Few river cruises deliver as much of Europe in a single sailing as the Rhine-Main-Danube route. Ships typically run between Amsterdam and Budapest, in either direction, over three rivers and five countries in about 14 nights.

Who sails Amsterdam to Budapest

Several lines run this route, usually in 14 nights. AmaWaterways calls its version Magnificent Europe, and Viking sails it as the Grand European Tour. Other lines offer their own versions. Popular dates can fill early, so book well ahead.

What does an Amsterdam-to-Budapest cruise cost?

Few sailings follow this route, and each runs about twice as long as a typical weeklong cruise, so we no longer publish a separate pricing chart for it. You can still estimate your cost with our True Per Diem charts for the rivers at either end.

In our latest charts, sample 7-night Rhine sailings for 2027 run from about $416 to $1,099 per person per night. Sample Danube sailings run from about $380 to $842. Multiply the per diem for the line you like by 14 nights to get a ballpark. At $500 a night, for example, a 14-night sailing comes to $7,000 per person.

Longer sailings, shoulder seasons and top-deck suites move that number, and so do incentives such as air credits and early-booking savings. Ask for the total price with taxes, port charges and gratuities, then compare what each line includes. Start with our Rhine, Main and Danube guides.

Why cruise the Rhine, Main and Danube all at once?

Itineraries incorporating the Rhine, Main and Danube provide a vast landscape of Europe. And though these cruises can span longer than two weeks, you’ll find yourself not wanting your cruise to end.

From trading posts to water-powered factories, these rivers have long served as the lifeblood of this western continent. That being said, it’s important to mention something: River cruising views aren’t always that of the Monet and Rembrandt variety. Factory smokestacks often greet your arrival instead of castle turrets and fortress walls. This shouldn’t dissuade you by any means, quite the contrary, but understand that given the cultural clout of these destinations, some river cruisers visiting the city must dock in an industrial port more suitable for loading and unloading gravel and grain than river cruise passengers.

While that might be contrary to the gloss and glamour of ocean liner terminals, it also encapsulates the essence of river cruising: you are being delivered to culture’s doorstep, where locals coexist with visitors and life unfolds before you.

The Main-Danube Canal that links the Main and the Danube changed the face of river cruising across the continent. The man-made canal runs between the German towns of Bamberg and Kelheim via the historic city of Nuremberg, transporting thousands of river cruise passengers every year between this famous trio of rivers. While it may go largely unnoticed today, this technological marvel remains a surprisingly recent addition to the German landscape.

Although an early version of the canal existed prior to World War II, heavy damage during the war years destroyed many of the early locks that lined the river. To complicate matters, bridges had been destroyed and waterways were clogged, making the resumption of river traffic at the end of World War II anything but easy. By the early 1950s, plans for the reconstruction of the canal were no longer a priority, and the idea was shelved.

Just a decade later, it became apparent that a link between the Rhine, Main and Danube was greatly needed after all, thanks to an increase in both passenger and freight traffic on the waterways. The canal would also serve as a sign of German unity in a Europe that rapidly sought to forgive and forget after the horrors of the Second World War. But rather than a simple reconstruction of the locks that existed prior to 1945, plans were drawn up for a new system of locks that would unite the rivers once and for all and finally allow ships to travel uninterrupted from Amsterdam to the Black Sea.

By the time the last section was completed in 1992, the canal had grown to span a distance of 106 miles. But this journey is anything but a straight line between two rivers. The canal rises and falls with the surrounding landscape, and because of the extreme height differences between the two rivers, a total of 16 locks had to be constructed to alternately lift and lower ships along their journey. At their highest point along the Continental Divide, locks carry ships to a height of more than 1,000 feet above sea level.

Keep exploring

See how the rivers compare in our True Per Diem price comparison, read about the Lower Danube beyond Budapest, or ask us for personal recommendations.