Castle Neuschwanstein from Munich in 2024 + Travel Tips

Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein in German), located in southwest Bavaria, is one of the most magnificent architectural marvels and dreamiest castles in the world. It was built by the infamous Bavarian King, King Ludwig II in the 19th century.

Neuschwanstein Castle, which also inspired Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle,  attracts millions of tourists every year.  Most tourists visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich.

When planning your visit, you have 3 main options for reaching Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich: by car, guided tour, or public transportation. Each approach offers a unique experience, and the best choice depends on your preferences.

This article will provide you with all the information you need on how to embark on a memorable day trip from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle.

Photo of Castle Neuschwanstein taken from one of the photo spots

That’s an interesting question!

You could join a tour which is the most convenient way to get to Neuschwanstein Castle.

You could take the train that takes a lot of time but it’s much cheaper.

Or why not try getting to Neuschwanstein Castle by bus?

Or you could rent a car so that you spend less time traveling to Neuschwanstein Castle?

This travel guide will help you to decide. I will explain to you every single detail of each option.

But first, we need to know how far Neuschwanstein Castle is from Munich.

Breathtakingly beautiful Alpsee Lake that you can see from the balconies of Neuschwanstein Castle and the Hohenschwangau Castle 

How far is Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich?

The distance from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle is between 110 km (68 mi) and 135 km (84 mi).

Neuschwanstein Castle lies on a hill in the village of Hohenschwangau.

So, first, you need to get to Hohenschwangau.  The journey duration from Munich to Hohenschwangau depends on how you will get there, whether you travel there joining a tour, by car, or with public transport.

By car, getting to Hohenschwangau from Munich should be 2 hours without traffic, and with public transport (train and bus), it would be around 3 and a half hours.

Then, you have to walk up to the Neuschwanstein Castle. The distance between Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castle is only 1.6 km (1 mi). This hike takes around 30 mins.

This short distance makes visiting the stunning fairy tale castle one of the best day trips from Munich.

The Neuschwanstein Castle Tickets are for visiting the fairy tale castle inside.

3.1. RESERVING NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE TICKETS IN ADVANCE

The best thing to do is to purchase your entrance ticket to Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein ) in advance.

Make sure you plan ahead of time. Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle is the most popular touristic attraction and the tickets are generally sold out as soon as they are available to book.

You can reserve your Neuschwanstein Castle ticket on the official website of Hohenschwangau.

Here, you can also book tickets for Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings.

3.2. PURCHASING NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE TICKETS ONCE THEY ARE SOLD OUT IN THE TICKET SHOP

If you didn’t manage to buy tickets to Neuschwanstein Castle from the online ticket shop in advance, you can still have the chance to get hold of tickets there.

To make it happen, travel to Neuschwanstein Castle very early in the morning and try to get your entrance ticket from the Hohenschwangau Ticket Center.

They always have a limited number of tickets available for sale on the same day.

This is the exact address of the Hohenschwangau Ticket Center: Alpseestraße 12, 87645 Schwangau, Germany.

The ticket center opens every day at 8 am. Make sure you get there before it opens at 8 am and prepare cash for the payment.

3.3. VISITING NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE WITHOUT TICKETS

Even if the tickets are sold out for the day, it’s still worth traveling to Neuschwanstein Castle for the entire day because the castle from the outside and its surroundings will still take your breath away.

You can walk to the viewpoints of the Neuschwanstein Castle including Mary’s Bridge (Marienbrücke), explore the hiking trails around the castle, walk around the beautiful Alpsee Lake, boat in the lake, visit Hohenschwangau Castle (Schloss Hohenschwangau) and the Museum of Bavarian Kings (Museum der bayerischen Könige) or have a traditional Bavarian meal in one of the restaurants in Hohenschwangau.

Neuschwanstein Castle and Marys Bridge (Marienbrücke) – Castle Neuschwanstein from Munich

When should you join a tour to visit Neuschwanstein Castle?

