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Wien / Vienna to Dresden by train
Until fairly recently these two beautiful cities weren't linked by direct trains, but from the timetable change on December 10th 2023, there will be a choice between day and night trains.
The direct daytime journey on a smart Railjet train is already an option, but the Nightjet train on the Wien / Vienna to Berlin route is being diverted on to a route which serves Dresden.
Routes you can take to go from Wien / Vienna to Dresden
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option 1: the direct daytime train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
6hr 40min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x direct train per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
OBB Guide
OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.
It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.
OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
Travel Information
This train will typically depart from Wien Hbf at 13:10 and arrive into Dresden Hbf at 19:50 - though it seems that it won't be available until late March.
Final Destination: Berlin-Charlottenburg
This train also calls at: Bad Schandau
Arriving in Dresden:
It is a good idea to look up the location of your ultimate destination in Dresden before booking tickets and boarding.
This train will also call at Dresden-Neustadt station after it departs from the main station in the city, Dresden Hbf.
If you'll be heading to the historic heart of Dresden, taking tram line 11 (direction Zschernitz) from the stop outside of the main exit at Dresden-Nuestadt to the Postplatz stop will take you to within a five minute walk of the old town area.
Departing from Wien/Vienna:
This train will also call at Wien-Meidling station before going on to depart from Wien Hbf
So if your journey in Vienna is commencing in the south west corner of the city, or the area on the ring road around the Opera House - then it's likely that you'll have a faster and more convenient journey if you join the train at Wien-Meidling station.
Wien Meidling is connected to line U6 of the Vienna Metro, which serves the western side of the city centre.
If you will be travelling with a rail pass and don't want to reserve seat, then it can be a good idea to board at Wien-Meidling.
Keep out of the way of the passengers who will be leaving the train at its next station call, Wien Hbf, so that when they have left the train, you'll have first pick of the available seats for the journey on to Dresden.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
After departure from Praha, the train travels through the beautiful Elbe River valley, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) for the best views.
This journey is so fabulous that it's featured on the Daily Telegraph's list of Best Train Journeys that can be completed in a day.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
The discounted tickets are the 'Sparscheine' tickets and they can be booked online up until the day of departure - but they CAN'T be booked at stations, so booking last minute at the station is always more expensive.
Though you'll usually need to book the 'Sparscheine' tickets at least a couple of days ahead to obtain them at the cheapest possible price.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on this Railjet - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
Though in general reservations are highly recommended for this journey, particularly if you'll be travelling 2nd class; it's worth it to ensure that you have an assigned seat for the entire trip.
Booking on the OBB website
The discounted tickets are the 'Sparscheine' tickets and they can be booked online up until the day of departure, but they CAN'T be booked at stations, so booking last minute at the station is always more expensive.
Though you'll usually need to book the 'Sparscheine' tickets at least a couple of days ahead to obtain them at the cheapest possible price.
Book a Sparschiene ticket and it will be specific to the departure you selected when making a booking and it can't be refunded at all if you subsequently change your travel plans and it also can't be exchanged to an alternative, later departure.
Trains departing at different times can also be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares
It can pay off to take a look at the guide to Austrian train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.
Booking on the DB website
You can find this train more easily by making a proactive selection of 'Direct Trains Only'.
But if you can't see it (because the schedule is being disrupted' look again without this option,
Or to see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
Route Information
Via stations: Praha hl.n.
Option 2: more choice of departures by connecting in Prague
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 40min - 7hr 50min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
up to 5 x connections per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
Travel Information
By making a connection between trains in Praha, the arrival into Dresden can be between 12:45 and 18:00.
And on the dates when the direct train isn't available, this combination of trains is the best option.
The time between arrival and departure from the main station in Praha will typically be around 1hr 10min, which should ensure a stress-free transfer.
When looking up this journey on the ticket agents, target the options with an end-to-end journey time of around 7hr 40mins with only 1 change of train.
Arriving in Dresden:
It is a good idea to look up the location of your ultimate destination in Dresden before booking tickets and boarding.
These trains on from Praha will also call at Dresden-Neustadt station after they depart from the main station in the city, Dresden Hbf.
If you'll be heading to the historic heart of Dresden, taking tram line 11 (direction Zschernitz) from the stop outside of the main exit at Dresden-Nuestadt to the Postplatz stop will take you to within a five minute walk of the old town area.
