How to Get from Prague to Dresden
Prague to Dresden is one of the most popular city trips in Europe. Are you wondering how to get from Prague to Dresden? We've got you covered. In this travel blog, we share with you tips on how to get from Prague to Dresden (or vice versa from Dresden to Prague) by either bus, car, train, or with a tour.
Europe is a great destination for traveling. In most cases public transport is reliable, there is a large selection of intercity connections, and travelers, who prefer to get around in a car can take advantage of good quality roads and highways.
And if you are planning your trip from Prague to Dresden (or in the opposite direction), you will have a chance to test our words first hand.
Prague and Dresden are two very beautiful cities in Central Europe boasting with historical architecture, museums, and wonderful views (therefore they are both worth a trip once you are in the area).
And what else, apart for the obvious, is great about those two urban destinations? It is infrastructure and accessibility.
You can easily visit Dresden on a day trip from Prague, as traveling to Dresden could not be more straightforward.
The distance between Dresden and Prague is only 149 kilometers, so it is only up to you if you decide to spend a long day in Dresden and return to Prague the same day, or if you opt to stay overnight in Dresden, and maybe continue your Europe road trip to a next destination, such as Berlin or Leipzig.
There are so many things to do in Dresden, so plan your trip carefully.
If you are wondering how to get from Prague to Dresden, you've come to the right place. Recently we visited Dresden on a day-trip from Prague ourselves, and before our journey, we had done our share of research.
In this post, we will share information on how to travel from Prague to Dresden, but you can use this article even if you are traveling in the opposite direction from Dresden to Prague.
Options are plentiful. It is possible to get from Prague to Dresden by car, train, bus, or with a tour, and hopefully, after reading this text, you will find a possibility, which suits the best your travel style and travel budget.
HOW TO GET FROM PRAGUE TO DRESDEN BY CAR
As we live in Prague and have a car parked in front of our door, we decided to travel to Dresden this way.
The main reason was that we knew we would spend in the city a full day, and did not want to be limited by bus or train schedules. Getting from Prague to Dresden by car is super-easy.
First, unless you have own car like us, you need to rent a car. There are plenty of car rental agencies in Prague, and the daily rate is quite cheap thanks to the competition. We would probably recommend traveling between these to cities to those of you who are short on time, and to travelers who prefer a certain level of comfort.
Also note that if you decide to travel by car, but do not plan on returning to Prague, you will have to pay a one-way fee, which is often quite high, when you compare it to one-day rental fees.
But once you decide to travel from Prague to Dresden by car, and once you figure out if this option is worth it for you, the ride itself is very easy.
It depends on where you stay in Prague but in general, your only concern is to get from the city to the road E55. As you will most likely stay in the center, you need to travel via Wilsonova street across Hlavkuv Most, right behind the bridge turn right to Nabrezi Kapitana Jarose, and then left to Za Viaduktem, which mouth into Argentinska.
At this point, you are slowly leaving Prague, and road E55 will change into D8 Highway.
Check if your rental car has a e-vignette (it should, but if not, you need to buy a 10-day pass for 310 CZK). In 2020 there is no need to pay toll in Germany, but it should change soon. We will try to keep this post as updated as possible but always check the official information.
As both the Czech Republic and Germany are members of the Schengen Area, there is no passport check, just keep driving, and once you drive through a series of tunnels, you will emerge in Germany. From here, Dresden is only a short ride.
In Germany, the Highway D8 changes in A17. After approximately 20 minutes turn right on B170 (now you will already see signs), which will take you to the center of Dresden.
It depends on traffic, but when the conditions are ideal, you should cover 149 kilometers between Prague and Dresden in 1 hour and 45 minutes.
There are quite many parking lots in the center of Dresden, but since it is a popular tourist destination, you should arrive early to find a spot.
We parked at Schiessgasse Parkplatz, which cost us only 6 EUR on Saturday (the price differs on weekdays, it should be even cheaper on Sunday).
Although the parking machines accept both credit cards and cash, we were not able to pay by card due to technical reasons, so it is better to have some coins in your pockets unless you want to run around the city and look for an ATM.
If you prefer to stay overnight in Dresden, it is a good idea to book a hotel with parking, so you do not have to worry about this at all.
We did the trip to Dresden in the off-season in late February, but if you plan your trip for busy periods such as holidays (July and August), national holidays (Germans love to travel to Dresden as well), or Christmas Markets (Christmas Markets in Europe have been lately super-popular), it is better to park your car on outskirt of the city on one of Park and Ride parking spots.
These parking places are free and well-accessible by public transport, so you will only need to buy a ticket for 2.40 EUR.
HOW TO GET FROM PRAGUE TO DRESDEN BY TRAIN
Traveling from Prague to Dresden is one of the best ways to visit both cities, and overall a great way to explore Europe.
Yes, the trail tickets are a bit more expensive than bus tickets, but the journey is often more relaxed, and trains are not that prone to accidents and heavy traffic.
There is a direct connection between Prague and Dresden. The price for the one-way ticket ranges between 300 CZK and 800 CZK, depending on the season and demand.
