Volkswagen's 'Transparent Factory'

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ABOVE: One of two floors in the production area, where about 30 Phaetons are built each day.

Visiting the factory

There are two ways to visit the factory:

1. Buy a Phaeton.

When you order a Phaeton from a Volkswagen dealer, the dealer can help you schedule a visit to the Studio in the Transparent Factory, where a customer manager will introduce you to fabrics, leather, wood veneers, paint colors, etc. that you can see, feel, and smell in person instead of relying on a swatchbook or catalog. Later, you can come back to watch your Phaeton being custom-built (final assembly takes two days) and to pick up your completed car. Alternatively, you can:

2. Book a public tour.

The Transparent Factory is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (except when special functions are on the calendar), but the best time to visit is during production hours, when you can put on a white lab coat and be taken through the assembly area.

To inquire about public tours and admission fees, use the e-form under "Visits" on the factory's bilingual Web site or e-mail: infoservice@glaesernemanufaktur.de.

Tip:

• After your Transparent Factory visit, go outside to the Am Strassburger Platz station of the Dresden Park Railway, which will take you on a 5.6-km (3½-mile) circuit of the Grosser Garten. And if a VW Phaeton is beyond your budget, you may want to tour Dresden via Trabi Safari in a restored Trabant (the East German minicar that was produced from 1957 until 1991).

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