How to get there?
By air
The Dresden airport is located centrally. From the airport to the city centre it takes only a few minutes by car or public transport.
The Dresden airport is located in the northern part of the city. It has a direct connection to the A4 motorway (exit Flughafen Dresden) and from here to the A13 and A17. It is also within the city limits and is only 20 minutes from the city centre if you travel on the S2 commuter railway line. The corresponding train station is inside the airport building at a lower level. The trains travel every 30 minutes between the airport and Dresden’s train stations. At the entrance to the airport there are bus stops for the busses 77, 97 and 425. Taxis take 30 minutes to get to the city centre and by public transport this journexy lasts around 40 minutes.
If you cannot book a direct flight to Dresden you can fly to cities which are relatively close by:
- Berlin: The average distance between each of the 3 Berlin airports (Tegel, Tempelhof, Schönefeld) and Dresden city centre is 200 km. You can travel either by car or by train from Berlin.
- Leipzig: The distance between the Leipzig/Halle airport and Dresden city centre is 100 km. You can also travel by car or train from here.
The following airports are also possible: Frankfurt (distance: approx. 470 km), Munich (distance: approx. 460 km), Düsseldorf (distance: approx. 600 km), Hamburg (distance: approx. 525 km). All of these cities are very well connected to Dresden by Deutsche Bahn trains. Here you can easily find a timetable nad you can also reserve tickets and pay online. You can also buy tickets directly at the departure station. To purchase tickets you need either euros or a valid international credit card.
It’s also possible to rent a car at the arrival airport and you can return it to a branch of the rental company in Dresden. You can book the car before your departure via internet or directly at the car rental office at the airport. To rent a car you will need the following documents: passport or identity card, a valid driving licence, an international credit card.
General flight information, Airport Dresden – information on public transport:
By rail
Dresden has two large centrally located train stations. They are extremely well-connected to the public transport network.
If you travel to Dresden by train, you will arrive at one of the city's two centrally located train stations: on the south side is the Dresden Hauptbahnhof (main station) and on the north side is the Dresden-Neustadt station. Trains from Leipzig, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich arrive and depart regularly. Individual connections to Dresden can be found on the internet and tickets can be purchased online, by phone with a credit card or directly at the train station.
Once you have arrived in Dresden you can easily continue your journey via public transport or taxi. If you want to travel by tram or bus we recommend checking the Dresden Public Transport System's line map.
Public transportation services:
German Railways:
By car
Three main motorways lead to Dresden. Many parts of the city can be easily reached from the ring road around the city.
The motorways A4 (Frankfurt - Görlitz), A13 (Berlin) and A17 (Prague) lead to Dresden. The individual exits offer easy access to different districts in the north, west and south of the city.
You can also reach Dresden via B roads and rural roads.
Dresden city map:
Getting Around (Public Transportation)
Tram Lines and buses
Dresden offers a comprehensive network of regular public transport, with 12 tram routes and 27 bus routes. The Dresden transport corporation DVB recently added 60 low-floor trams and 123 low-floor buses to its fleet.
A ride of four stops or fewer costs €1.70, a 24-hour pass is €4.50. Maps and tickets are sold at automated dispensers outside the main rail station. There is limited service after midnight.
Suburban railways (S-Bahn)
Three Dresden suburban railway services connect the city with the larger neighbouring communities, above all those in the Elbe valley.
S1 – Meissen to Schöna via Pirna (Saxon Switzerland)
S2 – Dresden-Hauptbahnhof (city centre) to Dresden Airport
S3 – Dresden-Hauptbahnhof (city centre) to Tharandt via Freital
Cable Cars (funicular railway)
The Loschwitz cable railways are two of Dresden’s most captivating means of transport.
The busier and more accessible of the two is the Standseilbahn. The 547-meter long funicular railway links the suburb of Loschwitz with the hillside residential area of Weisser Hirsch. This cable car has been in service since 1895.
The cable cars between Loschwitz and Oberloschwitz, called theSchwebebahn have been in operation since 1901. The two passenger cabins are each suspended on a 256-meter long support rail and are pulled to a height of 84 meters, providing passenger with an excellent view of the city.
The valley stations of the two cable railways are located just off Körnerplatz. They each take just five minutes to bring passengers to the top of the slopes above the Elbe valley.
Fare on either funicular is € 1.70 each way. For operating hours and more details, contact the tourist office at tel. 0351/8571011.
Ferry
The Elbe ferries are the most romantic means of transport in Dresden. The ferry operates all year around, in all weather; they smoothly glide across the waves and offer passengers a short and convenient way to cross the river.
Five ferries service Dresden, each operated by the same authorities that maintain the city’s network of trams and buses. One is a vehicular ferry across the River Elbe between Dresden-Kleinzschachwitz and the Pillnitz Castle. The passenger ferries operate between Laubegast and Niederpoyritz, Johannstadt and Neustadt and Cossebaude and Radebeul.
To reach its departure point, take tram no. 1 from Postplatz. For more information, call tel. 0351/8571011.
Taxis
There are some 500 taxis on the road 24 hours a day, with almost 100 taxi ranks spread across the whole city. To order service call tel. 0351-211211 nationwide: 19410
Visitor Information
The Information Centre, Pragerstrasse 10 (tel. 351/49192100), is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Another branch of the Information Centre is located at the Schinkelwache, Theaterplatz (next to the Semper Opera). It has the same phone number and the same business hours, plus it is open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
