About BER to Leipzig
Leipzig, Saxony's largest city, is a trade-fair and music city where Bach worked at St Thomas Church and the Gewandhaus orchestra plays on Augustusplatz. Former industrial districts such as Plagwitz now house galleries and studios.
How long is the drive from BER to Leipzig?
Your driver heads west on the A10 ring to the Potsdam junction and then turns south onto the A9, one of Germany's busiest north-south routes. The city centre is roughly 180 to 200 kilometres away, normally two to two and a half hours. Lorry traffic is heavy on weekday mornings, and the stretch near the Schkeuditz junction regularly slows down at the start of the holidays. A Sunday evening landing is often the quickest.
Changing trains in Berlin versus one ride
By rail you first take a train from the airport to Südkreuz or the Hauptbahnhof and then an ICE to Leipzig. The ICE itself is quick, but with the change, waiting and the walk from Leipzig Hauptbahnhof to your hotel the whole journey easily exceeds two hours. Anyone with two large suitcases per person, a sleeping toddler or a sample case for the fair will value one door-to-door ride. Our blog compares train connection and direct ride to Leipzig in more depth.
Inside the ring: where the car stops
The old town within the Leipzig ring road is largely car-free. Hotels on the ring itself, around Augustusplatz or near the Hauptbahnhof are easy to reach; for addresses deep inside the pedestrian zone, the driver stops at the nearest permitted access road and you walk the last metres. Name the exact hotel, because several houses share the same square. Apartments in Plagwitz, Connewitz or the Südvorstadt are usually reachable right to the door.
Neue Messe and congress days
The trade-fair grounds lie in the north of the city near the A14, so you avoid the centre entirely. Give the entrance named in your exhibitor documents – East, West or the Congress Center – and the driver aims for the right gate. On the opening day of a large fair, such as the book fair, which is usually held in March, the access roads fill up in the morning. Exhibitors who need to set up early are best served by a flight the evening before. For larger teams, consider a group transfer.
Beyond the city: lakes and neighbouring towns
South of Leipzig, former open-cast mines have become lakes such as the Cospudener See, popular with sailors and cyclists. Halle (Saale) lies about half an hour to the west. Markkleeberg with its lake and canoe park, or holiday homes in the Leipzig lake district, can be reached without going through the city centre. Enter any of these as your destination directly. If you travel with bicycles in a bag or a stroller as well as suitcases, book a larger vehicle.
Questions worth settling before you land
- Do you need an invoice in a company name? It is issued by the transport company that carries out the ride; enter the company details when booking and keep the booking confirmation as proof of payment.
- Arriving at Pentecost? The Wave-Gotik-Treffen brings thousands of visitors and busy streets.
- Match day at the stadium west of the centre? Avoid the hour before kick-off if you can.
- Travelling on to Dresden later? See our Dresden page, or the overview of long-distance destinations.
