Travel to Colditz

There are a number of ways to travel to Colditz. It may sound complicated at first, but it's actually pretty easy to get there once you know how.

Travel to Colditz Without a Car

The town of Colditz sits in a river valley in an area of rolling hills and farmland, 24 miles southeast of Leipzig in the eastern part of Germany.

By Air
Coming from outside of Germany, travelers can fly into the Leipzig-Halle airport or fly into Berlin and travel by train to Leipzig (about a 1 hour ride on the fast ICE trains, leaving Berlin about every hour). Leipzig is the closest major city.

Coming from the UK:
Ryanair has some really cheap flights (around £4) from London-Stansted airport to Altenburg-Nobitz airport and it's easy to get to Colditz from Altenburg.

If you fly into Altenburg, getting to Colditz is a two-step process: Altenburg to Leipzig, then Leipzig to Colditz. The whole process takes about two hours.

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From Altenburg to Leipzig.
Altenburg is a smallish town with a small airport. You can get to Leipzig by:

• Taking the bus from the Altenburg airport to the Leipzig train station (€12). Even though the bus is direct, it takes about 75 minutes to get there, much longer than the second possibility below:
• Take the bus from the Altenburg airport to the town of Altenburg (€3.50), then take the train to Leipzig (€7.20). The train runs frequently and gets to Leipzig in 25 to 30 minutes. The Altenburg train station is across the street from the bus station. This is your best bet.

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From Leipzig to Colditz.
There are two ways to get from Leipzig to Colditz: a bus direct to Colditz, or a train to Grossbothen, then a bus to Colditz.

Train service into Colditz was eliminated a few years ago, but there is excellent bus service from Leipzig. I think the easiest way for those without a car is to travel via the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) in Leipzig and take the bus from there directly to Colditz.

By Bus from Leipzig
Once you are in the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof (an interesting sight in itself - one of the largest train stations in Europe) you can buy a ticket for the Colditz bus #690 (€6). The bus to Colditz runs only on weekdays, and leaves roughly every hour or so between 6:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., but not necessarily on the hour. Just to give you an idea, it's now running at 6:30, 7:20, 8:15, 9:15, 11:45, 13:55, 14:55, 15:55, 16:40, 17:15, and 18:45. This could change, of course, so please check the schedule. On weekends, you'll need to do the train/bus combo described below.

The bus stop is pretty easy to find. Go out the main entrance of the train station (facing towards the city) and as soon as you pass the doors, go left and about 10 yards away you should see a bus stop (a post with a yellow circle on top). The bus schedule is attached to the post.

The ride to Colditz ambles through a number of little towns and gives you a good view of the surrounding countryside. It is very comfortable and air-conditioned: a big plus when I was there and it was in the 90's in the shade! Aside from the express ICE trains, most of the trains in Germany are not air-conditioned. Although in fairness, it is rarely that hot in Germany in the summer so air-conditioning isn't usually that important. The bus ride takes 1 hour and 22 minutes and you don't have to change.

Don't get off at the first stop (Leipzigerstrasse) in Colditz; you'll be on the wrong side of the river. Get off at the next stop next to a playing field (Sportplatz is the name of the stop) which is just outside the old part of town. Ask the driver to be sure (ask for "Colditz Sportplatz"). Cross the street and head into the town on Nicolaistrasse. Go about two blocks until the street ends, then go left, then immediately right onto Untermarkt and you will be in the old town center with its market square and, of course, the castle above it. (See map of Colditz below.)

The bus back to Leipzig leaves from the Sportplatz at 7:20, 9:15, 11:15, 12:45, 13:40, 15:05, 15:45, and the last one at 16:50.

By Bus and Train from Leipzig
Another possibility is to take the train from Leipzig to Grossbothen, then from Grossbothen, the #619 bus to Colditz. I haven't tried this route so I can't tell you which is easier. The Grossbothen route is a little faster, just over an hour, but you do have to make a change. On weekends, you'll have to choose this route, since the direct bus isn't available.

The train to Grossbothen runs every day, roughly every two hours, starting at 6:15 am (6:15 am, 8:15am, etc, until the last one at 8:15 pm).

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From Dresden, you can travel to Colditz by taking the train to Grossbothen, then bus #619 to Colditz. Get details from the train station in Dresden when you get your ticket.

You can also take a taxi from the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, though the bus would be cheaper and just as easy.

Important Note: I've included schedule information to give you an idea of how often and when the the trains and buses run, but the days and times are subject to change at any time, so before making plans, please check with the German Railway for current bus and train schedules, at www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de (in English).

Gute Reise!

Photo courtesy of Pete Nowakiwskyj

Travel to Colditz by Car

There is a major highway, A14, running east-west between Leipzig and Dresden. Coming from the Leipzig direction, head east until you get to the Grimma exit onto B107 south. The sign should say Rochlitz/ Colditz. Coming from Dresden, watch for the same exit and head south. Stay on this road all the way to Colditz. Just before the Mulde river on the edge of town, Highway B107 turns sharply right. Keep going straight on B176 and cross the bridge over the river.

You will now be in the old part of Colditz, which is very compact. The Markt (town square) and the castle are all within a couple of blocks . You can't miss the castle. It towers over the town and you can see it from far away.

See below for maps of Colditz:

Looking at the map, you would think there should be a direct bus route from Altenburg to Colditz, but short of taking a taxi or driving yourself, the only way is a big detour via Leipzig.

Colditz Town Map
Hold the cursor over the marker to identify the location:

Thanks to Pete Nowakiwskyj for providing additional information.