Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle: Train, Car & Boat

Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Palace is easy from Munich or Salzburg by train, car, or organized tour. All visitors must continue by boat from Prien am Chiemsee to Herreninsel, followed by a pleasant 20-minute walk to the palace.

Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle is a top day-trip destination from Munich or Salzburg and is easily reached by car or on public transportation (train). Boats to the palace depart from Prien am Chiemsee. — © faabi / Depositphotos

Schloss Herrenchiemsee Palace, on an island in Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria, is the most opulent of Bavarian King Ludwig’s fantasy palaces. Easy transportation by car, train, and boat makes it a very popular day trip from Munich or an interesting stopover when traveling towards Berchtesgaden, Bad Reichenhall, or Salzburg in Austria. Day-trip tours from Munich are usually available during the summer season while regular public transportation is available year-round.

Herrenchiemsee Quick Guide: Take the train or drive to Prien am Chiemsee, continue to Prien / Stock harbor, then take the 15-minute boat to Herreninsel. From the boat landing, allow around 20 minutes to walk to Schloss Herrenchiemsee. Check the return boat times, especially outside the main summer season.

Simplest Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee

Schloss Herrenchiemsee is on Herren Island in Lake Chiemsee and can only be reached by boat.

The simplest transportation to see this magnificent palace is by car, train, or tour bus to Prien am Chiemsee followed by a 15-minute boat ride to Herren Island.

It is an easy 20-minute stroll from the boat landing to Herrenchiemsee Palace. The island is car-free and bicycles may not be taken past the boat landing.

Boats to Herreninsel in Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria

Boats of Chiemsee Schifffahrt cruise from several towns on the shore of Lake Chiemsee to Herreninsel and Fraueninsel. The most frequent departures and fastest traveling times are from the small town Prien am Chiemsee, which is the best departure point for both drivers and travelers arriving by train.

Boats depart from Prien / Stock Hafen to Herren Island roughly twice per hour. The timetable is only really important to avoid missing the last boat in the late afternoon. The cruise time from Prien / Stock (Hafen) to Herreninsel is only 15 minutes.

Buy tickets at the kiosk or on the boat (cash only). The return fare is around €12, with a small discount on combination tickets with the Chiemsee-Bahn.

Parking lots are available near the boat landing — expect to pay at least €5.

From Prien train station, a historic steam tram (Chiemseebahn) runs during the summer season to the boat landing in less than eight minutes. Buses are also available, while walking should take less than half an hour.

Is Lake Chiemsee tautology or simply incorrect? See is German for lake, so the English name should simply be Lake Chiem. Herreninsel is Herren Island (Men’s Island for the former male monastery compared to Fraueninsel, or Women’s Island for the female convent).

By Car to Prien and Schloss Herrenchiemsee in Bavaria

Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle is easy by car or public train — Photo: Michimaya / Wikimedia Commons

Prien am Chiemsee, the best boat departure port for trips to Schloss Herrenchiemsee New Palace, is easiest reached by car. From Munich, take the Autobahn A8 towards Salzburg and shortly after the Chiemsee becomes visible, use exit 106 (Bernau) and continue towards Prien (around 7 km / 5 miles off the Autobahn). In Prien, follow the signs to “Chiemsee” and “Königsschloss” and park in the well-marked parking lots near the boat landing.

Due to Prien’s close proximity to the autobahn, driving times to the town can be blistering fast. Driving distances and times are as follows:

Munich (München) – 90 km / 56 miles / 1 hour
Munich Airport (MUC) – 110 km / 68 miles / 1h10
Bad Reichenhall – 60 km / 37 miles / 40 min
Berchtesgaden – 80 km / 50 miles / 50 min
Salzburg (Austria) – 70 km / 44 miles / 45 min
Salzburg Airport (SZG) – 65 km / 40 miles / 35 min
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – 130 km / 80 miles / 1h30
Schloss Neuschwanstein / Hohenschwangau Castle – 160 km / 100 miles / 2h20

Herrenchiemsee is a good day-trip excursion tour destination from Munich, although the tours are limited compared to what is available to Schloss Neuschwanstein.

Train Transportation to Prien and Schloss Herrenchiemsee

Prien am Chiemsee, the closest railway station to Schloss Herrenchiemsee, has hourly connections to Munich and Salzburg with travel times around an hour from either city.

To get from Prien train station to Prien / Stock (Hafen) for the boat to Herreninsel, use any of the following options:

Chiemseebahn — historic tram in the summer season, often steam-driven on weekends; ask about combination savings tickets with the boat. Around 10 minutes.
Municipal bus 481 — fare is covered when using a Bayern Ticket. Around 10 minutes.
Walk — about 20 minutes; follow the tram tracks and signs to the harbor.

Trains from Munich and Salzburg to Prien am Chiemsee

Prien am Chiemsee is a stop on most trains running between München Hauptbahnhof (Munich Main Station) and Salzburg in Austria. At least one local RE5 train is available per hour, with the journey time around an hour, irrespective of the train used. (Most trains also stop at München Ost, which from many parts of Munich may be an easier station to reach than the Hauptbahnhof.)

Most local trains on the München-Salzburg route are operated by BRB (Bayerische Regiobahn), but German Railways tickets are accepted, including the Bayern Ticket. This excellent savings deal allows for unlimited travel on regional trains, which are not slower than intercity trains on the ride to Prien.

The Bayern Ticket (buy online) is valid for travel to / from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (but not on Salzburg buses), Munich Airport trains, Munich buses, trams, and U-Bahn trains, and most other local trains and buses in Bavaria. It is not valid on ICE, IC, EC, D, RJ, or Westbahn trains.

Timetable → See Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) for train schedules and online tickets.

Trains to Herrenchiemsee from Munich or Salzburg Airports

It is also easy to reach Prien am Chiemsee by train from Munich or Salzburg airports, with the total traveling time around 90 minutes from either airport:

From Munich Airport (MUC), it is not necessary to first travel to München Hauptbahnhof. Rather, take the S-Bahn train S8 (not S1) from the airport to München Ost Bahnhof station and then continue by regular train to Prien. The Bayern Ticket is valid on all local trains.
From Salzburg Airport (SZG), travel by bus to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, and then take a local train to Prien. The Bayern Ticket is valid on all local trains from Salzburg to Bavaria.

Travelers from Bad Reichenhall and Berchtesgaden usually have to change trains at Freilassing in Bavaria on the German-Austrian border.

Timetable → See Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) for train schedules and online tickets.

Schloss Herrenchiemsee generally has long visitor hours, but boat schedules are more important for planning the day, especially for the final return from Herreninsel.

→ See Visiting Schloss Herrenchiemsee for current opening hours, ticket prices, and practical visitor tips.

Visit King Ludwig’s Castles and Palaces near Munich

King Ludwig II’s three famous palaces are among Bavaria’s top attractions and popular day trips from Munich. Each offers a very different experience — from the fairy-tale towers of Neuschwanstein to the intimate luxury of Linderhof and the Versailles-inspired grandeur of Herrenchiemsee. Since their inscription as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2025, they have become even more popular day-trip destinations from Munich.

Use the guides below to choose which palace to visit, check tickets and transportation, or book a guided tour from Munich.

→ ⭐ Not sure which castle to visit? Compare King Ludwig’s three palaces here.

Plan Your Visit

Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau

Fairy-tale castles near Füssen with timed-entry tickets that often sell out.

Linderhof Palace and Park

King Ludwig’s only completed palace, famous for its lavish interiors and landscaped gardens.

Schloss Herrenchiemsee

A Versailles-inspired palace on a peaceful island in Lake Chiemsee.