Since December 2019 direct trains connect Berlin and Dresden hourly. The long awaited new IC (Intercity) is coming. Now you can either take the Czech EC (Eurocity) or the German IC from Berlin to Dresden in two hours. I would like to present both trains and the timetable. Today the focus will be on the EC, in another blog the IC with its new design.
Timetable: Timetable Berlin-Dresden
The hourly cycle is as follows: Eurocity and Intercity each run every two hours and therefore combine each other to form an hourly cycle. However, there is a different stopping pattern: The EC does not (!) stop at all between Berlin and Dresden and only needs 1h51 for the route. It continues its journey to Prague. The IC stops at BER Airport (Berlin), Doberlug-Kirchhain and Elsterwerda. Therefore it needs 2h14 and ends in Dresden main station.
EC departures in Berlin main station (to Prague): 0656, 0916, 1116, 1316, 1516, 1716, 2116 (as IC to Dresden)
IC departures from Berlin main station (to Dresden main station): 0826, 1026, 1226, 1426, 1626, 1826, 2026
In addition, at 06:17 a Railjet to Dresden/Prague/Vienna will be running on our route with stops in Doberlug and Elsterwerda. The main track of the trains to Dresden is track 2 or 1, but this can change at any time and at short notice!
Fare
Ticket prices on this route start from as little as 17.90 EUR, nevertheless which class. This is a super saver price, which is only available in limited quantities. The standard fare (Flexpreis) is 38.70 EUR. Between this price range there are many more savings price levels, which are automatically activated when the current lowest savings price is sold out. Discounts are available with a Bahncard: 25% off the special price (i.e. only 13.40 EUR) and 25% or 50% depending on the Bahncard. With a BC50, you can travel to Berlin for as little as 19 EUR - because the "Flexpreis" means you can choose the train. However, savings prices are tied to a specific train. Online tickets to print out by yourself are available here.
Reservations/Interrail
A reservation is not obligatory on any of the new trains. So you can also travel free of charge on Interrail. An optional reservation costs 4 EUR and is available on the DB website. You have to click on "Reservation - seat only" at the bottom. In 1st class, a reservation is included in the ticket.
Design and service in EC
In the following I would like to refer more to the EC. As I said, there will be another blog about the brand new IC. Last summer I could only reach this train by a lucky circumstance: It was 60 minutes late, I arrived in Berlin Hbf from Warsaw on schedule. The train had already passed through there, but had to wait one station further on. So I simply took a S-Bahn and caught up with the train. This train was of course full of annoyed passengers. The train had to wait for the relieving train driver, who himself was late because his train had to wait again because of a passenger accident on the track. It's really nobody's fault! So I will use the time to guide you through the train. Unlike the new IC, this one still has compartments. Some like it, some don't. Here you see a 2nd class compartment with 6 seats:
Those who are less inclined to do so can also take a seat in a large car. Here is a photo of a spacious 1st class coach.
The train was filled almost to the last seat. There are compartments and a large room in both classes. In the 1st class I could use the time for a photo, when a few people left their seat.
The 1st class is only seated with 2+1 instead of 2+2. There are (also in the 2nd class) also seats with an extendable table:
Let's get to the dining car. This can be found by following the illuminated display at the end of the car:
The Czech dining car is one of the best I know. I tested it myself on a trip to Prague. There are traditional Czech dishes like dumplings or Palatschicken (a kind of pancake). And for a really good price! (Pancakes about 3 Euro, dumplings from about 6 Euro). Sometimes there is also a "happy hour". This means that between certain stations the prices are reduced. My pancake cost only 2,20 EUR between Aussig and Tetschen at that time!
The dining car also looks really cosy:
It is similar to the 1st class 2+1, but the seats are much more comfortable.
In theory, you can also spend the whole trip in the dining car. During my trip it was very well filled (surely also because of the delay). But you can also buy drinks or snacks at a service counter for a short time.
On this train you can also take bicycles for an extra charge. A photo of this in the IC-section. Toilets were very clean on my trip:
By the way, the trains can be easily distinguished by their exterior design. Characteristic for the EC is the blue paint scheme and the blue locomotive:
I especially like the slogan and the design of the locomotive: "We connect people and places" is written there. Among them pictures of Prague, Dresden, Berlin and Hamburg. The four biggest cities with at least half a million inhabitants each. A silhouette with the most beautiful sights in addition!
Unfortunately, we still have about +60 minutes to reach Dresden main station. So the train didn't get anything out.
That's why it wasn't really a big advantage for me anymore, because with the scheduled connection via Leipzig to Freiberg it would have been the same, but it didn't matter. At least I could write this blog here! I was more punctual on my trip from Dresden to Berlin in March. Read more about the "new" IC here:
IC Berlin-Dresden
In contrast to the EC, the IC looks white and is not operated by Ceske Drahy (CD) but by Deutsche Bahn (DB). My pictures are taken from an old IC, which was initially used on the new line Dresden-Berlin-Rostock. Since March 2020 the new IC is in operation.
Sometimes, however, the old IC is still used (e.g. as a replacement train in case of failure). On a rainy 7th of March 2020 the train went to Berlin to support Werder Bremen at Hertha BSC. On this day the old IC of the type "IC1" was used. The main differences here are the allocation of the seats. There are almost exclusively large capacity cars.
There are only a few compartments, here a 1st class compartment:
Bicycles can be carried on all trains to Berlin, including the new IC:
Unfortunately there is no real dining car on IC trains, but rather an on-board bistro or "Bord-Café". It's a pity, but there are small snacks and drinks anyway, as well as an extra seating area for customers.
After two hours we reach Berlin Hbf:
From there it is only a stone's throw to the Bundestag. My S-Bahn to the Olympic Stadium, however, runs on track 16. Last but not least a teaser: on this day a new IC was on the track for the first time, unfortunately still without me. In Berlin Hbf I was still able to take some pictures:
More about this in another blog! Here again the link to buy a ticket at the Deutsche Bahn.
If you use this booking link, we get a small commission for our free content, for which we would be very happy. The price stays the same for you! In this sense: thank you very much and see you next time.
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