Prague to Your River Cruise Ship: Passau, Nuremberg, Regensburg
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Direct trains link Prague with four river cruise ports: Děčín (1 hour 27 minutes), Dresden (about 2 hours 20 minutes), Regensburg (4 hours 6 minutes) and Vienna (about 4 hours 15 minutes); Budapest is 6 hours 51 minutes. Nuremberg needs one change (4 hours 40 minutes). Passau needs one or two changes: about 6 hours until December 12, 2026, and 5 hours 11 minutes from December 13. By car, Passau is about 140 miles (225 km), 3 hours. If you bought transfers or a Prague extension from your cruise line, the transfer is arranged for you. Around Prague checked timetables, cruise line pages and port operators' websites on November 10, 2026.
Prague to the cruise ports at a glance
| Port | Train from Prague Main Station | Bus from Prague | By car (planner estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passau (Danube) | No direct train. Until Dec 12: 6 h to 6 h 45 min. From Dec 13: 5 h 11 min via Linz | No direct FlixBus | 140 miles (225 km), about 3 h |
| Vilshofen (Danube) | No direct train; 5 h 17 min to 7 h 39 min, 1 to 3 changes | No FlixBus service | 150 miles (241 km), about 3 h 15 min |
| Regensburg (Danube) | Direct, 4 h 6 min, every 2 hours | FlixBus direct, 3 h 5 min to 3 h 50 min, a few a day | 163 miles (262 km), about 3 h |
| Nuremberg | One change, 4 h 40 to 4 h 46 min | FlixBus direct, about 9 a day, 3 h 19 min to 4 h 45 min | 181 miles (291 km), about 3 h 15 min |
| Dresden (Elbe) | Direct, 2 h 18 to 2 h 27 min, about every 2 hours | FlixBus and RegioJet, 1 h 55 min to 2 h 10 min | 89 miles (143 km), about 1 h 35 min |
| Děčín (Elbe) | Direct, 1 h 27 min or 1 h 45 min | None found | 70 miles (113 km), about 1 h 20 min |
| Vienna (Danube) | Direct, 4 h 12 to 4 h 20 min, 10 a day | FlixBus and RegioJet, 3 h 54 min to 4 h 50 min | 207 miles (333 km), about 3 h 25 min |
| Budapest (Danube) | Direct, 6 h 51 min (Nyugati) or 7 h 13 min (Déli), 8 a day | FlixBus and RegioJet, about 7 h | 328 miles (528 km), about 5 h 20 min |
Train times: idos.cz and ÖBB Scotty (Austrian Railways) for Wednesdays November 18 and 25 and December 16, 2026, from Praha hlavní nádraží (Prague Main Station). Bus times: FlixBus and RegioJet, November 18. Car times are route-planner estimates without stops. Fares change with demand, so we do not quote them.
Which port is yours?
Examples from the cruise lines' websites for the 2027 season:
- Viking: "Danube Waltz" Budapest to Passau and "Romantic Danube" Budapest to Regensburg, plus Christmas cruises on the same routes. "Elegant Elbe" runs Berlin to Prague: the ship's Czech port is Děčín, and Prague is part of the program.
- AmaWaterways: "Romantic Danube", 7 nights from Vilshofen to Budapest. Fares do not include flights or transfers.
- Avalon Waterways lists a Budapest to Vilshofen cruise.
Viking e-mails final documents, with the docking location, 14 days before embarkation. Wait for them before booking a non-refundable ticket.
Passau and Vilshofen
From November 20 to December 11–12, 2026, Scotty shows replacement buses between Regensburg and Passau. On November 25, you can take the 8:21 a.m. via České Budějovice and Linz (Passau Hbf, the main station, at 2:22 p.m., 2 changes) or the 7:35 a.m. to Regensburg plus the bus (2:15 p.m.).
From December 13, the 10:20 a.m. EuroCity runs directly to Linz, and an ICE reaches Passau at 3:31 p.m. (5 hours 11 minutes, one change). The 8:20 a.m. train via České Budějovice and Linz arrives at 1:31 p.m. (two changes).
Docks. The city utility Stadtwerke Passau runs 29 berths: 21 on the Old Town quay (Lände Altstadt) and 8 at Lindau (Franz-Weismann-Straße). The port company bayernhafen adds a dock at Racklau, within sight of the Old Town, and an overflow dock at Schalding. Stadtwerke's online berth plan shows ships moving during a call: on November 11, Viking Tor is at Old Town berth A2 until 9:45 p.m., then at Lindau berth L3.
Vilshofen, the AmaWaterways port up the Danube from Passau, has no direct train either; on December 16, Scotty shows 5 hours 17 minutes to 6 hours 47 minutes.
Regensburg and Nuremberg
Regensburg. A direct train leaves Prague every two hours at 35 minutes past the hour. Until November 20, a replacement bus covers Plzeň–Schwandorf, but the trip still takes 4 hours 6 minutes. Trains continue after December 13, but Scotty shows none from April 1 to May 14, 2027 (no reason given). For the new operator, see our train guide. The quay (Donaulände, berths D1 to D7) has been run by bayernhafen since January 1, 2026; buses can pick up guests at the quay.
Nuremberg. Trains need a change in Schwandorf (4 hours 40 minutes, a change of only 3 to 5 minutes) or Cheb (4 hours 46 minutes). Direct FlixBus buses are simpler. The city's passenger port is outside the center, at Europakai 10: 10 berths along 1,400 m (almost 0.9 mile) of quay. Bus 60 runs to the Röthenbach subway station, five stops from the main station; a taxi to the Old Town takes 15 to 20 minutes. Since February 10, 2025, the port has no parking (bridge repairs); buses and taxis can still drive up.
