In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Dresden is 1 hour 34 to 1 hour 39 by direct Railjet from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, a train every two hours (07:33 to 19:28, with one at 06:12). The last direct train back leaves Dresden at 20:49. DB’s long-distance fares start at €21.99 (Sparpreis) and €6.99 (Super Sparpreis). The Frauenkirche is free and its dome €12, the Residenzschloss is €18 and closed on Tuesdays, and the Zwinger is €18, with its Picture Gallery closed on Mondays. A Deutschlandticket does not cover the Railjet. Or book a tour: the Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and Bastei Bridge day tripad is from €58 for 12 to 12.5 hours (GetYourGuide).
Getting there
Fares are DB’s published “from” fares for long-distance trains, one way, second class; the fare for a named train is in the DB Navigator app. The Sparpreis is tied to one train and can be cancelled free within three hours of booking, and children aged 6 to 14 travel free with an adult on it (bahn.de). The times below are for a weekday in October; the timetable changes on 13 December 2026.
| Route | Times | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Dresden Hauptbahnhof, Railjet | 07:33, 09:28, 11:28, 13:28, 15:28, 17:28, 19:28 (and 06:12) | 1 hour 34 to 1 hour 39 (1 hour 55 at 06:12) |
| Dresden to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Railjet | 06:53, 08:53, 10:53, 12:53, 14:53, 16:53, 18:53 | 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 36 |
| Dresden to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, ICE | 20:49 | 1 hour 39 |
| With one change, either direction | Several a day, by IC and the Airport Express (FEX) | 2 hours 4 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes |
| Regional trains | Several a day, two changes | 3 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 53 minutes |
The 20:49 is the last direct train back. The Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket covers the regional route for one day anywhere in Germany: €51 for one traveller, €63 for two, €75 for three, €87 for four and €99 for five, valid from 09:00 on weekdays and from midnight at weekends, with up to three children aged 6 to 14 free (bahn.de). A Deutschlandticket covers the regional trains too, but not the Railjet or the ICE. From 14 June to 12 December 2026 the Stadtbahn is closed to long-distance trains in the centre of Berlin: the Railjet still calls at Hauptbahnhof, while the IC trains between Dresden and Berlin are diverted over Ostkreuz (vbb.de).
Tours
Dresden is a train trip. The tour from Berlin is a different day, because it adds Saxon Switzerland. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult.
From Berlin: Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and the Bastei Bridge
From €58 · 160 reviews · 12 to 12.5 hours · English
Berlin: Dresden, Saxon Switzerland & Bastei Bridge Day Tripad is for a reader who wants the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland as well as the city; the train gives a longer day in Dresden itself.
Tours that start in Dresden
Old Town walk €29 · Elbe cruise to Pillnitz €32 · Saxon Switzerland from €30
These start in Dresden, so they suit a reader who arrives by train. Dresden Old Town - Guided Walking Tour in Englishad is €29 for 2.5 hours (192 reviews). Dresden: Elbe River Cruise to Pillnitz Castlead is €32 for 3 hours (2,669 reviews), and Dresden: River Sightseeing Boat Cruisead is €27 for 1.5 hours (6,168 reviews). From Dresden: Saxon Switzerland National Park Full-Day Tripad is €30 for 7 hours (1,163 reviews).
What to see
The Residenzschloss stands among the Semperoper, the Zwinger and the Frauenkirche, so the three sights below are one walk. Take the 07:33 Railjet, which arrives at 09:07, and the 18:53 back, which gives nearly ten hours in the city.
The Frauenkirche
Church free · dome €12 (€7 reduced, €24 family) · open every day
The Church of Our Lady is open to visitors Monday to Friday 10:00 to 11:30 and 13:00 to 17:30, with changing times at weekends that are in its calendar. The dome is the climb: 174 steps to a window level at 29 metres, then a spiral ramp with a 14 per cent gradient round the outer dome and two more flights, one a steep ladder staircase, to a viewing platform at 67 metres. The dome is open Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 13:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 18:00, and closes at 16:00 from November to February. A guided ascent of about an hour for up to 25 people needs a reservation (frauenkirche-dresden.de).
The Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Residenzschloss
Royal Palace ticket €18 (€13.50 reduced) · Historic Green Vault time ticket €18 · closed Tuesdays
The Royal Palace is open daily 10:00 to 17:00 except Tuesday, and the Historic Green Vault stays open on Fridays until 19:00. The Royal Palace ticket covers the Armoury and State Apartments, the New Green Vault, the Coin Cabinet, the Cabinet of Prints, Drawings and Photographs and the Hausmannsturm. The Historic Green Vault is a separate €18 time-slot ticket, with a free audio guide, and the museum recommends booking it online. The Hausmannsturm alone is €5 and is open until 2 November 2026, with last entry at 16:30 (skd.museum).
The Altstadt skyline across the Elbe, with the Frauenkirche dome, the Augustus Bridge and the Semperoper. Photo: Guido Radig, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
Zwinger
Zwinger ticket €18 (€13.50 reduced) · Picture Gallery closed Mondays
The Zwinger ticket covers the Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Sculpture Collection up to 1800, the Mathematical-Physical Salon and the Porcelain Collection; the Salon alone is €6. It is not valid for the special exhibition “Correggio. Movingly Human”, which runs from 19 September 2026 to 10 January 2027. The Picture Gallery is open daily 10:00 to 17:00 except Monday, and 10:00 to 18:00 from Friday to Sunday between 27 November and 30 December 2026 (skd.museum).
The Zwinger courtyard and its fountains. Photo: WoodChuckNorris, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Before you go
| Day | What to know |
|---|---|
| Monday | The Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Zwinger is closed |
| Tuesday | The Residenzschloss, including the Historic Green Vault, is closed |
| Friday | The Historic Green Vault stays open until 19:00 |
| Last train | The 20:49 ICE is the last direct train to Berlin, arriving at 22:28 |
Dresden is one of the day trips from Berlin; Potsdam and the Spreewald are the shorter ones, and the hub compares them all. Berlin public transport covers the way to Hauptbahnhof, what to book before you go to Berlin has the city tickets, and where to stay in Berlin compares the areas. In Berlin, Museum Island and best museums in Berlin cover the galleries.
Common questions
How long is the train from Berlin to Dresden?
1 hour 34 to 1 hour 39 by direct Railjet from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, every two hours from 07:33 to 19:28, with one earlier train at 06:12 that takes 1 hour 55 minutes. Trains with a change take 2 hours 4 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes, and the regional route 3 hours 25 minutes or more.
How much is the train from Berlin to Dresden?
DB's fares for long-distance trains start at €21.99 for a Sparpreis and €6.99 for a Super Sparpreis, one way, second class, tied to one train; the DB app shows the fare for your date. A regional day ticket for the slower route, the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket, is €51 for one traveller and €63 for two.
Which Dresden sights are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays?
The Residenzschloss is closed on Tuesdays and the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Zwinger on Mondays. The Frauenkirche is open every day.
How much does it cost to go up the Frauenkirche dome?
€12 for adults and €7 reduced, €24 for a family. The dome is open Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 13:00 to 18:00, and closes at 16:00 from November to February. Entry to the church itself is free.
Is there a tour from Berlin to Dresden?
Yes: a 12 to 12.5 hour day trip to Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and the Bastei Bridge, from €58 on GetYourGuide. Tours that start in Dresden include an Old Town walk in English and Elbe boat trips.
