Getting to the Eastern Ore Mountains: Train, Bus or Car to Altenberg and Dippoldiswalde
From Dresden it is about 20 kilometres to Dippoldiswalde and about 40 to Altenberg. The best way to get here depends on which of our two houses you are heading for – and whether there is snow on the ground.
Most guests who call us before arriving ask the same two things: can I get there without a car, and how far is it from the station to the door? You will find both answers here, split by our two houses, plus the driving routes and what to expect on the B 170 in winter. We deliberately don't quote exact departure times – timetables change every December. The reliable source is the journey planner of the Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe (VVO), the regional transport association, or Deutsche Bahn at bahn.de.
The geography in three sentences
Dippoldiswalde, known locally as "Dipps", lies about 20 kilometres south of Dresden at around 350 metres above sea level. Altenberg is another good 20 kilometres uphill on the crest of the Ore Mountains, its station at just over 750 metres, shortly before the Czech border. Both towns are linked by the B 170 federal road, which starts in Dresden and ends at the border at Zinnwald-Georgenfeld.
By train to Altenberg: the Müglitztalbahn
Altenberg is the end of the line for the Müglitztalbahn (Müglitz Valley Railway), shown in timetables as RB 72. It starts in Heidenau on the Elbe and runs hourly up the Müglitz valley via Glashütte and Lauenstein. The 38 kilometres take just under an hour, climbing from the Elbe to over 750 metres. The line follows the river through many bends, over bridges and through short tunnels. What there is to see along the way is covered in our article on the Müglitz valley.
How to get to Heidenau:
- From Dresden Hauptbahnhof (main station), take S-Bahn line S1 or S2 towards Pirna as far as Heidenau and change there to the RB 72 at the same station.
- From Dresden Airport, the S2 runs straight through the city to Heidenau.
- From further away (Berlin, Leipzig, Prague), travel to Dresden Hauptbahnhof first, then continue as in point 1.
At weekends and on public holidays, an RE 19 also runs direct from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Altenberg without a change, but only once a day: there in the morning, back in the afternoon. Check the journey planner to see whether it runs on your travel day – don't count on it.
The Deutschlandticket, Germany's monthly flat-rate ticket for local transport, is valid for the whole journey: S-Bahn, RB 72 and RE 19.
From Altenberg station to our rooms
The bus station is right next to Kurort Altenberg railway station, and the Altenberg tourist information office is in the old station building (Am Bahnhof 1). From here to our rooms in Altenberg at Dresdner Straße 10 it is about 700 metres. Allow around ten minutes on foot, a little more with a wheeled suitcase. In winter the pavements aren't always cleared straight away, so sturdy shoes make the walk much easier than trainers.
By bus and train to Dippoldiswalde
Dippoldiswalde is not connected to the mainline rail network. There are two car-free options:
Bus 360 – the everyday option. The PlusBus 360 runs from Dresden Hauptbahnhof via Possendorf to Dippoldiswalde, then on via Kipsdorf to Altenberg. It is the simplest connection, also with luggage. As far as Dippoldiswalde it runs about every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays, taking around 35 minutes from Hauptbahnhof; to Altenberg it takes a little over an hour. From Altenberg it continues as line 398 via Zinnwald to Teplice in the Czech Republic. For our apartments in Dippoldiswalde at Bahnhofstraße 15, get off at the bus station (Busbahnhof); from there it is about 400 metres, roughly six minutes on foot.
Weißeritztalbahn – the scenic detour. This narrow-gauge steam railway starts in Freital-Hainsberg, where S-Bahn line S3 and the RB 30 from Dresden stop. It runs 15 kilometres through the rocky Rabenauer Grund gorge and along the Malter reservoir to Dippoldiswalde; the current timetable gives 46 minutes for the trip. From Dippoldiswalde station to our apartments it is only about 200 metres, less than five minutes.
The catch: there are only a few trains a day. The regular timetable valid until 12 December 2026 has two daily return trips over the full line to Kurort Kipsdorf, plus an evening train to Dippoldiswalde on certain days. From 2 to 20 November 2026 the line is closed completely for maintenance, with no replacement buses. The Deutschlandticket is valid, but only with the heritage surcharge. All times and fares are on the Weißeritztalbahn timetable page (in German); more about the line in our article on the Weißeritztalbahn.
