Dresden Transportation

Getting There:

By Air:

The Dresden International Airport (DRS) is a bustling international airport serviced by many carriers, including:

Air Berlin (http://www.airberlin.com)

Air Europa (http://www.air-europa.com)

Austrian Air (http://www.aua.com)

BMI (http://www.bmibaby.com)

Bulgarian Air Charter (http://www.bulgarianaircharter.com)

Condor Airlines (http://www.condor-airlines.ru)

German Wings (http://www.germanwings.com)

Hapag Fly (http://www.hapagfly.com)

Inter Airlines (http://www.interairlines.de)

LGW (http://www.lgw.com)

Lufthansa (http://www.lufthansa.com)

Nordic Leisure (http://www.worldairroutes.com/Nordic.html)

Sky Airlines (http://www.skyairlines.net)

South African Airways (http://www.flysaa.com)

Sun Express (+45 30 0180 59 59 59 0/ http://www.sunexpress.com.tr)

Tunisair (http://www.tunisair.com.tn)

United Airlines (+1 800 538 2929 / http://www.united.com)

For a list of other carriers, visit the Dresden International Airport webpage (http://www.dresden-airport.de)

By Train:

As part of the main Deutsche Bahn network, there are daily connections to all major German and European cities. A regional network of services (S-Bahn) also connects Dresden with important communities throughout the upper Elbe valley. All express trains arrive either at the central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) on the southern edge of the city center (at the end of Prager Strasse, within easy walking distance of the city center) or at Dresden-Neustadt station (two tram route connections to the city center and the central railway station).

By Car:

The motorway A13 connects Dresden and Berlin. From Görlitz in the East, from Leipzig, Bavaria or Hessen in the West and South, you can reach Dresden via the motorway A4. A further motorway to Prague is currently under construction. The existing motorways skirt Dresden on its western fringe. Four junctions provide access to the City. Dresden can also be reached on the trunk roads B6, B97, B170, B172 and B173. It is recommended that day visitors leave their cars on the edges of the city and travel into the center by bus, suburban train or tram.

Getting Around:

Dresden has an excellent public transportation system. You can choose to travel around by bus, tram, or suburban train. There are also cable railways and Elbe steamers available.

Bus and tram:

Dresden offers 18 tram routes and 26 bus routes that travel to almost every corner of the City. The dense network of routes serves almost 200 tram stops and 300 bus stops, many of which have been recently modernized. If you know German, you can visit the Dresden public transport corporation website for more information (http://www.dvbag.de).

Cable railways and Elbe ferries:

Two of special attractions that Dresden boasts are the Loschwitz cable railways. The 563-meter long Loschwitz Funicular Railway has connected Loschwitz with the Weisser Hirsch district (95 meters higher) since 1895. The cable cars between Loschwitz and Oberloschwitz have been running since 1901. The valley stations of both railways are situated at Körnerplatz. Since Dresden possesses relatively few bridges, the Elbe ferries have an important role to play in the city's transport system. There are three passenger ferries and one car ferry.

Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- The Dresden-Klotsche airport lies 10km (6 miles) north of the city center. The airport is served by Lufthansa and most international carriers, with regularly scheduled flights from 11 German cities and other major European cities. For flight information, call tel. 0351/8813360 or visit www.dresden-airport.de. A rail line that's linked to Dresden's S-Bahn network stretches from the airport to the city's main station, requiring 20 minutes' transit each way, and a one-way fare of 1.80€ ($2.90). A taxi from the airport to the center of Dresden costs about 20€ ($32).

By Train -- Dresden has two main rail stations, the Hauptbahnhof, on Wiener Platz, and the Dresden-Neustadt, at Schlesischer Park. Tram no. 3 connects the two. The city is served by the Deutsche Bundesbahn rail line, with frequent connections to major and regional cities. From Berlin, 15 trains arrive daily (trip time: 2-2 1/2 hr.); 12 trains pull in from Frankfurt (trip time: 5 hr.). For rail information and schedules, call tel. 01805/996633.

By Car -- Access is via the E50 Autobahn from the west or the E4 Autobahn from the north (Rostock, Berlin) or south.

Visitor Information

The Information-Center, Ostra-Allee 11 (tel. 0351/49192100), is open year-round Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm. Here you can book your accommodations and purchase a map of Dresden, get information booklets in English, and obtain tickets for theater, opera, and concerts. The city has a second branch of its tourist office at the Schinkelwache, Theaterplatz (same phone), that maintains the same hours, year-round, and performs the same services as the branch on Pragerstrasse noted above. Unlike the Pragerstrasse branch, however, the Schinkelwache branch is open on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Getting Around

By Public Transportation -- If you plan to see more than the historic core of Dresden, you can use the bus and tram lines. A ride of four stops or fewer costs 1.80€ ($2.90), or you can purchase a 24-hour pass for 4.50€ ($7.20). Maps and tickets are sold at automated dispensers outside the main rail station. Service is curtailed after midnight, though most major lines operate every hour. Dresden's S-Bahn reaches the suburbs.

By Funicular -- Dresden has two funiculars. The busier and more accessible of the two is the Standseilbahn, which links the suburb of Loschwitz to a hillside residential area, Weisser Hirsch. More remote, with less frequent runs, is the Schwebebahn, which links Loschwitz with Oberloschwitz on Saturday and Sunday only, carrying passengers to the viewing site at Loschwitzhöhe, which gives you an excellent view of the city. This funicular was the first of its kind in the world, built from 1898 to 1900. Fares on either funicular cost 1.80€ ($2.90) each way. For operating hours and more details, contact the transportation office at tel. 0351/8571011.

By Ferry -- 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. To reach its departure point, take tram no. 1 from Postplatz. For more information, call tel. 0351/8571011.

Dresden for Less -- The Dresden City-Card, which costs 21€ ($34) and is good for 48 hours, is a great deal for short-term visitors. The card gives you unlimited access to all public trams, buses, and ferries, plus free access to 12 of the city's best museums. There are also reductions on charges for certain sightseeing tours and some cultural events. The tourist office sells the card, and it's also available at the front desks of most hotels.