If you are traveling in Germany and …

• You have a limited amount of time available
• You don’t want to lose time getting there on your own
• You don’t want the hassle of organizing things
• You want to make sure that you will have a ticket to visit Neuschwanstein Castle
• You don’t want to rent a car
• Or you want to see two epic fairy tale castles, not only the Neuschwanstein Castle but also the Linderhof Castle in one day.

Let’s see the 2 most popular Neuschwanstein Castle Tours from Munich.

1. Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle Day Trip from Munich

This tour is fantastic as you get to visit so many stunning places in one day, it’s the most popular tour to Neuschwanstein and it keeps receiving really good customer reviews.

• You will be taken to King Ludwig II’s most beautiful castles, the Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace
• You will have lunch in the picturesque Hohenschwangau encapsulated in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps
• You will visit the charming town of Oberammergau to admire its quaint houses
• You will learn a lot about your travel destinations from a local tour guide
• You will travel in an air-conditioned bus
• You can buy your Neuschwanstein Castle Ticket on the bus

2. Neuschwanstein Castle Full Day Trip from Munich

• You will travel from Munich to Neuschwanstein by train and bus
• You will visit and learn about the history of the fabulous Neuschwanstein Castle in depth from a local guide
• You will have the chance to get the best viewpoints of Neuschwanstein Castle
• You will explore the breathtaking natural settings around Neuschwanstein Castle such as the beautiful Alpsee Lake
• You can buy your Neuschwanstein Castle Ticket on the bus
• You will get to explore the picturesque Bavarian town of Füssen

5.1. SHORTLY ABOUT THIS OPTION FROM MUNICH TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

I have tried this option many times. It’s perfect for you if you are not into tours and if you don’t want to drive.

In fact, there is no direct train going to Neuschwanstein Castle. The Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle Train will only take you to Füssen. Then, in Füssen will take a bus.

This journey takes at least 3 hours if there is no delay on the way.

Insider tip: Leave with one of the first trains from Munich to be there before 9 am. Last time, I took the train as early as 6:21 in the morning.

The stunning Hohenschwangau Castle

5.2. TRAIN & BUS ROUTE FROM MUNICH TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

If you want to take the train from Munich, this is your route:

STEP 1 – By train: Munich Central Station – Kaufbeuren or Buchloe Train Station

STEP 2 – By train: Kaufbeuren or Buchloe Train Station – Füssen Train Station

STEP 3 – By bus # 73 or #78: Füssen Bus Station – Neuschwanstein Castles, Schwangau

Insider tip: Once you got off the train in Füssen, quickly walk to the bus stop. I normally run. When it’s sunny on the weekend, there are so many people visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. To make sure you are one of the first passengers to get on the bus and that you can even take a seat, it’s better to be quick.

Believe me, it’s worth running for it.

5.3. BEST TRAIN & BUS TICKET FROM MUNICH TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

Bayern Ticket to Neuschwanstein Castle

The best option is a regional day ticket called Bayern Ticket.

This ticket is valid for regional trains and buses in the state of Bavaria. That includes your train ticket from Munich Central Station to Füssen and the bus from Füssen to Neuschwanstein.

Moreover, it’s valid for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and local buses. So, you can also use it from your hotel to the train station and back.

The Bayern Ticket is also a group ticket. One ticket can be used by up to 5 people and the more you are traveling together the less you pay for the ticket. The price of a Bavaria ticket is 26 € if you travel solo. And after each additional passenger, you pay an extra 8 €.

It’s very important to know that on weekends and public holidays, the ticket is valid already from midnight but from Monday to Friday only from 9 am to 3 am.

Read more about this ticket, here: Bayern Ticket Guide

Check out the schedule using the German Railways search engine below. Type Neuschwanstein Castles, Schwangau as your destination.

Check the train schedule, here, on the website of Deutsche Bahn.

