52 key routes in detail. Together, they span mainland Europe and the British Isles. Find out more about the guidebook below.
