A Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle

Growing up, I saw pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle, but I never really fathomed actually going there. When I began planning a trip to Munich, Germany to explore the Christmas Markets though, I knew I had to reserve a day in my schedule to visit the stunning castle. If you are stressing about how to organize a trip to Neuschwanstein from Munich, worry no more. With the help of this comprehensive guide to visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, you will have a seamless journey to the fairytale castle.

A Brief History of Neuschwanstein Castle

Many people refer to Neuschwanstein as the “Disney Castle” in Germany. While Walt Disney did find inspiration for Magic Kingdom in the castle’s fairytale-like appearance, its history goes back much further than that.

The castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Construction began in 1869, long after castles served defensive purposes. Ludwig equipped the castle with a medieval interior, but the look was for nothing more than aesthetics.

Ludwig was an admirer of Richard Wagner and his compositions, so any rooms in the castle are inspired by Wagner’s operas. Beautiful murals adorn the ceilings and walls of the castle reflecting Wagner’s story lines. Perhaps the most magnificent room in the castle is the throne room which has a beautiful night sky painted on the ceiling. However, despite its name, the room has no throne as King Ludwig II died in 1886 before the castle’s completion. Shortly after his death, the castle opened as a museum and now welcomes over one million people each year.

Tickets for Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles

Ticket prices vary based on what you want to see. You have the option of visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle, and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings. To save money and see more, I recommend doing a combination of the three. Tickets to the castles include a guided tour, and tickets to the Museum include an audio guide. The most current prices for each are shown below:

It is highly recommended that you reserve your tickets in advance. Reservations can be made up to two days before your visit. By reserving your tickets early, you ensure that you will be able to tour the castles and you will not have to wait in the long line of people who waited until the day of to buy their tickets. If you reserve your tickets online, you must go to the ticket office to pick them up before you will be allowed inside attractions.

**If you look online, there are mixed reviews of whether the guided tour of Neuschwanstein is worth it, due to the castle’s incomplete state. I almost did not tour the inside of it because of those reviews. Please take my advice and tour both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Both castles are magnificent inside and offer different architectural designs and artwork to behold in each.**

Did you know Neuschwanstein has a secret cave room inside that you will be able to walk through on your guided tour?!?

Reserve your ticket for Neuschwanstein so you can see for yourself.

Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle by Train

Neuschwanstein Castle is located in Füssen, Germany. I chose to take a day trip to Neuschwanstein from Munich and arranged my own transportation by train. I prefer this method rather than an organized tour group, because it gives more flexibility in your schedule and you can tour the castle grounds at your own pace. If you buy tickets for the castles, it includes a guided tour of the inside, and it is quite easy to navigate the castle grounds with the map provided to you at the ticket center.

By train, Füssen is around 2 hours and 5 minutes from Munich. It is a scenic ride that has spectacular mountain views towards the end of the journey. The cheapest way to get to the castle by train is with the Bayern Ticket. This is an all day regional day ticket that costs as little as €25. There is no need to buy a return ticket when purchasing, because it is included in the cost. I departed from the main train station in Munich ( München Hauptbahnhof) at 7:52AM and arrived in Füssen at 9:55AM. It is possible to take a later train, but leaving early will allow you to get there before most of the crowds and give you time to stop for an early lunch in Hohenschwangau before you start your day of exploring castles.

At the station, head toward the area where the buses are parked. It is a very small station, so it shouldn’t be hard to find. However, if you do have trouble just follow the many other tourists as they will all be headed that way too (you can also follow the signs to the toilets as they are in the same direction). The 73 and 78 buses run regularly from the station and will drop you off in the little town of Hohenschwangau, which is at the base of the hill Neuschwanstein sits on top of. Your Bayern train ticket includes access to the buses to the castle. Just show the driver your ticket, and you’re good to go!

Once you arrive, go to the ticket office to pick up your tickets and a map of the area. At the office, you will be able to reserve your time slots for the castles. There are screens in the office displaying the time slots available along with the languages the tours will be given in. The ticket clerks will be able to help you decide how much time you need for each attraction.

When I visited, I had about an hour of free time before my first tour. I stopped by Josy’s Restaurant on a whim for an early lunch. The food was good and the views weren’t too bad either!

Know Before You Go

Check the Hohenschwangau website to stay up to date with the most recent information regarding your visit. Mary’s Bridge (the most famous outlook spot to view Neuschwanstein), shuttle services, and carriage rides may not be operating on their normal schedules due to weather conditions in the area.

*I visited Neuschwanstein Castle on a day when Mary’s Bridge was closed, and the shuttle service was not running to the castles. We still had a wonderful time! I did not get pictures from the famous bridge, but there were still several spots to stop and take pictures during the hike. Because these services were not running, it also meant less people visited on that day. There were times we were on trails completely by ourselves*

One of the most important things you should know before visiting the castle, is that there is another castle that can easily be seen on the same day you’re visiting Neuschwanstein. People often overlook this in their excitement to get to Neuschwanstein. Hohenschwangau Castle is where King Ludwig II grew up. It is on a hill directly across from Neuschwanstein, and is only a short 20 minute walk from the ticket office. I toured Hohenschwangau first, and it gave me a good history lesson on King Ludwig II and his inspiration for Neuschwanstein. I really enjoyed the tour of the inside of Hohenschwangau, but if you don’t want to pay for the tour, you can wander around the outside of the castle and visit the gift shop free of charge.

Check the weather in the area before you go. The weather in Munich might differ from the weather in Füssen.

Wear comfortable shoes. Hohenschwangau Castle is a 20 minute walk up a gradual incline from the ticket office. Neuschwanstein is a 40 minute walk up a steeper incline from the ticket office. Both paths are paved, but if you plan to walk the routes instead of using the shuttle or carriage services, you will want your feet to be happy.

Wear layers. I went in December, so it was cold. However, when I hiked up to Neuschwanstein I had to take off my coat because I started getting hot. When I arrived at the top and was waiting in line for the tour, I got cold again. If you go outside of winter, you still might want to take a light jacket or pullover as it may be cooler towards the top of the hike to Neuschwanstein.

Souvenirs and Food – Each castle has a souvenir shop. There is also a souvenir shop and cafe located about 3/4 of the way up to Neuschwanstein. There are also shops and restaurants in Hohenschwangau and Füssen.

Pro Tip: There is a little stand that sets up right outside the cafe where a man sells yummy little fried balls of goodness called Quarkbällchen. They are basically doughnuts infused with cheese curds, and they are delicious and cheap! Treat yourself when visiting Neuschwanstein Castle for all that hiking you did!

Photos are not allowed inside the castles or museums, but there are plenty of photo opportunities outside.

Set aside a full day so you can see all that there is to see. On the back side of Hohenschwangau Castle, there is a lake with swans. Take time to explore around the lake. We hiked to both castles, did tours of the inside, and made it back to Munich by 6:30 PM. With the Bayern ticket, you can return to Munich at any time and trains leave frequently. Time tables set up on the train platform at Füssen show what times trains depart. Be aware, that you might have a connection on the way back, but your Bayern ticket will cover it.

We lucked out by having snow on the day we visited, but anytime of year you choose to visit Neuschwanstein, you will be surrounded by beauty.

Do you plan on visiting Neuschwanstein Castle soon or have you been before? Let me know in the comments below!