How to Get from Berlin to Dresden: Train and Bus Options

Are you wondering how to get from Berlin to Dresden? In this post, I’ll show you options for taking the bus from Berlin to Dresden and for taking the train from Berlin to Dresden.

Dresden is a great city to add to your Germany trip, whether it’s a day trip from Berlin to Dresden or the next destination on your vacation. This beautiful city is full of interesting sights, and it’s well worth visiting on an eastern Germany itinerary.

It’s not too far from Berlin, so the logistics are pretty straightforward. Keep reading for details on getting from Berlin to Dresden.

How to get to Dresden from Berlin

Traveling from Berlin to Dresden is easy when you know how to do it.

What is the distance from Berlin to Dresden?

The driving distance from Berlin Hbf to Dresden Hbf is 195km (121 miles) so it’s not too far. However, it can take anywhere from two to four hours to drive depending on which route you choose, traffic conditions, and any road work that might be happening.

Plus parking isn’t easy in central Berlin or central Dresden, and you have to understand German driving laws. Unless you have a compelling reason to drive, I recommend taking an option that’s less stressful.

That’s why I have all the details you need for taking the bus or train from Berlin to Dresden.

>>Read: How to Get From Berlin Airport to City Center

How to Get from Berlin to Dresden by Train

Getting around in Germany using Deutsche Bahn is pretty simple, and getting from Berlin to Dresden is no exception.

There are direct trains from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Dresden Hauptbahnhof roughly once an hour. The travel time is from 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on which train you take.

When you’re looking at the Deutsche Bahn website, you’ll see a mix of high speed trains, such as RJ, IC, or EC. IC (and ICE) are German operated trains, while others like RJ and EC are operated by rail companies from other countries.

Most high speed trains going to Dresden also stop in at least one other Berlin station, and a few even stop at the BER Airport. Check which station is closest to where you’re staying in Berlin to see which one makes the most sense. You can also click on the train number to see its full route, including all other train stations in Berlin that train stops at.

Once in Dresden, most trains stop in both Dresden Hbf and Dresden Neustadt. If you want to explore the old town, or that’s where you’re hotel is, get out at Dresden Hbf. But the Neustadt is a great part of town with lots to see too. Make sure you know which station is closest to where you’re staying in Dresden so you get out at the right one.

Using high speed trains from Berlin to Dresden

When using high speed trains, you are usually bound to the exact train you choose, so you can’t hop on any train on that route. So if you booked a train from Berlin to Dresden for 9am, you must take the 9am train. (These are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)

The exception is if you buy the more expensive Flexpreis (Flexible Fare) ticket that allows this. I generally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense, unless you absolutely need that flexibility.

>>Check prices and schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website.

Using regional trains from Berlin to Dresden

There are ways of reaching Dresden from Berlin using only regional trains, but it will take you well over 3 hours and involve switching at least once, often more than once. And when I searched just a few days from today, it was actually much cheaper to take the faster trains.

If you do decide to use the regional trains, your ticket is valid for any regional train that day. So you can buy a ticket for a train that departs at 9am, oversleep, and grab a 10am train. (Again, these are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)

Another great option is the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket. This is a Germany day ticket which is valid for up to 5 people, so it’s a great deal if you’re traveling with a group and you’re willing to take the slower trains.

Are there seat reservations on trains to Dresden from Berlin?

On high speed trains in Germany, your second class ticket does not come with a seat reservation. This means you can sit anywhere within second class that isn’t already reserved.

Seat reservations cost 5.50 euros, and it’s highly recommended that you reserve. At busy times, the train could be rather full, and having a seat reservation means you won’t get stuck standing.

If you buy a first class ticket, seat reservations are included as long as you select it at the time of booking.

Regional trains do not have seat reservations. But be aware that most regional trains do have a 1st class section.

How to buy a train ticket from Berlin to Dresden

There are several ways to buy a train ticket to Dresden from Berlin, and all are fairly simple. High speed trains are often cheaper if you book several weeks in advance, so planning ahead helps.

They have recently made it harder to buy tickets on the train, and in some cases it’s not even possible. You will get checked almost every time, so don’t get on a train without a ticket.

In person
Deutsche Bahn has ticket offices in the train stations in Berlin, so you can buy a ticket in person. They won’t always speak English though, so this can be tricky.

If you decide to buy your ticket this way, I highly recommend going to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station) to buy your ticket. Here you’ll have a better chance of finding an employee who speaks at least some English.

At a machine
There are Deutsche Bahn ticket machines at the train stations, and they have a language option so you can switch it to English. These are the same machines used at Sbahn stations.

