How to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle
Last fall, my family and I spent two weeks visiting Germany (and a little bit of Austria) to celebrate a milestone birthday for my dad! It had been a dream of his to go to the real Oktoberfest in Munich, and we had so much fun building a trip around our time in Munich. He knew immediately he wanted to visit a few castles, and of course, Neuschwanstein Castle was at the top of the list!
Neuschwanstein Castle is most well-known for being the real-life inspiration behind Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland. It truly is a beautiful, fairytale castle, and the setting in southern Germany is just perfect. We visited in late summer/early fall before the leaves started changing. I know it’s worth visiting at all times of year and looks especially magical in the fall and winter!
Neuschwanstein (pronounced “NOY-schvahn-stine”) is a very popular destination for tourists visiting Bavaria because it’s picturesque, a quick day trip from Munich, and easy to see in only a few hours. It doesn’t seem like it from some photo angles, but it’s a lot easier to get to Neuschwanstein than I had anticipated! If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful limestone castle, use this post as a guide on how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle.
How to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II in the 19th century (not as long ago as you may think!) and overlooks a small village called Hohenschwangau, which is also the name of a yellow castle you can see from Neuschwanstein (this is the castle Ludwig grew up in). Interior construction on Neuschwanstein was never completed, so there are only a few rooms open to the public (you can visit but must purchase a guided tour ticket).
It’s also worth visiting Hohenschwangau (another tour ticket required) because you get to see much more of the castle, and the history is interesting. The tour in Neuschwanstein lasts about 30 minutes, and the Hohenschwangau tour is about 45 minutes long.
I recommend visiting Neuschwanstein as early in the day as possible. Our first tour was just before 10 am, and it wasn’t that busy. We’ve heard the line to get photos from the bridge can take hours in the late mornings and afternoons during busy seasons! That’s when the day-trippers from Munich come to visit.
Below, I shared where Neuschwanstein is located, where to stay as your “home base”, and the best ways to get to the castle including how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich! There are a few different ways you can get to the castle, and I rounded up all the options I know of as well as what we ended up doing on our trip.
Where is Neuschwanstein Castle Located
Neuschwanstein Castle (in German, it’s Schloss Neuschwanstein) is located in Bavaria, Germany, and the closest town to the castle is Füssen. It is located about 670 km (417 miles) southwest of Berlin, 426 km (265 miles) south-southeast of Frankfurt, and 109 km (68 miles) southwest of Munich in the foothills of the Alps, right along the border of Austria.
Its close proximity to Munich make it a perfect day trip, especially if you’re visiting during Oktoberfest! Even though it is an easy day trip from Munich and a great way to escape Oktoberfest, I highly recommend spending a night or two in Füssen to give yourself ample time to explore the castle and take in the beauty of this part of Germany.
Best Way to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle
There are three main steps to getting to Neuschwanstein Castle. First, get to Füssen. Second, you’ll need to get to the village of Hohenschwangau (options below). Third, you have a few options to get the rest of the way to Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau. It sounds complicated but isn’t, I promise!
Regional Train to Füssen from Munich
Füssen is your first stop on your way to Neuschwanstein Castle. Whether or not you’re staying the night in this cute Bavarian town (highly recommend it if you have time!), you’ll start your trip by riding a regional train that terminates in Füssen. The trip takes about two hours from Munich if there are no delays, and there are no dining cars so be sure to take food with you if you’ll need it. Once in Füssen, you have options for how to get to the castle.
Note: This train ride is not free and requires a ticket. If you don’t already have a train pass, you can purchase a ticket at a kiosk in the Munich main train station; look for the kiosks with BRB (or Bayerische Regiobahn) on them near the northernmost tracks (27-36). Deutsche Bahn also operates regional trains. We all had Deutsche Bahn train passes, and our day began in Berlin, so we didn’t need to buy separate tickets. Our passes were checked again on the BRB train to Füssen.
