Rockhead! Die Gravelbiketour in Sachsen: Arrival

Arrival

Whether you are traveling from afar or coming directly from the region - the RockHead takes you through the impressive landscapes of Upper Lusatia and Saxon Switzerland. Both destinations are easily accessible by train or car. Start your adventure directly at one of the many entry points and immerse yourself in the varied terrain that awaits you along the route.

Start planning your journey straight away

Travel to Saxon Switzerland by train

Saxon Switzerland is quick and easy to reach by train. The S1 S-Bahn (Meissen – Dresden – Bad Schandau – Schöna) takes you and your bike to the Elbe region, including Stadt Wehlen and Bad Schandau. From Pirna, you can reach RockHead stage destinations such as Stolpen or Neustadt i.Sa. via the RB 71. And from Bad Schandau, you can take the U28 National Park Railway toward Rumburk to get off at Sebnitz, among other places. The S1 has ample capacity for transporting bicycles. The RB 71 and the U28 can each accommodate approximately 6 bikes.

The Bad Schandau National Park station is connected to the long-distance rail network of the railway. Trains from Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, and Prague stop here. There are even direct connections from Vienna, Graz, and Budapest. Recently, two night trains have also started stopping here—one departs from Zurich, and the other travels from Brussels via Amsterdam to Saxon Switzerland.

Locally, you can use the Gästekarte mobil . With it, you can use trains, buses, almost all ferries, and even the Kirnitzschtalbahn at no extra charge. You’ll only need to purchase a separate bike ticket.

Another key part of the RockHeads experience is the ferry in Stadt Wehlen. If it’s ever out of service, you can take the ferry in Kurort Rathen or use the city bridge in Pirna, which you can reach via the Elbe Cycle Route.

A gravel biker gets on the RE71 train at Pirna station in the direction of Sebnitz with her gravel bike. — © Heike Grunow

Here you can find all public transport hubs at a glance

Parking

Want to start your gravel adventure right at the RockHead? No problem! There are parking facilities at several starting points along the route - ideal for tours lasting several days. Please pay attention to the signposted areas and park carefully.

Parking in Saxon Switzerland

Schöne Aussicht parking lot (P5) in Stadt Wehlen

open around the clock
Daily rate: EUR 7 for vehicles up to 3.0t, EUR 14 for vehicles over 3.0t
Payment with coins at the machine or via EasyPark app - please note: daily ticket must be purchased again each day in the app while on the move
Located above the village, directly at the RockHead at the end of the purple stage

Note: If you have booked a starter package and want to finish the tour, you will have to cycle back up the hill at the end.

The parking lots along the Elbe in Stadt Wehlen are only short-term parking lots. The following parking facilities in Saxon Switzerland are good alternatives:

P+R Bad Schandau at the national park train stationFriedrich-Gottlob-Keller-Straße, 01814 Bad Schandau

open around the clock
free of charge
free parking spaces in real time here
directly at the RockHead at the end of the yellow section

City center parking garageErnst-Thälmann-Platz 2, 01796 Pirna

Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 04:30 - 20:00
Exit always possible
Daily, monthly and Malerweg tickets available - use the Malerweg ticket if you want to park for more than three days
Please note: Activate and pay for the entry ticket as a weekly ticket in the ticket machine immediately on the day of entry.
Daily rate: 10 EUR
Weekly ticket (Malerweg ticket): 35 EUR, each additional day: 10 EUR
Access to the yellow stage of the RockHead via the Elbe cycle path or by S-Bahn S1 to Stadt Wehlen

" Further parking options in Pirna

Parking in Upper Lusatia

Would you like to join the RockHead in Upper Lusatia? These are your parking options in the Zittauer Gebirge and Oberlausitzer Bergland:

Parking garage at the Hotel DreiländereckPfarrstraße 3, 02763 Zittau

open around the clock
Daily rate: 7 EUR
cash only, payment on exit
in the center of Zittau at the end of the black and beginning of the orange stage of the RockHead