Simply follow the prompts to buy your ticket. Remember that times are often displayed in a 24 hour format, so 5pm would be 17:00, as an example.

Online
Tickets can also be purchased on the Deutsche Bahn website, which is also available in English. Once you’re done with your purchase, you’ll get an email with a PDF of your ticket which you can show on the train.

Deutsche Bahn app
The Deutsche Bahn app is also available in English, and it’s easy to use. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll have it right there in your app.

Types of tickets

When buying tickets online, once you put in your start and end cities, date and time info, and number of people, you’ll get a list of routes for that day. Choose a time, and you’ll have different ticket options to choose from, as seen in the photo above.

In general, cheaper tickets have more restrictions. The Sparpreis tickets bind you to the exact train, while the Flexpreis tickets let you take any train on that route that day.

For more detailed info, jump over to my step-by-step instructions on how to book train tickets on Deutsche Bahn.

Are there other companies that run trains from Berlin to Dresden?

FlixBus also runs FlixTrain, and they do have train routes between Berlin and Dresden. But they have limited routes, and they don’t operate every day.

The good thing is that if you’re using the FlixBus website and there is a FlixTrain option, it will show up too.

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Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

How to Get from Berlin to Dresden by Bus

If you’re traveling on a budget, FlixBus is another great option.

They leave roughly once an hour throughout most of the day, although there is a block in the middle of the day when the buses run less frequently.

Berlin has bus services from several stations, though not all stations are on every route. The buses to Dresden from Berlin leave from the central bus station, Südkreuz, or sometimes Alexanderplatz or the BER Airport.

The central bus station, called Berlin ZOB, is located in the western side of Berlin, quite far from the center. Unless you’re staying out that way for some reason, I recommend catching the bus from Südkreuz or Alexanderplatz.

The journey takes between two to three hours to get to Dresden from Berlin by bus, assuming there are no traffic problems. Most of the buses also stop in both Dresden Hbf and Dresden Neustadt, and the Neustadt stop comes first.

FlixBus is a comfortable option that will most likely save you some money in exchange for not too much extra time.

I’ve taken FlixBus more times than I can count, both in Germany and in other parts of Europe. Their buses are comfortable and safe, and I would highly recommend them if you’re trying to save a few euros.

The buses do have a bathroom, though I can’t vouch for their cleanliness because I do whatever I can to avoid going to the bathroom on moving vehicles.

Are there seat reservations on buses to Dresden from Berlin?

FlixBus does have an option to reserve a seat. This is good for people who want to make sure they’re seated with their family or friends, or if you are particular about where you sit.

But buying a ticket guarantees you a seat, so you don’t have to reserve a specific seat if it’s not important to you. Standing is not allowed on long distance buses.

Prices for seat reservations vary depending on the type of seat the route. They range from 1.50 to 5 euros.

How to buy a bus ticket from Berlin to Dresden

There are a few different ways to book a bus ticket to Dresden from Berlin.

In person
Technically you can buy a FlixBus ticket from the ticket office at the ZOB (central bus station) but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I’ve definitely been over there to catch a bus and noticed that the office was closed. Even if they were just closed for a short break, this feels too stressful when there are easier ways to book a ticket.

There are multiple travel agents around the city that can book you a FlixBus ticket, but finding them is even more of a hassle.

Online
The FlixBus website is an easy way to book tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

You can search your route, and it’ll show you all starting and ending points. So if you want to travel from Berlin to Dresden, you can see which stations the bus leaves from and buy based on that.

Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll get an email with a PDF that you can show the bus driver when boarding the bus.

FlixBus app
The FlixBus app is also easy to use to search for routes and buy tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

Are there other companies that run buses from Berlin to Dresden?

Other bus companies operate routes in Germany, but they are not as widespread as FlixBus. I have not seen any others running on the Berlin to Dresden route.

What’s the cheapest way to get from Berlin to Dresden?

Ticket prices fluctuate for both the train and the bus to Dresden from Berlin, but both are affordable.

Taking FlixBus will almost always be cheaper than the train. While writing this post, I searched for trains and buses just a few days out, and the trains were 20-22 euros, while the bus was 8-15 euros.

Both the train and the bus are comfortable, but I’d have to give a little more credit to the train for comfort.

The train is a little faster than the bus. Taking the train will save you anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

The train is less likely to have timing problems, but delays can happen with either the train or the bus. In dozens of trips on FlixBus, I’ve only dealt with a major delay (which was due to an accident miles ahead of us on the highway) one time.

If you’re in Berlin on a budget, every dollar and euro counts. Since the bus doesn’t take that much longer, I think taking the bus to Dresden from Berlin to save a little money is a good trade-off for budget travelers.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide for to how to get to Dresden from Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!