Altenberg Bobsleigh Track: World Cup, Guest Bobsleigh, Ice Tubing and Track Tours
The SachsenEnergie-Eiskanal in the Kohlgrund valley is regarded as one of the hardest artificial ice tracks in the world. You can watch World Cup races from the barrier, ride in a four-man bob, slide down in a rubber tube or take a guided walk along the track.
The ice track is not in the town centre but in the Kohlgrund, a wooded valley north-west of Altenberg that belongs to the district of Hirschsprung. From our house on Dresdner Straße it is a little over seven kilometres by road, about twelve minutes by car. Our winter overview gives the track a single paragraph. This guide goes into detail: what makes the track so difficult, what you can do there as a visitor, who each option suits, and how to get there on race days when there is no parking.
The track in numbers
- Length: 1,413 metres, 17 competition curves
- Vertical drop: about 122 metres
- Top speed: up to about 140 km/h in the bob
- Best-known curve: curve 10, the "Kreisel", a 320-degree circle
- Start points: bob and skeleton use the full length; the luge runs are shorter (men 1,387 m, women 1,220 m, doubles 996 m)
- Season: ice from October to February, according to the operator
- Operator: Wintersport Altenberg (Osterzgebirge) GmbH; the track is owned by the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge
The track was built in the 1980s, in GDR times. The first test runs in autumn 1983 showed that even the top drivers of the day could barely handle it, so ten of the 17 curves were completely rebuilt and others partly reshaped. The first national races took place in late autumn 1986, and international certification followed in 1987. Since then the track has hosted several world championships, most recently in bobsleigh and skeleton in 2020 and 2021 and in luge in 2024. Since 2021 it has been called the SachsenEnergie-Eiskanal; many locals simply call it "die Bobbahn".
Five ways to experience the ice track
| Option | When | Minimum age | What happens | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch races | World Cups in Nov and Jan | none | training Mon–Thu, races Fri–Sun | advance tickets |
| Guest bobsleigh | November to February | 16 | four-man bob with a pro pilot, approx. 1,000 m, approx. 100 km/h | €99 per person |
| Ice tubing | sessions October to New Year's Eve | 10 or 130 cm | linked tubes, 400 m or 1,000 m | from €15 per run |
| Track tour | Tuesdays 10 am | none | 1.5 to 2 hours along the track | €10, under-12s free |
| Summer bob | summer | 16 | four-man bob on wheels | €65 per person |
Prices are taken from the operator's pages (Wintersport Altenberg) as of October 2026. Booking is through the operator's online ticket shops.
1. World Cup and other races from the barrier
The operator's event calendar lists these competitions for winter 2026/27:
- 23–29 November 2026: IBSF World Cup, bobsleigh and skeleton
- 7–11 December 2026: Europe Cup, bobsleigh
- 11–17 January 2027: Luge World Cup
- 20–24 January 2027: Junior World Championships, skeleton
- 15–20 February 2027: Youth World Series luge, including the Youth European Championships
At the 2026 bobsleigh and skeleton World Cup, training runs Monday to Thursday and the races are Friday to Sunday. At the luge World Cup the race weekend starts on Friday with the Nations Cup. Training days are much cheaper: at the bobsleigh World Cup a training day costs €8 in advance, a race day €15. You see the same athletes in the same curves, just without the medal ceremony. Children, school pupils, students and severely disabled visitors with ID get in free, and advance tickets double as a ticket on buses and trains across the regional VVO network on the day (special services excepted). For the luge World Cup the operator has not yet published prices or ticket conditions. Current details are at wia-altenberg.de/tickets.
Getting there on race days: there is no visitor parking at the track on competition days. The organiser points visitors to the designated car parks in Altenberg. At the bobsleigh World Cup, shuttle buses run from there on Saturday and Sunday, starting an hour before the first race and finishing an hour after the last, at VVO fares. There is no shuttle on Friday. Wintersport Altenberg announces the 2026/27 pick-up points before each World Cup.
In 2026 the bobsleigh weekend at the end of November falls on the first weekend of Advent, when Geising and Schellerhau hold their Christmas markets. How to combine the two is in our guide to Christmas markets in the Eastern Ore Mountains.
