Ground Transportation Bus Line and Train

The public transportation system in Germany is fantastic. Whether it be by bus, train, subway or ferry, one ticket can be used for all modes of transportation. Zones are color coded on bus and train maps. I would suggest you pick up a map at either the train/bus station or at the airport.  A two zone ticket will get you into the city of Dresden for sight seeing and to the airport. It will also get you to Meissen for sightseeing. Otherwise a one zone pass will do for all of Coswig. If you are two or more, you can buy a familienkarte (family pass). You can purchase it on the bus or at the train station the day you ride. Remember that it is good for any means of transportation for the day in that zone. Last summer it was 9 euro for a two zone familienkarte ticket and 5 euro for a one zone daily familienkarte pass. I believe a week and even a month pass can be purchased for a savings. Single bus or train trips are about 3 euro each way and of course a day, week or month single pass can be purchased at a savings as well..      Now, if you chose to arrive into Frankfurt, you have several options to get to Coswig. You can book a flight with a local airline to Dresden, or you can take a train (about 78 euro each way) from the airport in Frankfurt (the Inter City Express- ICE) to Leipzig, change trains to the Regional Express and on into Coswig (total travel 5 hours). Use the train link and type in Frankfurt and destination "Coswig b Dresden Krankenhaus" It gives you the available routes and prices. Just check the one you want then write or print the page. I highly recommend booking at least eight days before you leave. Or, if you choose to rent a car at the Frankfurt airport and drive yourself, it is very enjoyable to see the countryside. It takes about 5 hours via the autobahn to get to Coswig using a good map. Buy a map at the airport and make sure it has detailed streets of Dresden/Coswig. The autobahn is the inside lane of the freeway and the speed limit is almost 150 mph in most stretches (it is expected that you pull out of the inner lane when someone approaches from behind). The other two lanes are for slower traffic. So when I say 5 hours to Coswig, I mean going about 100 mph. Gas is very spendy over there (about $6.00 a gallon). I recommend a small car and diesel if you can get one (cheaper fuel) and traffic signs are not too difficult to learn, I have included a link to a great site on this.      If you arrive into Dresden, take the train, or a taxi to Coswig. The train from Dresden airport is in the lower level. Purchase a two zone ticket from the machine (remember a familienkarte is cheaper for two people).  Get off at Dresden Mitte and get on a train for Coswig/Meissen, same ticket is good all day on the train or bus.      The town of Coswig is small and two bus routes in particular can get you practically anywhere. The bus # 400 will take you from the train/bus station (they are side-by-side in Coswig) to the hospital (fachkrankenhaus).  The bus # 401 will take you from Fachkrankenhaus back to hauptstrasse (mainstreet) and the bus station (busbahnhof)/train station (bahnhof). Pay attention as you ride and it won't be long until you have the town streets memorized. In nice weather, I recommend walking as everything is very close to each other. On a side note, in the spring and summer a ride on the Elbe River Ferry from Coswig to Meissen is very nice.    The buses in Coswig run every 20-30 minutes until 9pm, then hourly. The trains run every 15 minutes in the day and run all night long (but I'm not sure of the schedule- look at the train link). Two words to recognize on the train is right (recht) and left (links) this is announced for which door to exit and the doors do open and close quickly.

Coswig map including aerial view with locator icons

Bus map

The bus map has Coswig routes and schedules to print for the : # 400, 401, EV4, and 405 (to Moritzburg Castle)

Train info (Die Bahn)

Traffic signs

Live Web Cam of Coswig at Hauptrasse

This looks North up Hauptstrasse; a main bus route. The Rats Pension can be seen to the right and the Borse is to the left. The bus stops are out of site beneath the camera. This camera updates about every 20 seconds.