By Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
Take a regional train from Munich to Füssen (about 2 hours), then bus 73 or 78 to Hohenschwangau, below the castle. Book your Neuschwanstein tour slot online first: entry is only by a timed guided tour of about 30 minutes, €21 (≈ $23) for adults in 2026 plus a €2.50 (≈ $2.8) online booking fee, and the Ticket Center sells only leftover same-day tickets. Plan to reach Hohenschwangau 1.5 to 2 hours before your slot, because the walk up takes about 40 minutes.
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Most people go by train on a Bayern-Ticket, which is cheap for groups. A coach tour removes the planning but fixes your day. Driving gives you the most freedom, but you park in the valley and walk or shuttle up like everyone else.
| Option | Time each way | Cost guide | Good for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train + bus | About 2h to Füssen, then about 10 min by bus | Bayern-Ticket from €34 (≈ $38) (+€10 (≈ $11.1) per extra person) or Deutschlandticket | Most visitors, groups of 2 to 5 | Bayern-Ticket not valid before 9:00 on weekdays |
| Coach tour from Munich | Usually a full day | Varies by operator | First-time visitors who want it arranged | Check whether the castle ticket is included |
| Car | Varies with traffic | Fuel plus paid parking P1 to P4 in Hohenschwangau | Combining with other Allgäu stops | No driving up to the castle; strict no-stopping zone |
Neuschwanstein can only be visited on a guided tour with limited places. Buy tickets in the official online shop at hohenschwangau.de, which charges a €2.50 (≈ $2.8) booking fee per ticket, including the free tickets for under-18s. The 2026 adult price is €21 (≈ $23) (€20 (≈ $22) reduced). Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded, so fix the date first.
Whatever is not sold online goes on sale at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau for the same day only, from 8:00, while it lasts. In busy periods these can sell out by late morning. Treat same-day tickets as a back-up, not a plan.
Opening hours: in the 2026 summer season (28 March to 15 October) the castle opened 9:00 to 18:00; winter hours from 16 October are 10:00 to 16:00. It is closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January.
Regional trains run from Munich to Füssen in about 2 hours. A direct train runs roughly every two hours; at other times you change at Buchloe, where the connection is timed. Check the DB planner for your date: from February to October 2026 engineering work moved these trains from Munich Hbf to München-Pasing, so the starting station is not always the same.
Bayern-Ticket: one day of travel on regional trains and almost all regular buses in Bavaria for €34 (≈ $38), plus €10 (≈ $11.1) for each extra person up to five. On weekdays it is valid only from 9:00, so the first usable trains reach Füssen in late morning; at weekends and on holidays it is valid all day. Deutschlandticket: if you already hold one (€63 (≈ $70) a month in 2026), it covers the regional trains and local buses. Our Deutschlandticket guide explains how to buy it and cancel it.
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Buses 73 and 78 leave from outside Füssen station for Hohenschwangau, the village at the foot of both castles; the ride is about 10 minutes. Expect them to be full when a train has just arrived. The Ticket Center, the shuttle stop and the walking path all start in the village.
From Hohenschwangau you have three ways up. Walk: about 40 minutes uphill from the Ticket Center. Shuttle bus: from the Alpsee car park (P4) to the Jugend viewpoint by Mary's Bridge (Marienbrücke), about 15 minutes, €3.50 (≈ $3.9) up, €3.50 (≈ $3.9) down or €5 (≈ $5.6) return, cash to the driver or at the cashier; then about 15 minutes' walk down to the castle entrance. It does not run in snow or ice, and the Bayern-Ticket is not valid on it. Horse carriage: €8 (≈ $8.9) up, €4 (≈ $4.4) down, from opposite Hotel Müller, then about 15 minutes' walk.
Mary's Bridge can close in winter or bad weather, which does not affect the castle path or tours. Rucksacks, prams and child carriers are not allowed inside the castle, so travel light.
The Ticket Center asks you to be in Hohenschwangau at least 1.5 to 2 hours before your Neuschwanstein entry time. Work backwards: a train arriving at Füssen around 11:00 suits a tour slot after about 13:00. A slot that is late in the day is fine in summer, but in winter the castle closes at 16:00.
Allow a full day, about 9 to 10 hours door to door, and check the last direct trains back before you book your tour. Our day trips from Munich guide compares this with Salzburg and the Zugspitze, and the 5-day Munich itinerary shows where it fits. If you want a slower start, stay a night in Füssen and take an early tour slot.
About 2 hours by regional train to Füssen, about 10 minutes by bus 73 or 78 to Hohenschwangau, then about 40 minutes' walk uphill or a shuttle bus. Allow 3 hours door to door.
Yes, in practice. Entry is only by timed guided tour, sold online at hohenschwangau.de with a €2.50 (≈ $2.8) fee per ticket. Only leftover tickets are sold on the day at the Ticket Center, from 8:00.
In 2026 the adult ticket is €21 (≈ $23) (€20 (≈ $22) reduced) plus a €2.50 (≈ $2.8) online booking fee. Under-18s are free but still pay the booking fee online.
The Bayern-Ticket covers the regional train and almost all regular buses in Bavaria, but it is not valid on the castle shuttle bus up from Hohenschwangau. On weekdays it is valid from 9:00.
Yes. It is about 40 minutes uphill from the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau. The shuttle bus and horse carriages shorten the climb.
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Entry rules change, and they depend on your nationality — always confirm the current requirements on the official government site before you book or apply. Only use official government (.gov) portals; ignore look-alike agency sites.
Stay in Füssen for a few nights: see rooms on Booking.com.
