Munich to Neuschwanstein - how to get there

MUNICH TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN: Neuschwanstein is the day trip almost everyone wants to do from Munich, and it’s easier than it looks.
The castle sits above the village of Hohenschwangau, near the town of Füssen, about two hours south-west of the city. Here’s how to get there by train, by car or on an organised tour, and how to make sure you actually get inside when you arrive.

ALMOST THERE: The first view of Neuschwanstein most visitors get, from the bus stop below the castle.
Pic:© Stuart Anderson

Before you go: book your castle ticket

Sort this out first. The only way to see inside Neuschwanstein is on a timed guided tour, and in summer the tickets can sell out. Book online in advance through the official Ticket Center Hohenschwangau website, which adds a €2.50 booking fee per ticket. Whatever’s left is sold on the day at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau, from 8am, first come, first served.
Prices, opening hours and combination tickets are all on our Neuschwanstein Castle info page.

By train and bus

This is how I’d do it.
• Train to Füssen. Regional trains run from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Füssen roughly every hour, and the journey takes about two hours. Check times on the Deutsche Bahn website.
• Bus to Hohenschwangau. Buses 73 and 78 leave from outside Füssen station and take about ten minutes to reach Hohenschwangau, at the bottom of the castle hill.
• Get a Bayern-Ticket. It covers the train and the bus for the whole day. It costs €34 for one person and €10 for each extra person, up to five of you, and you can use it from 9am on weekdays or all day at weekends.
Trains get packed in summer, especially the mid-morning ones. Take an early train if you can, and you’ll beat the coach parties too.

By car

It’s about a two-hour drive from Munich, depending on traffic. Follow the signs for Füssen and then Schwangau and Hohenschwangau. There are several pay car parks at the bottom of the hill, from €12 a day, and they fill up early on summer days.
Driving gives you the freedom to add Linderhof Palace on the same day, or to stay on for a hike up the Tegelberg.

On an organised tour

If you’d rather not think about timetables at all, plenty of companies run day trips from Munich. Have a look at our Neuschwanstein Castle tours page for what to check before you book.

From Hohenschwangau up to the castle

You’ve made it to the village. Now there’s still a hill to climb.
• Walk. It takes 30 to 40 minutes uphill on a paved road.
• Horse-drawn carriage. Takes about 20 minutes and drops you a short walk below the castle.
• Shuttle bus. Runs up towards the Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge), with its famous view, and from there it’s a short walk down to the entrance. It doesn’t run when there’s too much ice or snow.
Fares for the carriages and the bus are a few euros each way. Leave yourself plenty of time to get up the hill, because tours go in on the dot.

WORTH A WANDER: The old town of Füssen, where the train from Munich ends.

Make a day of it

Neuschwanstein’s little brother, Hohenschwangau Castle, sits right across the valley and is where Ludwig spent his childhood. If you’ve got time, the old town of Füssen is a lovely spot for a coffee before the train home.
And if you want to know why the castle is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, here’s the story.
Prices and times checked October 2026.

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