Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle: Train, Bus & Tour Guide (2026)

Traveling from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle by train and bus is easy, inexpensive, and a popular way to visit Bavaria’s famous fairy-tale castle on a day trip. Tour buses are another convenient option.

Trains and buses provide cheap public transportation all year for a day trip from Munich to the Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavaria Alps in Germany. — © sanchoys / Depositphotos

Public transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau castles in the small town of Schwangau in Bavaria is easy and relatively cheap. These romantic, medieval-looking castles are very popular day trip destinations from Munich (München). The total transit time from Munich to Neuschwanstein is just over 3 hours by train and bus, while private cars and tour buses take less than two hours. Schloss Neuschwanstein, the Disney-like fantasy castle, is the most popular day-trip destination from Munich. Consider adding a visit to Schloss Linderhof Palace when booking a tour or traveling by private car. Trains run frequently from Munich (and Augsburg) to Füssen, from where it is a short bus ride to Schwangau and the castles.

Tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein often sell out weeks ahead in summer and on weekends, so book well in advance or choose a day tour that arranges reservations and transportation for you. Since the royal residences of King Ludwig II became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2025, demand for transportation and tickets has increased further.

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Public Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle

It is relatively easy to travel on public transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein from Munich and other parts of Germany. The basic route is a train ride to Füssen station followed by a short, around 10-minute bus journey to Schwangau to visit Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castle.

The total traveling time from Munich to Schwangau by train and bus is around three hours (plus around half an hour’s walk to the castle). Transportation tickets can be as cheap as €34 (€44 for two / €74 for five) if using a Bavaria Ticket. A standard, full-price one-way train ticket from Munich to Füssen is already around €40.

If using public transportation, you realistically should book the castle timeslot for around four hours after leaving Munich. Bus tours from Munich make it easier to see Neuschwanstein in the morning.

By Train to Füssen and Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau

Map trains from Munich to Füssen and Schloss Neuschwanstein

Trains do not run all the way to the small village of Schwangau where Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau are situated. However, frequent trains go to nearby Füssen from where it is a short 10-minute bus ride to Schwangau.

Traveling to Neuschwanstein from the northern and western parts of Germany? Change trains in Augsburg rather than in Munich. At least hourly trains connect Augsburg and Füssen in just less than two hours.

Munich to Füssen by Train

The train journey from Munich to Füssen takes just over two hours and usually requires a transfer. Several routings are possible, but I would only use one of the following three options when traveling between Munich and Füssen:

Direct train from München Hauptbahnhof to Füssen (unfortunately fairly rare)
Transfer at either Buchloe or Kaufbeuren (follow timetable recommendations, often no platform change)
Train from München-Pasing station (direct to Füssen, or change at Buchloe or Kaufbeuren). Pasing is easy to reach by S-Bahn from many parts of Munich.

Other options to Schwangau, especially when two buses are involved and not via Füssen station, add unnecessary complications plus the risk of being stranded with limited alternatives. Trains from Füssen are generally at least hourly.

The fare between Munich and Schwangau is the same and journey times hardly differ. Use the Bavaria Ticket if traveling after 9 am (weekdays) or any time on weekends. It covers all the local trains and buses, including transits in Munich.

Trains to Füssen usually depart Munich Main Station (München Hauptbahnhof) on Platforms 27 to 36. These platforms are at the far northern end of the station — go to the far right when facing the trains. Timetables sometimes refer to this as “München Hbf Gl.27-36” — it is not a separate station, but this set of platforms is much deeper into the station than the mainline platforms 10 to 26. (Similarly, “München Hbf (tief)” in timetables means “deep”, i.e. the S-Bahn platforms in the basement of the central station.)

The trains to Füssen are either a Regional Express (RE), a Regionalbahn (RB) operated by Deutsche Bahn, or a Bayerische Regionalbahn (BRB) train — the same tickets are valid.

Check Online Timetables for Munich to Neuschwanstein:

Check public transportation schedules and buy train tickets online from German Railways: Munich ↔ Hohenschwangau, Schwangau.

If this direct link fails, use Hohenschwangau, Schwangau (Schlösser), or Neuschwanstein Castles, Schwangau — easiest to copy and paste — as the destination bus stop closest to the castles and ticket office.
Use your departure address rather than Munich to include local transfer options.
Füssen may also be written Fuessen — Fussen is grammatically incorrect (and pronounced differently).

