Getting There By Train, Leipzig

i couldn't find an english language page for this special deal from the deutsche bahn,but it's incredibly cheap and you can always ask at the train station if the conditions apply: 5 people travel for 30 euros on all regional trains throughout Germany for the weekend. I think you have to buy the ticket on a friday or a saturday and then it lasts until sunday. you'll also have to do some maneuvering since you might have to transfer once or twice to get to your finaly destination, as it's all regional trains and not the high speed direct lines. but taking the regional from berlin to leipzig takes about the same time as taking a much more expensive direct line.

Even now, after twenty years of German unification, it still feels eerie to sit in a train as it barrels through the town of Gerstungen without even slowing down.

Gerstungen used to be the border stop between East and West Germany, and every train had at least a one-hour stop there while the GDR People's Police checked everybody's passports and searched the entire train with dogs to make sure no one was trying to sneak out of the country. They also did this on the way in, for whatever reason.

Now it only takes a little over two hours to get from Frankfurt to Erfurt on the train, and you don't even have to change money.

The hourly ICE trains from Frankfurt to Dresden all stop in Erfurt, which is usually the third stop after Fulda and Eisenach. After Erfurt, the trains go on to Weimar and from there to Leipzig.

In some of the newer InterCityExpress trains (ICE) you can look over the driver's shoulder at the tracks ahead. Or look at the tracks behind, if you are at that end of the train.

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The most enjoyable way to get to Leipzig is IMO by train. Connections with big cities in Germany are excellent.

I hopped on an ICE in Dresden - it took me only an hour to Leipzig Hbf (35 Euro round trip ticket). On the way back I picked an IC (Saarbrücken - Hannover - Magedeburg) to Dresden. It was crowded, so I did not get a seat before the stop in Riesa. I should have known better, since it was Friday afternoon ... and a seat reservation is highly recommended!

UPDATE: The times that you can get a round trip ticket Dresden-Leipzig for only 35 Euro are gone. Fares were increased much by Deutsche Bahn. I stick to regional trains now - the Sachsen-Ticket is a very good deal. It also valid in the neighbouring states Thuringia and Sachsen-Anhalt, so you could use it for your trip, say, from Magdeburg or Erfurt. You're limited to regional trains, though, which take a lot more time and the ticket is only valid from 9 am on. Still, for 19 Euro (single ticket) or 28 Euro (group ticket up to five people) it is a bargain.

There are several daily trains from Berlin with different prices. I booked online from www.bahn.de a fast direct train for 36euros (return ticket). The train ride was about 70’. We had printed the e-ticket and we showed it to the inspector when we asked for inside the train. He also asked us for the credit card that we used (don’t forget to have it with you).

Leipzig’s train station is a huge terminal station with 26 platforms. Watch the screens for your platform. In case you have some time you can wait at one of the cafes inside the station or do some shopping at one of the 130 shops!

From the train station you can walk around the Old Town (no need for tram or bus). In case you need a tram most of the lines pass in front of the station.

The Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ) is 20 kilometres NW of the city. There is a bus to the city center and of course taxi or rental cars available. If you come with a low cost company like RyanAir you will arrive at LeipzigAltenburg (AOC) which is 40 kiolemeters South of Leipzig.

Leipzig railway station is huge and connects with local trams and buses directly in front of the station. A bit like Reading station, only much, much better.

To see the German rail (DB) site in English, click the weblink below and then click "Internat. Guests" on the top rail of the DB webpage.

The address of Leipzig station is: Willy-Brandt-Platz 5, D04109-Leipzig.

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Leipzig's main station (Hauptbahnhof) is located conveniently just next to the city centre. Regional and long-distance trains as well as local transport stop here and make your visit in Leipzig easy.
But apart from these facts, the main station in Leipzig is also a large shopping mall. The so-called "Promenaden" are actually part of the station and enable you to literally shop till you drop! There's a large number of shops but also very many restaurants or snack bars and food stalls. Arriving at or leaving from Leipzig Hauptbahnhof wouldn't be complete without at least taking a look at some of them!

Leipzig was, and still is, a hub of the German railway system. It lies on the crossroads of two super fast ICE lines, one running from Hamburg and Berlin to Munich, and the other from Cologne and Frankfurt to Dresden. It also has good local connections, to places like Chemnitz, Halle, and Weimar.

A well-functioning railroad system needs not only the high-speed express lines between major cities, but also regional lines like this one to bring passengers in from the countryside. (The current management of the German Railway System needs to be reminded of this from time to time.)

I took this photo out the back window of a regional train when I was on my way from Hoyerswerda to Leipzig.