Golden Gate Bridge, Tower Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Ponte Vecchio... Top of this list undoubtedly comes Bastei Bridge! It’s located in the beautiful Saxon Switzerland area and is absolutely worth a visit.

You may have found the location on your phone; it seems quite far and it looks like a tough task to get there, doesn’t it? We are here to bring you the good news: follow this step-by- step guide to get to this attraction smoothly and stop worrying! Moreover: it’s free and accessible year-round.

Before we leave the hostel: ask our receptionist for a free map and make sure you’re wearing clothes that are appropriate for today’s weather. In case it’s 30 degrees Celsius, wear sunscreen and bring enough water with you. If it has snowed, make sure you’re dressed warmly and take it easy, it can be slippery!

Walk 17 minutes to station ‘Bahnhof Dresden-Neustadt’: after closing the hostel’s door behind you, take a right and follow Louisenstraße until you see a bridge. Don’t cheer yet, it’s not Bastei Bridge! Go left before this bridge and follow the street until you finally find your way to the entrance of the train station. That’s easy! Train S1 (Bad Schandau) takes you to ‘Kurort Rathen’ in about 45 minutes. This is the only train you have to take, no changes. It departs every 20th and 50th minute of every hour, starting from 04:50 in the morning and running until 10 minutes before midnight. From early birds to night owls, there is something for everyone! Buy your ticket online or at the machine in the station. You can choose between a day ticket (€ 15,70 for one adult), a family day ticket (€ 22,50 for two adults), a small- group ticket (€ 33 for up to five persons) or single tickets (two times € 7,10 (3 fare zones) makes € 14,20). Check what is most economical for you! You’ve only spent a little over an hour since you left the hostel and you’re already at the start of the short walk toward the bridge. In Kurort Rathen you get out of the train, cross the train tracks and make your way to the river. No bridge here yet. You will have to take the ferry which will cost you € 3 both ways.

Once you’ve crossed the river you only have to walk around 45 minutes up to the bridge. If you feel like taking an enormous amount of photos, cuddling trees around you or simply want to take in all the views at their max, it can take a little bit longer. There are plenty of signs that lead you there, or you just follow the people that had the same idea as you today. Enjoy the beautiful views of the River Elbe’s valley along the way and the stunning landscapes. Make sure you take a photo of the bridge, otherwise you haven’t been there! ;) If you feel like having a coffee, glühwein or lunch at the Panoramarestaurant Bastei located on the top, go for it! Find yourself a table next to the window and enjoy the view while eating authentic Saxon food. Consider making a reservation in peak season. Just keep in mind that this is a touristic restaurant, if you want to save money we would recommend to bring your own food.

Reverse the ‘getting there’ and you’ll be back in the hostel in no time. If you prefer taking a different way back and a bit of change in scenery, take the detour along the Schwedenlöcher and be surprised by this gorge-like side valley! If you don't want to get lost: use the free map from the hostel!

We hope you've had an amazing day and that this guide made it a little bit easier to get there!

You can also easily download our hiking guide as a PDF file. Additionally, we can also print out the guide for you at our reception!