- 01Walk the center
- 02The trams
- 03The S-Bahn
- 04The ferries
- 05The hillside railways
- 06Bicycles and the river path
01Walk the center
The Altstadt is small: the Frauenkirche, the palace, the Zwinger, the Semperoper and Brühl's Terrace are all within a few minutes of each other. The Neustadt is a walk across the Augustus Bridge — the crossing is part of the sightseeing. Arriving by train? See getting here.
02The trams
Dresden's trams, run by the city transport company DVB, are the way to reach everything beyond walking distance: the Großer Garten, Blasewitz for the Blaues Wunder, the Military History Museum, and Kleinzschachwitz for the ferry to Pillnitz.
Note Every tram has a ticket machine inside, between the first and second doors, that takes contactless cards and phones — not cash. Ticket machines at the main stops sell the full range, and the DVB app sells tickets too. A ticket bought on paper must be stamped when you board.
03The S-Bahn
The suburban trains link the airport, both main stations and the towns along the Elbe. One ticket system covers S-Bahn, trams, buses and the city ferries within a fare zone, and central Dresden and the airport are in the same one. They are also the way out for the day trips.
04The ferries
Three small ferries cross the Elbe inside the city. The Johannstadt–Neustadt crossing, just east of the center, gives a view of the Altstadt skyline from the water. The Laubegast–Niederpoyritz ferry crosses in the middle of the meadows. The Kleinzschachwitz–Pillnitz ferry lands in front of the palace — it is the only one that carries cars, and with tram 2 the transport company calls it the fastest way from the center to Pillnitz.
Most of them do not run to a fixed timetable but cross as they are needed. Ordinary tickets for the city are valid on them.
05The hillside railways
At Körnerplatz in Loschwitz, across the Blaues Wunder, the Standseilbahn funicular and the suspended Schwebebahn climb the valley slope, both run by the city transport company. Note They close for maintenance at times — check the operator before you go.
06Bicycles and the river path
A cycle and walking path follows the Elbe meadows through the city on both banks — the gentlest way to reach the Blaues Wunder or Pillnitz from the center. See the Elbe.
Schematic, not to scale: the bridges, the three city ferries and the hillside railways.
On footthe Altstadt, and across the Augustus Bridgeeverything central is minutes apartFoto Fitti, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tramthe rest of the citythe on-board machines are contactless onlyBybbisch94, Christian Gebhardt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ferrythree crossings inside the citymost cross as needed, not to a timetableАндрей Романенко, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hillside railwaysKörnerplatz, Loschwitzthey close for maintenance at timesBybbisch94, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Booking the practical bits
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A place to leave luggage on the day you check out, so the last afternoon goes on the river rather than on a suitcase; and mobile data for tram connections and the ferries on the move.