By car
| From | To | Route | Distance (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden centre | Dippoldiswalde | B 170 via Possendorf | 20 km |
| Dresden centre | Altenberg | B 170 via Dippoldiswalde | 40 km |
| Berlin | Dippoldiswalde | A 13, A 4, A 17 to Dresden-Südvorstadt, then B 170 | 220 km |
| Berlin | Altenberg | A 13, A 4, A 17 to Bahretal, then country roads via Geising | 250 km |
| Leipzig | Altenberg | A 14, A 4, A 17 | 160 km |
| Prague | Altenberg | D8 to Teplice, then via Cínovec/Zinnwald | 110 km |
| Dippoldiswalde | Altenberg | B 170 | 21 km |
Distances measured with an OpenStreetMap route planner and rounded.
From the north and west, the fastest way is via the A 17 motorway. For Dippoldiswalde, take the Dresden-Südvorstadt exit, which leads straight onto the B 170 towards Dippoldiswalde. For Altenberg there are two options: stay on the B 170 through Dippoldiswalde, Schmiedeberg and Kipsdorf, or continue on the A 17 to the Bahretal exit and take country roads up through Geising. Sat-navs pick one or the other; the two routes are similar in length.
From the south, coming from Prague, follow the D8 to the Teplice exit and then cross the mountains to Cínovec. On the German side the village is called Zinnwald, and from there it is a little over four kilometres downhill to Altenberg. You need an electronic vignette for the Czech motorway.
Parking: In Altenberg you park right by the house, and in Dippoldiswalde a parking space is available too. Both are included in the price.
In winter: the B 170 and snow chains
Between Dresden and the border the B 170 climbs more than 700 metres. Two sections are notorious in snow: the climb at Possendorf just outside Dresden, and the stretch between Waldbärenburg and Altenberg. Going uphill they are often hard work in winter, and a car stuck there on summer tyres quickly blocks the whole lane.
What we advise our guests:
- Winter tyres are a legal requirement in Germany whenever there is snow, slush or ice on the road. In the Eastern Ore Mountains that can happen as early as October and as late as April.
- Snow chains in the boot if you are driving to Altenberg between December and March. Practise fitting them once at home, not in the dark at the roadside.
- Check before you set off: the tourist information office publishes its daily Tages-News with snow and trail report.
- On World Cup weekends it gets busy around the bobsleigh track (Eiskanal). How to get there on race days without your own parking space is explained in our article on the Altenberg bobsleigh track.
If you are heading for Dippoldiswalde, winter is easier: the town lies 400 metres lower, and snow settles there far less often. For more on the winter months up in Altenberg, read Winter holidays in Altenberg; for the weather through the year, see Best time to visit the Eastern Ore Mountains.
Between our two houses
If you want to spend a few nights in Dippoldiswalde and then a few in Altenberg, or the other way round, the move is short. By car it is 21 kilometres on the B 170, about 25 minutes without snow. Without a car, bus 360 links the two towns directly. Dresden is also close from Dippoldiswalde – see Dresden as a day trip for ideas.
Before you set off
In Altenberg we rent eight rooms with their own bathroom and toilet (seven for up to two guests, one for up to three), and in Dippoldiswalde two apartments with a kitchen for up to four and five guests respectively, each from €70 per night. You book directly with us by phone or WhatsApp on +49 1514 1213283 or +49 1525 1644356. Tell us how you are travelling when you get in touch – we'll give you directions that fit and answer anything this page leaves open.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Deutschlandticket valid on the Weißeritztalbahn?
Yes, but not without an extra charge. According to the operator SDG's fare table, holders of a Deutschlandticket also need the SDG 'Historik-Zuschlag' (heritage surcharge); VVO season tickets, by contrast, are valid within their zones without it. On the Müglitztalbahn, the S-Bahn and bus 360 the Deutschlandticket alone is enough.
Does Dippoldiswalde have a regular railway station?
No. Dippoldiswalde is only served by the Weißeritztalbahn, a narrow-gauge steam railway with a few trains a day. For everyday travel, bus 360 from Dresden main station is faster and more flexible.
How do I get from Dresden Airport to Altenberg?
Take S-Bahn line S2 from the airport to Heidenau and change there to the Müglitztalbahn RB 72. By car it is about 75 kilometres via the A 4 and A 17, roughly one to one and a half hours depending on traffic.
Can I use the Zinnwald border crossing when driving from Prague?
Yes. From Prague the D8 motorway takes you to Teplice, then the road climbs via Cínovec and Zinnwald and joins the B 170 down to Altenberg – about 110 kilometres in total. You need an electronic vignette for Czech motorways.