5.4. HOW TO BUY BAYERN TICKET TO GET TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

5.4.1. BY USING THE DEUTCHE BAHN APP

If you don’t mind an extra app, you can download the DB Navigator. It’s the app of the German Railways (Deutsche Bahn). It’s a very easy-to-use app to book tickets and check train schedules in real time.

You can see the platforms (Gleis in German)from which you have to take the train, delays, and cancellations.

But don’t take all the info for granted when it comes to cancellations. I went to the train station in Munich many times to catch trains that were canceled according to the DB Navigator and it turned out that the train was not canceled.

You can also book your Bayern Ticket as mentioned using the app. At the end of the booking, if you are several people traveling together, make sure you enter all the passengers’ names.

You can book the Bayern Ticket two ways on the DB Navigator app. 

Option 1:

Look for the train connection in the app, choose the train, and then select Bayern Ticket. See the screenshots below for assistance.

Option 2:

First, select regional offers, then select Bayern Ticket. Check out the screenshots below to get it right.

5.4.2. BUYING BAYERN TICKET FROM TICKET MACHINE AT MUNICH CENTRAL STATION (MUNICH HAUPTBAHNHOF)

You will most probably buy the ticket at the Munich Central Station but just know that you can purchase the BayernTicket from a ticket machine at any train, S-Bahn, or U-Bahn station. The ticket machine has an English menu. Thus, you can easily buy the ticket.

Just in case, I break down the process for you:

1. Select the English menu
2. On the right, select Bayern-Ticket
3. Select the number of passengers
4. Select the class: 1st or 2nd
5. Select the date of your travel
6. Choose whether or not to collect Deutsch Bahn points
7. Check if all details are correct. (The Bayern Ticket cannot be changed or amended.)
8. Pay and take the Bayern Ticket printed
9. Write all passengers’ names on the ticket

If you buy the Bayern Ticket at the Munich Central Station or maybe at any other station in Munich, you also have to write the name of all the passengers on the ticket. So, make sure you have a pen on you.

4.4.3. BUYING BAYERN TICKET FROM THE TICKET OFFICE AT MUNICH CENTRAL STATION (MUNICH HAUPTBAHNHOF)

At the train station, you can also buy it from the ticket office or booth. However, in that case, you’ll be charged 2 Euros more for the service.

In general, buying a Bayern Ticket from the ticket vending machine is much quicker.

5.5. GETTING BACK TO MUNICH FROM NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

Here are my insider tips:

– Make sure you check in advance when the last bus is
– On the way back, there is always a long line waiting for the bus back to Füssen. They even have barriers there.
– There are people pretending that they don’t see people lining up and they just kind of skip the line. You better watch out for that.

You can travel from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle by Flixbus.

The Munich – Schwangau Neuschwanstein Castle service runs every day. It’s a 2-hour journey.

The bus departs from Munich Central Bus Station at 8:30 and it drops you at the ticket office of Neuschwanstein Castle at 10:35.

The ticket costs 9.99 € to 11:59 one-way.

You can also take the bus to get back to Munich. The departure time is 17:25 and the arrival time is 19:30.

If you take this bus from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle, you have 7 hours to explore Neuschwanstein Castle and its surroundings.

7.1. DRIVING FROM MUNICH TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE AND PARKING

If you don’t feel like changing trains and buses, you can simply go for renting a car in case you don’t have your own car in Munich.

If you are not used to using public transport and you are used to driving a car and you feel that you could drive with confidence in Germany, traveling there by car will be better for you.

If you have your own car or driver, you will save a lot of time, you will not have to stick to schedules, and you could also visit many places on the same day such as the Linderhof Castle and Füssen.

CAR RENTAL

Check out Discover Car to get access to the best car hire deals from Munich.

WHERE TO DRIVE TO EXACTLY

To navigate to Neuschwanstein, put in Hohenschwangau, Germany, and not Neuschwanstein Castle.

