Germany›From Dresden›Saxon Switzerland (Bastei)
Dresden to Saxon Switzerland (Bastei) by train or ferry
About 40 km. The train is fastest at 1 h; the train is cheapest, from ₹750 per person.
Fastest
Train
S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry
1 h door to door
Cheapest
Train
S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry
from ₹750 per person
Best value
Train
S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Paddle steamer up the Elbe to Rathen runs May – October only.
The rest of the year: S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry.
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry | 1 h | ₹750per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
| Ferry | Paddle steamer up the Elbe to Rathen | 4 h | ₹2,130–₹3,410per person | May – October only | Rome2Rio ↗ |
- Train, S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry: Every 30 minutes; the Bastei is a 30-minute climb from the ferry landing.
- Ferry, Paddle steamer up the Elbe to Rathen: A slow, scenic sailing upstream in the summer season; most people ride it back downstream, which is quicker. Check the day's sailings.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out (or in season); change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Train · S-Bahn S1 to Kurort Rathen + Elbe ferry | ₹1,500 | ₹3,000 |
| Ferry · Paddle steamer up the Elbe to Rathen | ₹4,260–₹6,820 | ₹8,520–₹13,640 |
Once you’re in Saxon Switzerland (Bastei)
- Best time: April – October
- Typical stay: 1 day
- November: Mixed month: November is outside the recommended season (April – October). Nothing in our data flags November as a problem, but it isn't the season the place is best in.
Related
Plan Dresden and Saxon Switzerland (Bastei)
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.