The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle

A Little Background

Visiting this dreamy castle in Bavaria is like stepping out of everyday life and into a fairy tale. Its tall white towers and grand balconies overlooking the forests below are fit for a true princess. Walt Disney certainly thought so. He used Neuschwanstein as inspiration for creating Sleeping Beauty’s castle, an image recognized around the world.

Although Disney created his version for a princess, the real Neuschwanstein was built by King Ludwig II as a private home for himself. He grew up nearby, in the much smaller Hohenschwangau Castle, but dreamed of something much greater.

Construction began in 1868 (relatively recent for a castle!) atop the ruins of two smaller castles in the majestic Bavarian Alps. The castle’s exterior was modeled after old fashioned, medieval style architecture. The inside on the other hand, boasted the best technology of the time. Neuschwanstein had running water, central heating, and even telephones.

Ludwig was able to occupy a small portion of the castle before his death in 1886. Unfortunately, he died years before the outside was completed. The interior was never finished.

When to Go

There is really no bad time to visit Neuschwanstein. Each season creates a different kind of beauty in the surrounding forests. Along with much of Europe, summer will be especially busy. If you are coming in July or August, be prepared for large crowds and long wait times.

Autumn is an incredibly beautiful time to visit, with fiery foliage creating a picturesque backdrop to the castle. Tourism starts to slow down beginning in October, so crowds will be thinner and temperatures more comfortable. This is when I visited, and it was gorgeous! Even so, someday I hope to go back and see it in the winter.

Covered in snow Neuschwanstein is the ultimate winter wonderland. If Elsa is your favorite Disney princess, visiting in the winter will be a dream come true! Unfortunately, there are also a few drawbacks as well. If the road is too icy, shuttle buses will not run to the castle (more details on buses later) which means an uphill walk in the snow may be necessary. St. Mary’s Bridge, THE place to get pictures of the castle, may also be closed.

Getting There

The castle is perched on a hill overlooking the little town of Hohenschwangau, about 5 minutes down the road from Füssen, Germany. Hohenschwangau is your actual destination, where you will leave your car or bus and buy tickets to the castle.

By Car

Driving down from Munich takes about 1.5 hours by car. There are plenty of parking lots and street parking spots available around Hohenschwangau, all just a short walk from the ticket center. Everything is well marked and easy to navigate, even if you don’t speak German.

By Train

From Munich’s Central Station, it takes about 2 hours to reach Füssen. From there you take a short bus ride into Hohenschwangau. Hop on bus number 73 heading towards Hohenschwangau/Schwangau, departing right in front of the station. The fare is EUR 2.10, payable when you get on the bus.

Buying Tickets

As soon as you are parked or off the bus, head over to the ticket center. There will be signs pointing the way. Hohenschwangau is very small, so you won’t miss it!

First things first, you MUST either buy tickets online ahead of time or in person at the ticket center in Hohenschwangau before heading up to either castle. Tickets are not sold at the castle entrances.

When buying tickets, you also have the chance to see Hohenschwangau Castle, the childhood home of King Ludwig. Although it’s not nearly as grand as Neuschwanstein, it’s still interesting to see! This smaller castle is right in Hohenschwangau as well.

The best thing to do is to buy tickets ahead of time here, so you can reserve your time slot. Tickets are available up until 2 days ahead of time to buy online, otherwise, you will have to wait in line. It’s not unusual for the line to be as long as a two hour wait or for tickets to sell out. Don’t take that chance!

Tickets are given for a specific time frame, and depending on how long the line is, your entrance time may be hours from the time you actually buy the ticket. This is why it’s essential to buy ahead and pick your time, especially if you are on a schedule. Even if you do buy ahead of time, tickets still have to be picked up at the ticket center. The line for this is usually much shorter though!

Pay attention to that time on your ticket. Once you park and pick up your ticket, you still have to get up to the castle, so factor that into your schedule. Depending on how you plan to get there (more on this next) it can take another 30-40 minutes.

What to Expect

Getting to the actual castle from the ticket center is easy, and was actually one of my favorite parts! There are three ways to get there; shuttle bus, horsedrawn carriage or good old walking. Whichever you choose, seeing the castle gradually emerge through the thick forest is something special.

Horse-drawn carriages are parked around the village, and passengers line up right next to them. The price is 7€  to go up the hill and 3.5€ going back down. Keep in mind though, the carriages cannot go directly up to the castle, so there is still a 5-10 minute walk at the end. Although this may seem like the most romantic and magical way to reach the castle, please consider walking or taking the bus. These horses are walking up and down steep asphalt all day long, even on the hottest days of summer. Seeing these poor horses put to work is not magical at all.

The shuttle bus is the easiest way up. Tickets are only 3€ for a roundtrip fair. They can be purchased right down the street from the ticket center, and this is also where you line up. If you’re visiting in the winter, the bus may not be running if the roads are icy, so be prepared to walk just in case.

Finally, you can simply walk! Choosing to walk takes about 30-40 minutes. The path can be steep in some spots, but overall it’s not too difficult. The scenery is gorgeous and there are tons of great spots for photo ops. Not to mention it’s free! If you are able, I definitely recommend walking.

Getting Inside

Once you arrive at the top, you will be directed through the gates and onto a terrace waiting area in front of the entrance. Keep an eye on the entry time on your ticket. When it’s your time (times flash on a screen above the entrance), line up and head inside!

The Tour

The actual guided tour is only about 30 minutes long, and not especially informative. Since the castle was never completed, there is only a small section actually shown to the public. You will be shown through 14 elaborate rooms including the king’s bedroom, a grand hall, and the throne room. Unfortunately, photography is NOT allowed in the castle.

After the tour, there is a gift shop and a little cafe to explore.

Since there are so few rooms on the tour, I’ve heard people say it’s not worth it. When planning my trip I got the advice to just go to see the outside, and honestly, it was something I considered.

So, is it worth it? I say Yes, 100%. Even if the tour is short, it’s still beautiful and unique. Since photography is not allowed inside, you may never get the chance to see it again. You didn’t come all this way just to turn around at the front door, did you?

Photography

Those beautiful shots of the full view of the castle are taken from St. Mary’s Bridge. Look for the word “Marienbrücke” on the signs around Hohenschwangau. For even more views, keep going once you get across the bridge. After about a 10 minute walk there are some excellent spots to take photos. Looking for more details? Here are the best spots for fantastic pictures of Neuschwanstein.

In the Area

There are plenty of cafes and gift shops in Hohenschwangau to visit. These do cater to the tourists though, so if you are looking for something more authentic head into Fussen.

Hotels

Staying overnight can be a great option if you want to get an early start. This is what we did and it worked out great.

We stayed at Hotel Schwansee, which is less than 2 miles away from the castle. Our room was small, but it was clean, easy to find and gave us the opportunity to get to the castle when it opened. There were also packages of gummy bears left as a welcome snack for us. A hotel after my own heart!

With all the castles in Europe Neuschwanstein is in a league of its own. If you plan to visit, soak up every detail you can, and haev your own fairy tale afternoon.