In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Dresden is a RegioJet bus of 1 hour 55 minutes from Praha Florenc, six a day, 299 to 499 CZK each way, or a České dráhy EuroCity of 2 hours 15 minutes at 647 CZK each way. Go Wednesday to Sunday: the Zwinger’s Old Masters gallery is closed on Mondays, and the Residenzschloss and Historic Green Vault on Tuesdays. Museums are €18 each, the Frauenkirche is free to enter, and its dome is €12. Or book a tour: the only one from Prague is the Dresden and Bastei Bridge coach tourad (£33.23 to £63.90, 4.8 stars from 238 reviews, 10 hours), which has a sightseeing bus tour of Dresden and free time but no entries. Go on your own for Dresden, and book the tour only for the Bastei (GetYourGuide).
Going on your own
Bus fares are RegioJet’s in October 2026, and train fares are České dráhy’s full adult fares (IDOS). Dresden prices are in euros.
- By bus: RegioJet from Praha Florenc to Dresden Hbf (Bayerische Strasse), 1 hour 55 minutes, six departures a day from 6:30 to 17:00, 299 to 499 CZK each way. The last bus back on a Tuesday in October was at 21:35. FlixBus fares start at €12.48 (FlixBus).
- By train: České dráhy EuroCity from Praha hlavní nádraží to Dresden Hbf, 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 19 minutes, at 8:31 and 10:31, 647 CZK each way at the full fare. Back at 15:10 and 17:10.
| The day on your own | Price | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Bus, return | 598 to 998 CZK | £21 to £35 |
| One museum ticket | €18 | £15 |
| Frauenkirche church | Free | Free |
| Frauenkirche dome | €12 | £10 |
| Total, one museum and the dome | £46 to £60 |
Tours from Prague
A Prague reader gets to Dresden by bus in under two hours, so a tour only earns its place for the Bastei. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price for one adult, with the usual price where it is on offer.
Dresden and the Bastei Bridge
£33.23 to £63.90 · 4.8 stars from 238 reviews · 10 hours
Dresden and the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerlandad is a coach tour with a sightseeing bus tour of Dresden and free time. Meals and entry fees are not included. The guide speaks Spanish and English. The tour crosses the border: carry your passport or ID. The lower price is a deal, and the usual price is £63.90.
Which to choose
- The bus for the museums and the Frauenkirche: you choose the order, and you can stay until the evening.
- The tour if the Bastei Bridge is the reason for going. The longer Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland day trip covers the Bastei with the Bohemian side of the border.
What to see
The Zwinger, the Residenzschloss and the Frauenkirche are all in the old town. Prices and hours are from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (skd.museum).
The Zwinger courtyard and the Semper building, home of the Old Masters Picture Gallery. Photo: Ingersoll, Wikimedia Commons.
- The Zwinger. €18 · daily, 10:00 to 17:00 · the Old Masters gallery is closed on Mondays. The Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Sculpture Collection to 1800, the Mathematical and Physical Salon and the Porcelain Collection, on one ticket. The Mathematical and Physical Salon alone is €6. The Old Masters includes Raphael’s Sistine Madonna.
- The Residenzschloss. €18, €13.50 reduced · daily, 10:00 to 17:00, Friday 10:00 to 19:00 · closed Tuesdays. The Royal Palace. The ticket covers the Armoury and State Apartments, the New Green Vault, the Coin Cabinet, the Cabinet of Prints and Drawings and the Hausmannsturm. It does not cover the Historic Green Vault.
- The Historic Green Vault. €18, €13.50 reduced · a separate time-slot ticket · closed Tuesdays. The audio guide is free. Capacity is limited, so book online before you go.
- The Frauenkirche. Church free · open to visitors Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 11:30 and 13:00 to 17:30. The church stands on the Neumarkt. Services and concerts take priority, and Saturday and Sunday times change from week to week (frauenkirche-dresden.de). The dome climb is €12 (€7 reduced, family €24), Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sunday and holidays 13:00 to 18:00, to a platform 67 metres up. A guided dome tour is €14 (dome times).
- Skip: the Historic Green Vault if you have not booked its slot.
The Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Practical information
| Day | Zwinger Old Masters | Residenzschloss and Green Vault |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Closed | Open |
| Tuesday | Open | Closed |
| Wednesday to Sunday | Open | Open |
- Frauenkirche bags: suitcases, travel luggage and large bags cannot be taken into the church, in open-church hours or services.
- Dome in winter: from November to February the dome closes at 16:00.
- Getting there: the Frauenkirche’s own page lists trams 1, 2 and 4 to Altmarkt.
- Passport: Dresden is in Germany; carry your passport or ID.
Dresden is one of the day trips from Prague. Bohemian Switzerland is the other trip across the border, and Terezín is the other trip north of Prague. Prague public transport has the metro to Florenc for the bus, 3 days in Prague shows where a day out fits, and What to book before you go to Prague has the city tickets.
Common questions
How do I get from Prague to Dresden?
RegioJet buses run from Praha Florenc to Dresden Hbf in 1 hour 55 minutes, six a day from 6:30 to 17:00, at 299 to 499 CZK each way. České dráhy EuroCity trains run from Praha hlavní nádraží in 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 19 minutes at 647 CZK each way at the full fare.
Which day should I visit Dresden from Prague?
Wednesday to Sunday. The Zwinger's Old Masters gallery is closed on Mondays, and the Residenzschloss and the Historic Green Vault are closed on Tuesdays.
Is the Frauenkirche in Dresden free?
The church is free to enter when it is open to visitors, Monday to Friday 10:00 to 11:30 and 13:00 to 17:30, with services and concerts taking priority. Climbing the dome costs €12.
Is there a Dresden tour from Prague?
One: a 10-hour coach tour with a sightseeing bus tour of Dresden and the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland, £33.23 to £63.90. It includes no entries or meals, and you need your passport.