Dresden, Děčín, Vienna and Budapest
Dresden. Direct trains leave at 31 minutes past the hour, roughly every two hours from 6:31 a.m. FlixBus runs about hourly and RegioJet six times a day.
Děčín. The railjet (for example 8:31 a.m.) takes 1 hour 27 minutes; the slower R20 "Labe", 1 hour 45 minutes. We found no official public berth list for cruise ships in Dresden or Děčín; your documents name the quay.
Vienna. Railjet "Vindobona" and RegioJet trains reach Wien Hbf (Vienna Main Station) ten times a day. The port operator Wiener Donauraum has 12 berths for up to 24 passenger ships; its hub for cabin ships is the Schifffahrtszentrum at Handelskai 265, by the Reichsbrücke bridge.
Budapest. The direct "Metropolitan" leaves every two hours from 5:37 a.m. to 1:37 p.m. for Budapest-Nyugati; RegioJet goes to Budapest-Déli. On our dates no direct Prague train used Keleti station. Mahart PassNave runs the International Ship Station at Belgrád rakpart, on the Pest bank, and lists 30 berths in the city, nine of them "International".
Plan your Prague trip
1. From the airport to the centre
2. Public transport and tickets
3. Money and currency exchange
4. Where to stay
5. What to see in 1, 2 and 3 days
6. What to book in advance
7. Beer halls and pubs
8. Day trips from Prague
9. What is on this week
Cruise line transfers
Viking's FAQ, read on November 10, 2026:
- Airport transfers are free with flights bought through Viking Air on dates that match the cruise.
- With your own flights on matching dates, you can buy airport transfers from Viking up to 30 days before departure. The FAQ gives no price.
- All extension packages include transfers. The Prague extension after "Danube Waltz" and "Romantic Danube" starts with a transfer "from your ship to your hotel".
Traveling on your own? Book a private car at a fixed price agreed in writing, and give the driver the quay name from your documents. Around Prague is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with any cruise line.
How much time to allow
Viking says embarkation on its Europe cruises generally begins at 12:00 p.m. (cabins other than suites are ready at 3:00 p.m.; you can leave bags on shore earlier). Be on board at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. On the last day, cabins must be vacated by 9:00 a.m.
Example (our calculation): a 5:00 p.m. departure from Passau after December 13. On board by 4:30 p.m.; with a 3-hour margin for a missed connection, reach Passau by 1:30 p.m. That means the 8:20 a.m. train (arrives 1:31 p.m.). The 10:20 a.m. train leaves a one-hour margin. With connections as short as 3 to 5 minutes, a night in the port city is safer. For the return, search idos.cz or Scotty: we checked only the Prague-to-port direction.
Luggage and border checks
Austrian Railways (ÖBB) carries luggage free on its trains if it fits on the racks or in luggage areas, up to 90 × 60 × 40 cm (about 35 × 24 × 16 inches) per piece. Prague's Main Station has lockers but no staffed luggage office; see our luggage storage guide.
Germany and Austria are running temporary checks at their land borders with Czechia until March 15, 2027, so keep your passport at hand on the train or bus. See our Germany–Czechia border controls guide and entry requirements for US citizens.
What changes on December 13, 2026, and low water
- The 2027 rail timetable starts. Scotty warns that planning for it "has not yet been completed", so times may still change.
- Passau gets faster: 5 hours 11 minutes via Linz.
On November 9, 2026, Viking reported "abnormally low water levels" on parts of the Danube, Elbe and Rhine: some itineraries are modified, and some guests move to an identical sister ship. Viking says it tells guests what to expect typically seven days before embarkation.
Prague to your river cruise ship: questions and answers (FAQ)
How do I get from Prague to Passau for a river cruise?
By train with one or two changes: about 6 hours until December 12, 2026, then 5 hours 11 minutes via Linz. By car, about 3 hours.
Is there a direct train from Prague to Nuremberg?
No. Change in Schwandorf or Cheb (4 hours 40 to 4 hours 46 minutes), or take a direct FlixBus.
How long is the train from Prague to Regensburg?
4 hours 6 minutes on the direct train, every two hours. Scotty shows no direct trains from April 1 to May 14, 2027.
Does Viking provide transfers from Prague to the ship?
Transfers are included with Viking Air flights and with Viking extension packages. Otherwise Viking sells airport transfers up to 30 days before departure.
Where will my river cruise ship dock?
Passau, Vienna and Budapest have many berths, so check your cruise documents for the dock.
Do I need my passport on the train from Prague to Germany or Austria?
Yes. Both countries check their land borders with Czechia until March 15, 2027.
Sources: IDOS timetables, ÖBB Scotty route planner, FlixBus, RegioJet, Viking: FAQ, Viking Air, updates on current sailings, Danube Waltz 2027, Romantic Danube 2027 and Elegant Elbe 2027, AmaWaterways Romantic Danube, Stadtwerke Passau: port and berth plan, bayernhafen cruise service, das Stadtwerk Regensburg, Tourism Nuremberg: arrival by ship, City of Nuremberg: passenger port, Wiener Donauraum: locations and berth plan, Mahart Ports Budapest, ÖBB luggage rules, European Commission: temporary border controls. Checked on November 10, 2026; timetables and cruise programs change, so confirm before you travel.
See also: Trains to Prague from Berlin, Munich and Vienna, From Prague Airport to the city center, Taxi in Prague: fares, Uber and Bolt, Luggage storage in Prague, Prague entry requirements for US citizens.
Photo: A river cruise ship at the Old Town quay in Passau, with Veste Oberhaus above the Danube (2007). Aconcagua, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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