EXPRESS TO THE ROCK KINGDOM

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, about 30 kilometers from Dresden (Germany) and 150 kilometers from Prague (Czechia), are easily and quickly accessible by almost any means of transportation. The main train station within Saxon Switzerland is Bad Schandau with direct international connections (Prague, Copenhagen, Budapest, Vienna ..).

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains are well served by public transportation. Most of the transport companies in the region belong to the Regional Transport Saxon Switzerland Osterzgebirge. This means: Whether S-Bahn, train, bus or ferry - one ticket is valid for all means of local transport.

If you book accomodation in the area, in most places you will receive a guestcard (Gästekarte mobil) which already includes public transport. For more details see below.

You can travel especially comfortably with day tickets. These are available for individuals, families or small groups. Once validated, you can use almost all means of transport in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The amount of the fare depends on the number of tariff zones traveled through.

For advice & information on route changes, check the websites of the local transport association VVO.

Saxon Switzerland is seamlessly connected to the regional and long-distance network of the Deutsche Bahn. By long-distance train you can reach Dresden as well as the national park station Bad Schandau directly, all other places from here by suburban train, bus or ferry.

The main traffic artery of the region is the S-Bahn line S1. It connects the Elbe Sandstone Mountains with the state capital Dresden and Meißen. From Pirna, the rails follow the course of the Elbe. This way, you always get impressive views of the bizarre rock world and picturesque villages like Stadt Wehlen, Rathen or Bad Schandau. From the stops there are numerous train, bus and ferry connections that open up the entire area.

Directions planner of the Deutsche Bahn

The quickest way to reach Saxon Switzerland by car is via the A17 or A4 motorways. We recommend changing from the A4 to the A17 at the Dresden-West motorway junction and then taking the Pirna exit. 

You can reach the towns in the back of Saxon Switzerland via the A4 motorway exit Radeberg, or from Dresden-Nord via the B6 towards Bautzen, take the Stolpen junction towards Bastei or via Sebnitz towards Bad Schandau or Hinterhermsdorf.

German and international bus lines go to Dresden (main station). There you simply change to the S-Bahn (S1/S2).

The dense network of lines of the Regionalverkehr Sächsische Schweiz Osterzgebirge (RVSOE) allows comfortable and fast progress in the entire national park region. Most excursion destinations are easily accessible by bus.

Especially for cyclists, the FahrradBus offer was developed on selected routes. Comfortably seated in the bus, the bike on the trailer, you can overcome altitude meters without effort. Bicycle buses are available in the region during the season from the beginning of April to the end of October on weekends and holidays. 

There is a similar offer for hikers: the WanderBus (hiking buses), with which the popular hiking areas can be reached without changing buses.

Complete route network

The Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland National Park Railway is a special offer in regional transport. It has connected the two towns of Bad Schandau and Sebnitz since the 19th century. Leaving the Elbe valley, the line climbs about 200 meters in altitude, passes through seven tunnels and crosses the Sebnitz River 28 times. The almost 16-kilometer route owes its name to its mountainous character - a reminiscence of the Semmering Railway in Austria. It is not only the half-hour ride that is an experience. Hikes along the route are also highly recommended. Each stop on the railroad is also the starting point for several beautiful tours through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.

National Park Railway Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland

A boat trip with the oldest and largest paddle steamer fleet in the world is simply part of a vacation in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Nowhere else can you enjoy the passing landscape as relaxed as on the sun decks of the Elbe ships. Saxon steam navigation

The ships of the passenger shipping company Oberelbe run the route Pirna - Obervogelgesang - Stadt Wehlen - Kurort Rathen - Königstein - Bad Schandau - Hrensko CZ in regular service.

A ride on the Kirnitzschtalbahn is a nostalgic experience. It is the only streetcar in the world that enters a national park. The traditional tramway jolts leisurely through the wildly romantic valley along the clear mountain stream Kirnitzsch. The nine stops from Bad Schandau to the Lichtenhain waterfall are ideal starting points for adventurous hikes in the national park.

Kirnitzschtalbahn

With its various routes, the Saxon-Bohemian National Park Express travels in vintage buses and trains to the most popular destinations in the region, such as the Bastei, Königstein Fortress, Brand, Hohnstein, Prebisch Gate, Edmundsklamm Gorge and more. The express to the Königstein Fortress runs daily from 9 a.m. every half hour from April to October to the foot of the fortress and back. During Advent weekends, the Fortress Express also shuttles between Reißiger Platz and the Königstein Fortress for visits to the historic and romantic Christmas market. In addition to the regular routes, tourists also have the opportunity to explore the region individually on special tours. The company puts together special round trips for this purpose.
 

Saxon-Bohemian National Park Express

There is a particularly attractive offer for trips to Bohemian Switzerland: the Elbe-Labe-Ticket. The cross-border ticket is valid for buses and trains in the entire VVO region, on local trains operated by Czech Railways (CD) in the Usti district, on city buses in Decin and on the popular border ferry between Schöna and Hrensko, and even on regional buses in the so-called "Schluckenauer Zipfel" east of Sebnitz and in the area south and west of Děčín.

With the Saxony-Bohemia ticket of Deutsche Bahn, small groups of up to 5 people can travel cheaply on selected local trains from all over Saxony to border areas in the Czech Republic. The ticket is also available for individual travelers.
 

Elbe-Labe-Ticket

Saxony-Bohemia Ticket

Current information on mobility restrictions in the region can be found at this link.