Skiing
The popular place for skiers to go in the winter is the Osterzgebirge. Here you can find out how to get to the skiing regions and which lifts, slopes and cross-country ski runs are open.
How to get there by bus, tram or train
Osterzgebirge
The starting point for most skiers in the Osterzgebirge is Altenberg. There are cross-country ski runs and slopes of varying difficulty all around Altenberg. In Altenberg alone there are seven lifts and around 30 km of cross country ski runs available. Further cross country runs and lifts can be found in Zinnwald, Seyde, Hermsdorf, Rehefeld, Seiffen, Frauenstein, Nassau und Rübenau. The rental of skis and skiing equipment is possible at some of the ski lifts, hotels or sporting equipment stores. In Rehefeld-Zaunhaus you can also rent skidoos and snow shoes.
Most of the ski towns publish their current opening hours and the prices of the ski lifts on the internet.
- Ski lifts, cross country runs and rental of equipment in the Osterzgebirge
- Winter sports in and around Altenberg
- Winter sports in and around Hermsdorf/Seyde
- Winter sports in and around Zinnwald
- Map of cross country runs in the Osterzgebirge
WintersportExpress
In the winter season there are extra trains and buses that take skiers from Dresden to the Osterzgebirge. The RE 19 takes skiers and tobogganers from Dresden to Altenberg. The WintersportExpress bus of the RVD goes from the main train station in Dresden to Rehefeld und Holzhau.
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland also offers skiers several attractive places to carry out their favourite pastime. Ski lifts and cross-country runs can be found in Sebnitz and Rugiswalde (between Neustadt and Sebnitz). Cross country runs can also be found in Kirnitzschtal, in Hinterhermsdorf, all around the Großer Zschirnstein and Gohrisch.
The real fanatics amongst the cross-country skiers swear that the best tour is the “Hohe Tour” (high route) from Zinnwald to Schmilka. The real challenge of this cross-country route is to do the entire 65 km from the Osterzgebirge to the Upper Elbe Valley in one day.
Further areas
Due to the reliability of snowfall in the winter months it is generally possible to do cross-country skiing in areas away from the mountains too. If you do not need prepared cross-country skiing tracks then you will find lots of opportunities in all of the other areas of the VVO region. In the city, the banks of the River Elbe as well as the Dresdner Heide and other forest areas are very popular with cross country skiers.