A laundry dryer (2) has a casing, a laundry storing compartment (18) arranged within the casing for receiving laundry (19) to be dried by passing process air (A) through the laundry storing compartment (18), and a heat exchanger (10) for dehumidifying the process air (A) after passing the laundry storing compartment (18). Furthermore, the dryer (2) has a condensate collecting device (30) for collecting condensate formed at the heat exchanger (10), and a removable condensate reservoir (40) for storing condensed water formed at the heat exchanger (10). Moreover, the dryer has a control unit (42) for controlling the operation of the laundry dryer (2), and a pumping and feeding arrangement (36) for pumping condensate collected in the condensate collecting device (30) through an internal line (38) to the removable condensate reservoir (40). The pumping and feeding arrangement (36) is fluidly connected to a draining line (39) for pumping condensate collected in the condensate collecting device (30) selectively through said internal line (38) and/or through said draining line (39). The draining line (39) is adapted to be selectively connected to an external sink for discharging the condensate outside the dryer casing or to the removable condensate reservoir (40) to supply the condensate pumped through the draining line (39) to the removable condensate reservoir (40).