Start your journey in Chemnitz. Chemnitz is a city in southwestern Saxony, with around 250 000 inhabitants the third-largest city in the state, after Dresden and Leipzig. The settlement developed around a monastery, and was granted city status in 1170. Due to its location at the foot of the Erzgebirge (literally ore mountains), in the 16th century Chemnitz began to grow in size an importance as a place of trade, and later as the base of industrial production. The increase in Saxon coal mining during the 18th century allowed Chemnitz to develop into one of the most important centres of the German machine and textile industries - factors which gave it the nickname of "little Manchester". Several large areas of the city were built during this period including Kaßberg and Sonnenberg. Due to the economic importance of Chemnitz it was a prime target for the Allied air force during World War II. By 1945 the city had undergone near to total destruction. Between 1953 and 1990 Chemnitz was renamed as Karl-Marx-Stadt (even though Marx had never visited nor had anything to do with the city's contemporary history). A great deal of new building occurred during this period, much of which remains today. The large bronze head was presented to the town's people in 1971.

Starting in Chemnitz, you can enjoy low fares and a comfortable trip in a modern, well-equipped coach. easyBus.com.. Zhytomyr (Ukrainian: Жито́мир), Zhitomir, (Polish: Żytomierz), (Yiddish: זשיטאָמיר), Zhitomir) is a city in Central Ukraine. The administrative center of the Zhytomyr region and Zhitomir district. It's in northern Ukraine, 150 km west of Kyiv centre. Population: 271,000 inhabitants.