DRIVING FROM MUNICH TO HOHENSCHWANGAU

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DRIVE FROM MUNICH TO HOHENSCHWANGAU

Driving in Munich will not be difficult for experienced drivers. I count myself as a less experienced driver and I found driving in Munich pretty straightforward. However, there are a couple of big intersections that I consider quite complicated. There, you need to pay attention.

From Munich to Hohenschwangau, the driving is super easy.

When you are on the Autobahn (highway), remember that there is no speed limit. If you are not comfortable with too much speed, do what I do: Just take the right lane which is the slow lane.

The road signs are very easy to read in Germany. German language skills are not necessary in order to navigate as a driver in Germany.

Check out this page, if you want to go through the German traffic signs.

THE ROUTE FROM MUNICH TO HOHENSCHWANGAU

There are several routes leading you to Neuschwanstein Castle. Take the one that has less traffic at the time of your journey. Generally, if you want to be quick, this is the way to go. Generally, the quickest road is Nr 95, then Nr 2 and Nr 17.

JOURNEY DURATION

A bit less than two hours

WHERE TO PARK

You can park in Hohenschwangau where there are 4 parking lots. Hohenschwangau is the tourist village you walk from to get to Neuschwanstein Castle.

PARKING FEE

It’s 7 € per day. You will pay in cash to the parking attendant.

The location of the parking lot in Hohenschwangau – Castle Neuschwanstein from Munich

7.2. ROAD TRIP OPTIONS NEARBY

If you travel by car, you can also visit other places on the same day.  You can first drive to Neuschwanstein Castle and then pick one of the following locations to get the best out of your day.

HIGHLINE 179 – THE LONGERS SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN AUSTRIA

Check out the following article to learn more about the

Highline 179 Bridge in Austria

The longest suspension bridge of Austria, Highline 179 – Castle Neuschwanstein from Munich

LINDERHOF CASTLE – ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PALACES IN GERMANY

To learn more about Linderhof Castle, check out this travel guide:

Linderhof Palace Travel Guide

Linderhof Castle, one of the most gorgeous castles of King Ludwig II – Castle Neuschwanstein from Munich

OBERAMMERGAU – ONE OF THE CUTEST BAVARIAN VILLAGES IN GERMANY

Castle Neuschwanstein up on the hill – view from the walkway from which you start walking up to the castle

8.1. ON FOOT TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

From the ticket center to Neuschwanstein Castle, you will walk uphill on a 1.5 km long paved road. It’s a 30-40 minute walk.

8.2. BY HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

Neuschwanstein Castle horse-drawn carriage departure location:

Hotel Müller, Alpseestraße, Hohenschwangau

Neuschwanstein Castle horse-drawn carriage drop-off location:

The horses cannot go all the way to the castle. From the point where you are dropped, you will walk 10-15 minutes to reach the castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle horse-drawn carriage prices:

It costs 7 € uphill and 3.50 € downhill. You can simply buy the ticket from the carriage driver.

Neuschwanstein Castle horse-drawn carriage schedule:

They operate all year long without any specific schedule.

8.3. WITH SHUTTLE BUS CARRIAGE TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

Neuschwanstein Castle shuttle bus departure location:

Parking P4 just below Hohenschwangau Palace

Neuschwanstein Castle shuttle bus schedule:

They operate all year long except when the roads are icy or if there is too much snow.

The bus runs every 20 minutes without fixed departure times.

Neuschwanstein Castle shuttle drop-off location:

Similar to the horse-drawn carriages, the shuttle bus cannot go all the way to the castle either. The drop-off point is the viewpoint called Jugend.

Thus, from the drop-off point, you will also walk around 10-15 minutes to reach the entrance of the castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle shuttle bus prices:

Uphill ride:
3 € / adult
1.50 € / child (7 – 12 years)
free / child (0 – 6 years)

Downhill ride:
2 € / adult
1 € / child (7 – 12 years)
free / child (0 – 6 years)

Return ticket:
3.50 € / adult
2 € / child (7 – 12 years)
free / child (0 – 6 years)

Tickets can be purchased on the bus from the driver.