The old town is compact and best explored on foot — you can walk from the market square to Sonnenstein Castle and back in well under an hour.
By bus
Local buses connect Pirna to the surrounding villages and to trailheads in Saxon Switzerland. Bus 241 runs to Hohnstein, and the 253 goes toward Bad Schandau. Services are run by VVO (Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe); tickets are interoperable with S-Bahn fares. The main bus stop is near the train station.
By bicycle
The Elbe Cycle Path (Elberadweg) passes right through Pirna, connecting it to Dresden to the northwest and to the villages of Saxon Switzerland to the southeast. The stretch between Pirna and Dresden along the Elbe bank is flat, well-surfaced, and one of the most pleasant half-day rides in Saxony. Bikes can be hired at a few shops in town and can be taken on S-Bahn trains (with a bike ticket) during off-peak hours.
By ferry
The Sächsische Dampfschifffahrt paddle-steamers stop at Pirna's landing stage on the Elbe, providing river connections to Dresden and upriver to Bad Schandau. A practical option for getting to Bastei or Königstein from Pirna without backtracking through Dresden.