Select the “only local transport” or “Deutschland-Ticket connections only” options if planning to use a Bavaria Ticket — see below (or buy directly at Deutsche Bahn). Keep in mind that the Bavaria Ticket is only valid after 9:00 on weekdays (all day on weekends), while the Deutschland Ticket is valid at all times.

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 or bus 78 and exit at stop Neuschwanstein Castles, Schwangau. These buses are generally marked Königschlösser (Royal Castles) and usually depart from bus platform 5. Ask the driver if unsure — the buses are used by castle visitors all day. Journey time is 5 to 15 minutes.

Bus tickets are available from the bus driver or included in the Bayern Ticket (but usually not in normal train tickets or the Allgäu-Schwaben Ticket).

From Füssen train station to Schwangau is only 5 km (3 miles). Walking is an option for the fit, while taxis take less than 10 minutes from the station to the castle ticket office in Schwangau town.

Cheap Train Deals to Füssen & Schwangau on the Bayern-Ticket

Only regional trains run to Füssen — thus most railway passengers may save on their train journey when visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau castles by using a Bayern-Ticket (Bavaria Ticket). The Bayern-Ticket allows for huge savings when traveling on regional trains and buses in Bavaria.

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. The ticket is also valid on the BRB trains not operated by Deutsche Bahn. (The Bayern Tickets are not valid on long-distance ICE, IC, EC, RJ, D, and IR trains, which don’t operate in the Füssen region.)

The Bayern Ticket is available for individual travelers or for groups of up to 5 traveling together. Names of users must be entered when buying online or in ink on a paper ticket before the start of the journey. Travelers may join later or leave earlier, but the names may not be changed later.

Is the Bavaria Ticket a Good Transportation Deal to Neuschwanstein?

The Bayern Ticket is a superb savings deal. On the Munich-Füssen-Schwangau return journey, the ticket pays for itself long before the train pulls into Füssen station. The savings are even bigger if the ticket is already used on Munich city transport too.

A problem with the Bayern Ticket is that it is only valid on weekdays for travel after 9 am (weekends all day). If taking an earlier train from Munich, buy a ticket to the first departure station after 9:00. If traveling earlier in the morning, the Bayern Ticket may still be a cheaper option for the return journey.

The Bayern Ticket is the cheapest when bought from vending machines or online (DB English site) or Bayern Ticket (direct link for buying the ticket in German). Train tickets bought at station ticket counter windows or from the bus driver incur a service charge – currently €2 per Bayern Ticket.

→ See Using the Bayern Ticket to Save on Trains and Buses in Bavaria for more details and the fine print.

By Car to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau Castles

It is easy to drive to the fantasy castles in Schwangau 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. Several scenic 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 Linderhof Palace.

Although public transportation is available to all these sites, including from Munich, it is basically impossible to see, for example, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof on the same day, while it is easy by car or bus tour.

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 traveling to the fantasy castles on public transportation include:

On a bus trip, tickets for the fantasy castles need not be reserved in advance. However, double-check to see if admission to the castles is included. Admission is often extra and it is necessary to indicate at the time of purchase (or sometimes when boarding the bus in Munich) whether a visit to the castle interiors is planned. In such a case, the tour operator will arrange the ticket reservations.
Transportation from Munich takes less than two hours rather than the three hours plus by train.
The tour bus goes directly to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the Disney-like castle most visitors come to see.
The interiors of 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 may add other sights such as the Wieskirche, Ettal, Oberammergau, and Schloss Linderhof. Seeing these sights is very difficult to do on the same day when using public transportation.

Prices for tour bus excursions to Schloss Neuschwanstein differ widely, so shop around to compare deals and included services. Admission tickets are often NOT included in the advertised prices.

Avoid resellers offering only tickets and an audioguide tour of the castles. This adds nothing to the regular, official tickets that include the compulsory guided tour (or audioguide) for each castle.

→ See also Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle for more information on visiting the famous Disney-like castle built by Mad King Ludwig.

Füssen is the final stop of the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) holiday theme route. It is not currently possible to travel to Füssen and Schwangau on the Romantic Road Europabus.

Visit King Ludwig’s Castles and Palaces near Munich

King Ludwig II’s three palaces are among Bavaria’s top attractions and easy 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, the palaces have become even more popular day-trip destinations from Munich.

Use the guides below to choose the best castle, buy tickets, arrange transportation, or book a guided tour from Munich.

⭐ Not sure which castle to visit? Compare all three here.

Planning Your Trip to King Ludwig’s Castles in Bavaria:

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.