Run on Istanbul Bookings Leads to New Departures for the Danube Express

RUN ON ISTANBUL BOOKINGS LEADS TO NEW DEPARTURES

Istanbul, European Capital of Culture, is proving to be the hot ticket in 2010 for the Danube Express, the comfortable hotel train with en suite compartments and air conditioning.

With so few places left on their existing departures, two new holidays, the Transylvanian Return and the Istanbul Loop, are being introduced in response to the unexpected demand.

ISTANBUL LOOP

The Danube Express’ brand new Istanbul Loop journey gives passengers the option to go all the way by rail from London St. Pancras, travelling on the Danube Express from Budapest to Istanbul and back again without ever having to step foot on an aeroplane. While helping passengers to reduce their carbon footprint, the new rail-it-all-the-way version of the Istanbul Loop is ideal for those who are happy to turn their back on airport queues, flight delays and threats of cabin crew strikes.

Spend two nights in Budapest, before travelling in comfort on the gleaming hotel-on-wheels, where on a circular route, passengers encounter stunning scenery and ancient architecture. En route to Istanbul guests pass through Transylvania to explore Sighisoara, rumoured birthplace of Dracula, and Brasov with nearby Bran Castle. Journeying through the Carpathian Mountains and rural Bulgaria, further highlights ahead of arrival in Istanbul include the ancient capital city of Veliko Turnovo and Kazanlak. Spending one night in Istanbul, passengers have the fun of using the stationary Danube Express as their comfortable city hotel, before completing the loop back to Budapest. The return journey takes in the old town and Roman Amphitheatre at Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s capital city of Sofia, and Serbia’s second largest city, Novi Sad. Guests enjoy a further night at the classic 4-star Hotel Astoria in Budapest before they return to the UK.

Price: A 10-day fully escorted Istanbul Loop holiday, departing 7 June 2010, costs from £4,390 including return BA flights London-Budapest, three nights’ half board 4-star accommodation in Budapest, five nights’ full board on board the Danube Express with drinks, one night B&B on the Danube Express, sightseeing, transfers, and the services of a Tour Manager throughout. The rail travel all-the-way supplement including return First Class rail from UK-Budapest costs from £540pp. It is also possible to travel independently, just purchasing the 7-day Danube Express Journey from Budapest to Budapest at a cost of £3,690.

TRANSYLVANIAN RETURN

This 9-day rail adventure starts in Istanbul, and takes in Bulgaria’s rural landscapes, the Carpathian Mountains, and the spectacular scenery of Transylvania, finishing in Budapest. Spend two nights in Istanbul before joining the Danube Express where highlights en route to Budapest include two half-day excursions in Bulgaria to Kazanlak, the centre of the Valley of Roses and ancient Veliko Turnovo, and a further two explorations in Romania to Brasov, a town that is linked to the Dracula legend and Sighisoara, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. After departing the hotel-on-wheels in Budapest guests enjoy three nights in the city.

Price: Options for the Transylvanian Return include a 9-day Fully Escorted holiday or a 4-day Journey only trip with departures in May and September 2010. The Journey only costs £2,490 and includes three nights on board the Danube Express on a full board basis, including drinks and sightseeing. The Fully Escorted holiday costs from £3,390 and additionally includes air travel with BA (London-Istanbul, Budapest-London), two nights’ half board in Istanbul and three nights’ half board accommodation in Budapest in 4-star hotels, sightseeing, transfers, and the services of a Tour Manager throughout.

For more information on the Danube Express Tel 01462 441400 or visit

www.danube-express.com