2. Guest bobsleigh: 100 km/h through the curves
On a guest bobsleigh ride (Gästebob) you sit as a passenger in a four-man bob steered by an experienced pilot. This is how it works:
- Check-in: you register at the main entrance of the track, Gate B (Tor B), and sign a liability waiver.
- Equipment: the operator provides a helmet.
- Order: bobs go down on a "first come, first slide" basis. The whole session, from the first bob to the last, takes about one to one and a half hours.
- The run: you start from the junior start. From there it is about 1,000 metres with eleven banked curves. Leaving curve 15 the bob reaches about 100 km/h, and in the Kreisel and the finish curve you feel two to three times the force of gravity.
- Afterwards: you receive a bobsleigh diploma with your photo and a small gift.
According to the operator a ride costs €99 per person. Riders must be at least 16 (under-18s only with a parent or guardian) and weigh no more than 130 kg. You need to be physically fit and mentally stable; people with spine, bone or heart problems and pregnant women may not ride. Take this seriously: the forces in the curves are strong, even though the run is short.
3. Ice tubing: the way in from age 10
For ice tubing several linked snow tubes slide down the ice channel, spinning and swinging up the walls. There are two start points:
- Bremshang (lower start): 400 metres, up to about 60 km/h, from age 10 or 130 cm tall (minors with a parent or guardian)
- Doubles/guest bob start: 1,000 metres, up to about 70 km/h, from age 16
Protective gear is provided on loan. Depending on the package a session lasts one and a half to two hours. "Für Jedermann" costs €15 per person per run, "Extended" €30, and the "Spezial" package €50 with three runs, mulled wine and a bratwurst. For autumn and winter 2026, sessions can be booked from October to New Year's Eve. For families with older children this is the only way to go down the track together, since guest bobsleigh starts at 16. More ideas for families are in Eastern Ore Mountains with children.
4. Track tour: behind the barrier
According to the operator the track tour starts every Tuesday at 10 am at the main entrance (Gate B) and lasts one and a half to two hours. You walk along the track and hear how it works, how it was built and what has happened here, including the famous "Wok World Championship" from German TV. Please register by phone or online, and ask in advance whether the guide can speak English.
- €10 per person, children under 12 free with an adult
- €2 off with the Altenberg holiday region guest card
- Group tours by arrangement, at least 14 days in advance, minimum charge €100
- In July and August there is a Tuesday "Kids Edition" with a treasure hunt and puzzles
In winter the track is busy with training and events, so check with the operator beforehand whether the Tuesday tour runs while the ice is in.
5. Summer bob: a four-man bob on wheels
A bob runs here even without ice. On the summer bob you ride in an original four-man bob fitted with wheels, again with a professional pilot. Minimum age 16, €65 per person, helmet and diploma included. The 2027 dates were not yet bookable in October 2026. When else a summer holiday in Altenberg is worthwhile is covered in our guide to the best time to visit.
Getting there
- Address: Neuer Kohlgrundweg 1, 01773 Altenberg. Guest bobsleigh, ice tubing and tours all meet at the main entrance, Gate B.
- From our house in Altenberg: a little over 7 km by road, about 12 minutes. On foot via forest paths it is just over four kilometres; allow an hour, more in the dark or in snow.
- From Dippoldiswalde: about 18 km, just under 30 minutes by car.
- Without a car: how to reach Altenberg by train and bus is explained in our guide to getting here. On World Cup weekends the shuttle buses are the easiest option.
What else there is to see in Altenberg, from the Pinge mining crater to the Geisingberg, is in our list of Altenberg sights.
Back into the warm
Our rooms in Altenberg are at Dresdner Straße 10, about twelve minutes by car from the track: eight rooms, each with its own bathroom and WC, seven for up to two guests and one for up to three, from €70 per night. If you are coming to the World Cup as a group, just ask for several rooms. In the shared kitchen you can make yourself a hot tea after a day at the barrier.
Ask about your dates directly by phone or WhatsApp on +49 1514 1213283 or +49 1525 1644356. For World Cup weekends, the earlier the better.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give a guest bobsleigh ride as a present?
Yes. The operator sells vouchers, digital or printed, valid for three years from the date of issue. The recipient then books a free slot in the online ticket shop.
When can I book guest bobsleigh and ice tubing for the winter?
According to Wintersport Altenberg, slots for guest bobsleigh and ice tubing, and advance tickets for the World Cups, go on sale in August or September for the following winter. Popular weekends sell out early.
