© Florian Trykowski

EXPRESS TO THE ROCK KINGDOM

Nationalparkbahnhof Bad Schandau © Florian Trykowski

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, about 30 kilometers from Dresden and 150 kilometers from Prague, are easily and quickly accessible by almost any means of transportation.

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.

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, the friendly staff of the transport association RVSOE at ☎: +49 03501 7111999 and the transport association Upper Elbe (VVO) is available.


Tourist Timetables Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland 

 

This allows you to use local public transport in the tariff zones of the Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe (VVO) Pirna (70), Bad Gottleuba (71), Bad Schandau (72) and Neustadt (73) (all tariff zones in Saxon Switzerland) as well as the Kirnitzschtalbahn during your vacation without an additional ticket.

Excluded are special means of transport such as the hiking boat and means of transport operated by other companies such as passenger shipping on the Elbe, the ferry in the spa town of Rathen and private bus services. Separate tickets are required for the transportation of dogs, bicycles and beyond the tariff zones of the region.

 

BY TRAIN

© Claudia Nagel - Fotolia

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

 

BY CAR

Diese Übersichtskarte zeigt die Möglichkeiten zur Anreise, markiert linkselbisch und rechtselbisch und enthält alle Personenfähren in der Region.© TVSSW

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. Please note that the Elbe can only be crossed by car in Pirna or Dresden. The bridge in Bad Schandau is permanently closed. Depending on whether you want to cross to the right-hand side of the Elbe (Bad Schandau) or the left-hand side (Königstein), follow the signs. Crossing the Elbe is possible with passenger ferries in all towns.

You can reach the towns in the rear part 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.

 

FAQ closure bridge
Route planner
E-Mobility: Charging stations in the region
Road construction sites in the district

 

Bad Schandau bridge over the Elbe closed

Elbbrücke Bad Schandau mit Eisenbahnbrücke (Carolabrücke) und dem Lilienstein im Hintergrund© TVSSW/Marko Förster

The Elbe bridge in Bad Schandau (B172) is fully closed for safety reasons. This also applies to pedestrians and cyclists.

Planning for a temporary bridge and a new replacement has begun in parallel with the condition analysis, which is due to be completed by June 2025.

  • The national park railway station Bad Schandau, Krippen and Reinhardtsdorf can be reached via the exit coming from Pirna / Königstein
  • The slip road from Krippen and the national park railway station onto the B172 in the direction of Königstein / Pirna is possible
  • Diversion is via the Elbe bridges in Pirna.

changes public transport

Due to the current closure of the Elbe bridge, NO buses can run between the town of Bad Schandau and the National Park railway station (across the Elbe).

The following alternatives are recommended: Ferry F3/4 Bad Schandau Elbkai - Krippen/Postelwitz, F5 Bad Schandau Elbkai - National Park railway station, F6 Königstein ferry station - Halbestadt
Train U28 Bad Schandau - Rathmannsdorf - Sebnitz as an alternative.

The operating times of the ferries have been extended and use is free of charge.

The bus routes will be operated as follows:

  • Line 241 is divided as follows:
    left-hand Elbe: Pirna - Königstein - Bad Schandau, National Park railway station
    on the right bank of the Elbe: Bad Schandau, Elbkai - Hinterhermsdorf 
  • Line 244 runs on a shortened route: Bad Schandau, National Park railway station - Kurort Gohrisch - Cunnersdorf
  • Line 251 runs shorter on the route: Bad Schandau, National Park railway station - Krippen - Kleingießhübel
  • Line 252 is divided as follows:
    left hand side: Schöna - Krippen - Bad Schandau, National Park railway station
    on the right bank of the Elbe: Bad Schandau, Elbkai - Ostrau - Schmilka
  • Line 253: only runs on the right bank of the Elbe on the route Bad Schandau - Prossen - Rathmannsdorf (change to U28 to the National Park railway station possible) - Porschdorf - Waltersdorf 
  • Line 260 only runs on the right bank of the Elbe on the route: Bad Schandau, Elbkai - Lichtenhain - Sebnitz

Please note that the stops Rathmannsdorf, Brücke and Bad Schandau, Elbbrücke can only be served by line 253.  
 

current timetables

current state: 17.02.2025

BY BUS

© Solveig Großer

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

 

NATIONAL PARK RAILROAD SAXON BOHEMIAN SWITZERLAND

© Martin Schmidt

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

 

 

(STEAM)NAVIGATION ON THE ELBE RIVER

© Achim Meurer

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.

KIRNITZSCHTALBAHN

Kirnitzschtalbahn Straßenbahn im Nationalpark© Marko Förster

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

 

SAXON BOHEMIAN NATIONAL PARK EXPRESS

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

 

 

 

BOHEMIAN SWITZERLAND

© Frank Exss

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

 

 

 

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