A drying device for drying intake air fed to a compressed-air system of a vehicle includes a cooling device connected downstream of a compressor in an intake air flow path and draws off heat from the intake air coming from the compressor, a desiccant container connected downstream of the cooling device in the intake air flow path and comprising an adsorbent for removing water from the intake air flowing through the desiccant container, and a regeneration container connected downstream of the desiccant container in the intake air flow path and configured to receive a first portion of the intake air coming from the desiccant container and, as required, returns it to the desiccant container and which feeds heat, drawn off by the cooling device, to the received intake air.