From 1859 to 1952, the town had a railway connection afforded by a 5-km-long spur leading to Niederschlema on the Zwickau-Schwarzenberg-Johanngeorgenstadt-Karlsbad railway line.
Schneeberg is until 31 March 2008 headquarters of the Bundeswehr's Gebirgsjägerbataillon ("Mountain Rangers' Battalion") 571 and Versorgungskompanie ("Supply Company") 370.