Dresden main station closed at the weekend

Train travelers in and around Dresden have to prepare for a weekend full of train cancellations and replacement services. From 4:00 a.m. on Friday until 4:00 a.m. on Monday, the main station will be completely closed due to construction work, as announced by Deutsche Bahn. No trains will be running at the junction during this time.

Replacement services to get passengers to their destinations

Long-distance services to and from Berlin and Leipzig will end and begin in Dresden-Neustadt. The main station is served by regular local services and an additional replacement service with a special streetcar line 26, which runs between Mickten and Plauen. There will be replacement bus services to and from Prague between Neustadt and Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic. This will extend the journey time by around an hour.

Regional services and the S-Bahn will be canceled on all lines between the Dresden stations of Neustadt, Reick, Plauen and Friedrichstadt. Passengers there will also have to make use of alternatives on regular local services or the replacement services provided by buses and streetcar 26.

Crossing structure to be replaced

The reason for the closure is construction work on the crossing structure under Budapester Straße as part of the lengthy expansion of the Leipzig-Dresden line. The project is due to reach the halfway point this weekend and is scheduled for completion by 2027.

The crossing structure is being replaced with a new one due to its poor condition. According to the railroad company, it is optimizing the tracks so that trains will be able to travel up to 80 kilometers per hour instead of the previous 60. In this way, the railroad wants to increase the capacity of the Dresden railroad junction.

In general, the work is taking place during ongoing operations, but closures are always necessary. In the current construction phase, the eastern part of the crossing structure is being renovated first. The reconstruction of the western side will follow in the spring.

Further restrictions in February

Five weeks later, the main station will be closed again. From February 14, 4:00 a.m. to February 15, 11:59 p.m., long-distance and regional services will be affected. A full closure will follow on the night of February 16 from midnight to 4 a.m., which will then also affect commuter trains.