You can reserve your ticket on the official website of Czech Railways, and we also recommend you to reserve your seat. The train leaves every two hours from either Prague and Dresden, and the journey will take you approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
And where will you find the train station? In both Prague and Dresden, the train stations are close to the city center, which is great as you can easily walk, and do not have to use public transport.
Also, both buildings are true architectural gems, so you will start and end your trip with sightseeing.
In case you are not staying close to the center, in Prague, take metro line C (red color) to Hlavni Nadrazi, and once you get off you will appear directly in the train station hall. It is also possible to get to the station by tram, for example by line 5 or 9.
In Dresden, you will arrive at train station Hauptbahnhof, and from here either get to center on foot or by tram number 10 or by S Bahn (S2), but there are many more options.
HOW TO GET FROM PRAGUE TO DRESDEN BY BUS
By far the most popular way how to get from Prague to Dresden is by bus.
Two major companies are running frequent buses between these two cities. Flixbus and Student Agency.
In our opinion, the service on board is the same (wifi, plugs, papers, refreshment), and buses also leave Prague from the same terminal and terminate at the same terminal in Dresden as well, so choose the company based on prices and your sympathies.
The price of the one-way ticket starts at 270 CZK and as buses depart almost every hour (the bus trip takes around two hours), you do not need to make the booking that long in advance, except for exposed periods such as weekends in December.
Buses leave from Prague's Florenc Bus Station (take metro line B and get off at Florenc), and terminate at Dresden Central Station, which is basically the same place where travelers using trains arrive.
HOW TO GET FROM PRAGUE TO DRESDEN WITH A TOUR
We completely understand that some visitors might find traveling and planning a journey in foreign countries intimidating.
Or some of you might just want to spend a carefree day filled only by sightseeing and fun. That's great too as thanks to the short distance between Prague and Dresden, you can arrange one of many tours.
The tour usually includes bus transport, guide, and also free time in your final destination. Sure, the price is a bit higher than when you would have arranged the trip by yourself, but it is nothing new under the sun, the higher rate will be compensated by comfort provided.
In general, you have two options. Either take a regular Dresden Tour from Prague, or a Private Dresden Full Day Tour.
THE BEST WAY TO TRAVEL FROM PRAGUE TO DRESDEN
As you can see, traveling between Prague and Dresden is fairly easy, and every traveler has an option to find transport according to his or her likings and budget.
And what we think is the best way to get to Dresden? Although we had traveled from Prague to Dresden by car ourselves, next time we would have probably opted for a train.
As we had only one day in Dresden, at the end of the day, we were pretty tired (we got up at 5 AM and arrived home around 10 PM), and after the whole day of sightseeing, Martin still had to drive (and I had to be alert and entertain him more or less successfully).
On the other hand, traveling by car gave us the advantage that we could be in the city as long as we wanted and did not have to think of bus or train schedules.
In general, as the distance between Prague and Dresden is short, both train and bus ride is absolutely doable, even if you are traveling with kids.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY IN DRESDEN
Dresden is a popular tourist city in Germany, Europe. Dresden offers many hotels, hostels, and apartments for all travelers.
Hands down, the best area to stay in Dresden is the Altstadt - Old Town - where you will find all the attractions, restaurants, and stores. In high season, make your reservation well in advance to save some money.
We've handpicked three best hotels in Dresden in each budget category.
Budget | Leonardo Hotel Dresden Altstadt - Centrally located budget hotel in Dresden, Leonardo Hotel Dresden Altstadt has excellent location close to top Dresden attractions such as Zwinger or Semper Opera. The rooms are soundproofed and airconditioned, the hotel has a cozy atmosphere and the staff is friendly and helpful.
Mid-range | Hotel Indigo Dresden - Wettiner Platz - A stylish boutique hotel located only a short walk from Zwinger, Dresden's iconic Baroque attraction, offers high-speed Wi-fi, a la carte breakfast, air-conditioned rooms and individually furnished rooms.
Luxury | Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski - Located next to Dresden Castle and only 5-minute walk from the famous Frauenkirche, this luxury 5-star hotel in the historical part of Dresden offers elegant rooms, 2 restaurants, modern bathrooms, new indoor pool, and spa area.
WHERE TO STAY IN PRAGUE
Prague has many options on where to stay, and you should book your room way ahead when traveling around summer (from May to September) or during top dates such as weekends in December or on New Year's Eve.
However, Prague has many hotels and hostels for every traveler, and we've handpicked three best places in each budget category.
Budget | Hostel Boudnik - This hostel offers both dormitories and private rooms, and features free wifi, clean common areas and great location close to the city center.
Mid-range | Nyx Hotel Prague - It is quite hard to pick only one hotel in the mid-range category as there is simply too many of them, but this hotel lies in the center and beats the others with the unique design.
Luxury | Augustine Prague - A luxury hotel located close to Prague Castle set in an old monastery offers beautifully appointed rooms and apartments with stunning views over Prague.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