Bus to Hohenschwangau from Füssen
Now that you’re in Füssen, it’s time to get to the second stop: Hohenschwangau. This village is the gateway to the castles! We took the bus to Hohenschwangau from the Füssen train station. There are two bus lines that stop there: bus 73 and bus 78. They say “via Castles” next to them so you know they stop at Hohenschwangau (the stop is called Schwangau). Buses 9606 and 9651 are long-distance buses that also stop at Schwangau.
The bus ride is very short, about 10 minutes max, and the two lines alternate leaving the station with about 30 minutes between each bus (one at the top of the hour and one 30 minutes past). Check the schedule to confirm the timetable. The bus ticket is inexpensive; bring cash with you and buy tickets on the bus.
Taxi to Hohenschwangau from Füssen
If you would prefer to be picked up on your own time from your hotel or at the train station, you can opt for a taxi. Expect to pay more (about 4x more than the bus), but it may be worth it for the convenience and ease of using a taxi over riding a bus, especially if you have decreased mobility.
Shuttle Bus to Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau
Now that you’re in the village of Hohenschwangau, it’s time to get to Neuschwanstein Castle! You can now see the castle on the hill from the bus stop at Schwangau (if it’s not foggy, of course). There is a pretty map on the wall at the bus stop, and I recommend snapping a photo of it to reference just in case.
Walk towards the castle (uphill slightly) and follow the road to the right. You’ll walk a little ways down the road until you see the small brown building that indicates the ticket office for the shuttle bus along the right side of the road. Don’t worry if the ticket office doesn’t appear to be open, you can also buy tickets on the bus directly. (Bring euros!)
There is a sign before the building that indicates the shuttle bus fare; as of fall 2023, it’s 3 euros one-way up to the castle and 2 euros if you buy a ticket at the top and come back. Round trip is 2,50 euros if you buy it before your trip up to the castle. The bus ride is about 10 minutes up a road with slight switchbacks. The road isn’t open to pedestrians.
The shuttle bus doesn’t take you directly to the castle but to Marienbrüke, which is about a 10-15 minute walk to the castle along a gravel path. There’s not too much of a hill. This is also where you can walk on the bridge and get the iconic castle shot.
If you are able, I recommend taking the shuttle bus up to the castle and then walking/hiking down the hill. This is what we did! Note that the line for the bus can be long during peak hours; try to come early so you don’t have to wait too long to catch the bus.
Horse Drawn Carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau
An alternative to the shuttle bus is a horse drawn carriage (on tires)! My brother and his girlfriend jumped on this and rode it to Marienbrüke (it stops at the same spot as the shuttle bus and does not go all the way to the castle). The wait for the carriage can be extremely long, and it doesn’t carry as many people as the shuttle bus. They do not take reservations, so try to be there early!
The Neuschwanstein horse drawn carriage costs 8 euros to Marienbrüke and 4 euros to take it back down to the village.
Hike to Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau
If you’re looking for a challenge, you can walk/hike/run up to Neuschwanstein Castle along a wide gravel path. It is an uphill walk to the castle, which is why I recommend going DOWN the path after visiting the castle, ha. This option may not be as accessible if there is too much snow in the winter months.
The walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on your pace and which direction you’re going . Follow the signs for whichever castle you’re headed towards (Neuschwanstein is uphill and Hohenschwangau is downhill).
Bike to Neuschwanstein Castle from Füssen
If you want to explore the area on your own time, you can rent bikes in Füssen for a day and taken them to Neuschwanstein Castle! It costs 10 euros for a full day (12.5 hours), and it’s an easy 4 km ride to Schwangau (about 8 minutes). Guided tours by bike are also available and include a ticket to Neuschwanstein.
Keep in mind that bikers must take the gravel path shared with the pedestrians, which goes all the way to the castle. The paved road up to Marienbrüke is only open to the shuttle bus.
That’s it! You now know exactly how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich (or anywhere else in Germany). I hope you enjoy the beautiful fairytale castle and be sure to check out my other Germany blog posts to help you plan your trip!