By Train, Car, or Day-TripTour Bus to Füssen & Schwangau, Germany
Trains and buses provide cheap transportation for a day trip from Munich to the Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavaria Alps in Germany. Tour buses offer good deals too.
Public transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau castles in the small town Schwangau is easy and relatively cheap by train or tour bus. These romantic, medieval-look castles are very popular day trip destinations from Munich (München). As a result, many bus tours are available as well from Munich to visit the Disney-like fantasy castle of Mad King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Trains run frequently from Munich (and Augsburg) to Füssen from where it is a short bus ride to Schwangau and the castles. Tour buses go directly to the castles and often include other popular sights such the Wieskirche, Ettal, Oberammmergau, and Schloss Linderhof Palace into the day-trip itinerary.
- Füssen may also be written Fuessen – Fussen is grammatically incorrect.
By Train to Füssen & Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau
Trains do not run all the way to the small village Schwangau where Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau are situated. However, frequent trains go to nearby Füssen from where it is a short bus ride to Schwangau.
From Munich to Füssen takes just over two hours by train. Direct trains are available but in many cases an easy transfer is required at Buchloe – total journey time does not increase and the train fare is the same. Trains for Füssen departs from depart from Munich Main Station (München Hauptbahnhof) from Platforms 27 – 35. These platforms are at the far north end of the station – go to the far right when facing the trains.
Travelers from the north and western parts of Germany should usually change trains in Augburg. At least hourly trains run from Augsburg to Füssen. As with trains from Munich, some trains are direct while others require a transfer at Buchloe. Travel time in either case is just less than two hours from Augsburg to Füssen.
Check public transportation schedules and buy train tickets online from German Railways.
Buses from Füssen Station to Schwangau (Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle)
Buses run regularly from Füssen train station to Schwangau and are timed to depart shortly after trains have arrived. From Füssen, use bus 73 (direction Steingaden / Garmisch-Partenkrichen) or bus 78 (direction Schwangau) and exit at stop Hohenschwangau – Alpseestraße. These buses are generally marked Königschlösser (Royal Castles).
From Füssen train station to Schwangau is only 5-km (3-mile). Walking is an option while taxis will take less than 10 minutes from the station to the castles ticket office in Schwangau town.
Cheap Train Deal to Füssen & Schwangau on the Bayern-Ticket
Only regional trains run to Füssen – thus most railway passengers can save on their train journey when visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau castles by using a Bayern-Ticket. The Bayern-Ticket allows for huge saving when traveling on regional trains in German states..
The Bayern Ticket is valid on regional trains and virtually all bus services in Bavaria from 9 am (midnight on weekends) to 3 am the following day. It may be used on the bus from Füssen to Schwangau as well as all buses, trams, and U-Bahn trains in Munich and Augsburg. Regional trains have the prefixes IRE, RE, RB, or S in the train name / number. Excluded are ICE, IC, EC, and IR trains.
The €29 Bayern Ticket is valid for a group of up to five traveling together in second class on regional trains. The Bayern Ticket Single is for individuals and cost €21. The standard Bayern Ticket is thus already cheaper for two traveling together than two separate Bayern Ticket Single. Names of ticket users must be entered in ink on the ticket prior to the journey’s commencement.
The Bayern Ticket is a superb savings deal. On the Munich-Füssen-Schwangau return journey the ticket for individuals pays for itself before the bus arrives in Schwangau and for groups long before the train pulls into Füssen station. The saving will be even bigger if the ticket is already used on Munich city transport too.
- The Bayern Ticket is cheapest when bought from vending machines or on the internet. Train tickets bought at station ticket counter windows incur a service charge – currently €2 per Bayern Ticket.
By Car to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau Castles
The fantasy castles in Schwangau are easily reached by car. The driving distances are just over 100 km (60 miles) from either Munich or Augsburg. The fastest way is on Autobahn A7, which terminates at Füssen. Numerous more pleasant country lanes are also available with great scenery of the Bavarian Alps.
Large parking lots (parking fees charged) are available in Schwangau near the castle ticket office.
Driving to Schloss Neuschwanstein has the advantage that travelers can easily see more interesting sights nearby such as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed Wieskirche, Kloster Ettal, Oberammergau, and Schloss Linderhof Palace.
Day Trips by Tour Bus from Munich to Schloss Neuschwanstein & Linderhof
Numerous companies offer day trips by tour bus from Munich to Schloss Neuschwanstein and other sights in the region. Good arguments for using a tour bus rather than travelling to the fantasy castles on public transportation include:
- On a bus trip, tickets for the fantasy castles need not be reserved in advance.
- The tour bus goes directly to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the Disney-like castle most visitors come to see.
- The castles are only seen on a guided tour so arriving with a group or forming up in the castle courtyard makes little difference.
- En route from Munich, bus tours can add other sights such as the Wieskirche, Ettal, Oberammergau, and Schloss Linderhof . Seeing these sighs are very difficult to do on the same day when using buses and trains.
Offers for tour bus excursions to Schloss Neuschwanstein differ widely so shop around and compare prices and deals.
Füssen is the final stop of the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) holiday theme route. In summer, it is also possible to travel to Füssen and Schwangau on the Europabus EB190 that runs along much of the Romantic Road on its journey from and to Frankfurt via Munich and Rothenburg ob der Tauber amongst others.
See also Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle for more information on visiting the famous Disney-like castle built by Mad King Ludwig.
- More great photos of Schwangau and the fantasy castles at flickr.
