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How to Get to Neuschwanstein

Our Best Tips on How to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle—No Matter Where You’re Starting From Tour Neuschwanstein Castle with All Things Garmisch

Neuschwanstein Castle, a breathtaking mountain palace perched over Pöllat Gorge, is among Europe’s top tourist destinations. Attracting more than 1.5 million visitors annually, Neuschwanstein is truly a can’t-miss locale for any visitors to Garmisch, Munich, and other nearby Bavarian cities. However, in spite of its popularity—or perhaps because of it—it can be a major logistical challenge to get to Neuschwanstein.

At All Things Garmisch, our day trip to Neuschwanstein is our most popular tour, and we’ve run it for 14 years. In that time, we’ve learned a considerable amount about visiting this gorgeous castle and have streamlined travel arrangements for visitors based in Garmisch. To help tourists in the area, we’ve put together a guide on the logistics of how to get to Neuschwanstein, whether you’re traveling from Garmisch or from Munich.

Where Is Neuschwanstein?

More properly known as Schloss Neuschwanstein, Neuschwanstein Castle is situated in the far southern portion of Bavaria, very close to the border with Austria. It lies just over 100 km southwest of Munich (almost 70 miles) or about a 65 km (40 mile) drive from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The nearest large town is Füssen, and this is where visitors taking the train will arrive. The village actually “containing” the castle is the next town over, Hohenschwangau.

Just as important as its geographical area and surroundings, however, is the castle’s topographical location, which plays a major role in the logistics of visiting Neuschwanstein. While many may know this already, visitors should understand that Neuschwanstein is a castle built on the side of a mountain. This can greatly impact travel times, particularly driving times (as roads routed through mountains are less direct). 

However, it also affects how visitors should plan their arrival. A great deal of walking is required even after arriving at the castle’s parking lot or the bus station in Hohenschwangau. This walk adds a substantial amount of time (often about an hour), particularly because the path is quite steep. And while there are options like a horse carriage or shuttle, these do not operate year round. 

Lastly, we should note that visiting Neuschwanstein can be a significant physical challenge. The walk to the castle is quite steep and can be slippery on rainy days or during the winter. In addition, inside the castle there are countless stairways to navigate. Visitors should be well prepared for a visit that is every bit as physically demanding as it is historical and awe-inspiring.

A Note on Ticketing

Before worrying about how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle, make sure you have a ticket booked well in advance. During busy seasons, it may be necessary to book months ahead of time. 

If you don’t book in advance, you run the risk of not seeing the interior of the castle. While there are local resellers in Füssen, prices tend to be higher and availability is unpredictable.

How to Get to Neuschwanstein from Munich

Neuschwanstein can be visited as a day trip from Munich—however, if you go this route, know that it will truly be a full-day trip, particularly if you want to experience both the full tour of the castle interior and other scenic spots nearby. There are a few methods that will get you to Neuschwanstein from Munich.

By Train

Deutsche Bahn offers a fast train from Munich to Füssen daily, around a 2-hour journey. From there, a 15-minute bus ride will get you to Hohenschwangau, and the rest of the trip will be a 30-minute trek up to Neuschwanstein. Depending on the time of year and your appetite for a steep walk, a horse carriage or shuttle may be available to get to the castle itself.

The best way to use the train to get to Neuschwanstein will be via the Deutsche Bahn application. Recently, trains have been running late fairly often, so do keep an eye on the schedule while using the app and budget plenty of time—aim to arrive in Hohenschwangau at least an hour before your entry time.

By Car

With little traffic, the drive from Munich to Hohenschwangau is typically as short as 90–100 minutes. It may take longer depending on traffic and weather conditions, but surprisingly, the drive in winter vs. summer is not typically much different as German authorities work to keep roads clear. 

(If you rent a car during the winter, though, do ensure your vehicle has winter tires rather than all-season tires. This isn’t just a preference—it’s the law when driving in Tyrol or southern Bavaria.)

Driving allows for greater control over your arrival time and there is some lovely scenery to take in along the way. However, renting a car carries a lot of associated costs, and parking is not free—currently it costs 12 euros in the lots within Hohenschwangau, and that cost may be increasing to 15 euros in 2025.

How to Get to Neuschwanstein from Garmisch

Similar to the trip from Munich, visiting Neuschwanstein from Garmisch can be done in a variety of ways, including by train, by car, or through a tour company. It is one of the most popular day trips from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is generally one of the most highly recommended things to do in the area.

By Train

The train from Garmisch to Füssen typically takes around 2 hours. While Garmisch is geographically closer than Munich to Neuschwanstein, the route is much more circuitous as trains must wind through the mountains.

From Füssen, the journey will be the same: take a bus (or taxi) to Hohenschwangau, then walk the remainder of the way to the castle (or use the horse carriage or shuttle service).

By Car

Driving from Garmisch to Neuschwanstein is also an option. As with the above self-guided options, however, you will need to coordinate your driving time, arrival time, and time needed to get to the castle entrance with the entry time on your ticket.

The drive from Garmisch to Neuschwanstein is also beautiful, but it’s important for drivers to keep an eye on traffic conditions. Google Maps is your friend, as the more optimal route to take—either south through Ehrwald and Austria or north through Oberammergau—may vary the day of your journey.

Our Recommendation: Book a Day Tour

Jake Doherty of ATG Tours poses with a guest near Neuschwanstein Castle

For those wondering how to get to Neuschwanstein from Garmisch or Munich, both the train and driving have their appeal for a day trip. We prefer driving, particularly for those already planning to rent a car, as you have greater control over your journey and can make stops as time permits. 

That said, the best method for visiting Neuschwanstein from either location is truly to use a tour service. Various bus services go to the castle from Munich, and many private guides with drivers are available as well. For visiting the castle from Garmisch, well, our private Neuschwanstein Castle tour has everything you need and includes plenty of time to see nearby areas like Ettal Monastery and Oberammergau. 

We do have our biases as a tour company, of course. However, the major benefit of any private tour is that this takes the burden of planning off your shoulders. With a site like Neuschwanstein, that logistical burden can be quite significant between the complicated journey to get there and the highly unpredictable wait times. The high volume of visitors to Neuschwanstein means lines tend to be long, and it can be very difficult to marry your ticket time to your arrival time while appropriately factoring in the walk to the castle itself. If you aren’t walking, entry lines can make the journey to the actual entrance take an hour even when using the shuttle or taking a horse carriage ride.

With an organized tour, we take all of these headaches off your plate. We’ve made the trip to Neuschwanstein countless times, and many tour companies have done the same from Munich. Removing these logistical headaches lets you take in the beauty and history of this castle.

Ready to experience the castle that inspired Walt Disney? Book our day tour or build a custom trip to experience all that Bavaria has to offer.

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