Departing from Wien/Vienna:
The Railjet trains heading to Praha will also call at Wien-Meidling station before going on to depart from Wien Hbf
So if your journey in Vienna is commencing in the south west corner of the city, or the area on the ring road around the Opera House - then it's likely that you'll have a faster and more convenient journey if you join the train at Wien-Meidling station.
Wien Meidling is connected to line U6 of the Vienna Metro, which serves the western side of the city centre.
If you will be travelling with a rail pass and don't want to reserve seat, then it can be a good idea to board at Wien-Meidling.
Keep out of the way of the passengers who will be leaving the train at its next station call, Wien Hbf, so that when they have left the train, you'll have first pick of the available seats for the journey on to Dresden.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Wien Hbf/Hauptbahnhof and Praha hl.n.You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
The first connection of the day, which departs Wien Hbf before 06:00 involves taking a Regiojet train.
Train 2
Between Praha hl.n. and Dresden HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
For virtually the entire journey the train travels through the beautiful Elbe River valley, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) for the best views.
This journey is so fabulous that it's featured on the Daily Telegraph's list of Best Train Journeys that can be completed in a day.
Tickets
When looking up this journey on the ticket agents, target the options with an end-to-end journey time of around 7hr 40mins with only 1 change of train.
Online bookings open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date
This booking period tends to be shorter when looking up journeys between mid August and mid October.
A choice of tickets on the DB website
Three types of tickets are always available: Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis and Flexpreis.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but the Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
When travelling to and from the major cities, the Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport on from Berlin Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on both of the trains on this route.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class - if you add them when making an initial booking the fee will cover both trains.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
Booking on the DB website
To see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
Route Information
Option 3: the direct night train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 50min (approx)
Frequency
Nightly
Travel Info
1 x train per night
Purchase Tickets
OBB operates the Nightjet trains and it's bespoke booking path for these trains is particularly easy to follow, with detailed explanations of the accommodation options.
Nightjet Guide
Booking places in the sleeping cabins
When entering 2 travellers as 1 male and 1 female, you will automatically be given the option to book a 3-bed cabin for the sole use of the two of you - the 'double' cabin option.
So you will be in the cabin together with no other travellers.
3 men + 2 women or 3 women + 2 men = three beds in a triple cabin + two beds in a double cabin is what you will be offered, though the cabins will then be male and female only.
So if the combination of travellers is 1 male/female couple + 1 male/female couple and a child, you will need to make two separate bookings so that the two couples can each share a cabin.
When 4 Adults are travelling together you will be given the option of booking double or triple cabins.
If you select 'Double' you will automatically be assigned 4 beds in two double cabins.
Because the Triple cabins are segregated into male and female, when two women + two men are in the travel party, the two men will be sharing a triple compartment with another traveller, as will the two women
When 3 men + 1 woman or 3 women + 1 man are the travel party, the fourth person will then be sharing a three bed cabin with two other people.
Travel Information
From the timetable change on December 10th 2023 this train will be re-routed so that it travels via Praha and Dresden, instead of taking a route through Poland.
The departure time from Wien Hbf will usually be at around 22:10, the arrival time into Dresden will typically be around 06:00.
Arriving in Dresden:
It is a good idea to look up the location of your ultimate destination in Dresden before booking tickets and boarding.
This train will also call at Dresden-Neustadt station after it departs from the main station in the city, Dresden Hbf.
If you'll be heading to the historic heart of Dresden, taking tram line 11 (direction Zschernitz) from the stop outside of the main exit at Dresden-Nuestadt to the Postplatz stop will take you to within a five minute walk of the old town area.
Departing from Wien / Vienna:
The train commences its journey in Graz, typically at around 19:20, so it also calls in Wien Meidling station, prior to arriving in Wien Hbf
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Vienna/Wien at 22:10, so target that time when looking up this journey.
Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB Bahn
The choice of accommodation - summary:
- Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
- Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berths
- Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
- Deluxe sleeping cars with showers (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
Click the train details below for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.
Travelling with a rail pass:
Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.
However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website, but you can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).
Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence this step-by-step guide.
Or you can avoid the booking fees by arranging the reservations when you arrive in Austria, by purchasing them at a Reisezentrum travel desk, which you will find in any hauptbahnhof.
Though if you leave making the booking until your travel date, the more likely it is that your preferences will be sold out.
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