Buy tickets or tours for the romantic, Disney-like Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castle near Füssen in Germany online in advance. Opening hours are fortunately long as the fantasy castle of King Ludwig is one of the top sights to see in Bavaria and a very popular day-trip destination from Munich.
The Disney-like Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle opened for visitors shortly after the death of Mad King Ludwig II in 1886. Schloss Neuschwanstein and nearby Hohenschwangau Castle are amongst the most popular tourist attractions in Bavaria, Germany. Although opening hours are long, tickets with specific admission times are best bought in advance. Day trips from Munich are popular ways to get tickets to see the castles and beautiful Schwangau area too.
Buying Tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle in 2022
Tickets for individuals to both Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau are sold at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau town (much better online), or as part of day trips tours, mostly from Munich. It is highly advisable to buy timeslot reservation tickets in advance, if not part of a formal guided tour. The Schloss Neuschwanstein Ticket Center is on the main road in Hohenschwangau near the bus stop for buses from Füssen.
In 2022, admission ticket prices for Schloss Neuschwanstein are €14 plus €2.50 advance reservation fee and for Hohenschwangau Castle a pricey €21 plus €2.50 for advance reservations. Admission is free for children under 18 but they still need a separate ticket, so do include them when buying tickets (plus a €2.50 fee).
Although the castles are open as regular in 2022, the number of visitors on each tour is limited. Tickets are hard to obtain and are often only sold a few days in advance. Day-trip tours may have tickets at short notice and are also able to guarantee tickets longer in advance.
Tickets are no longer sold at the castles themselves making it essential to buy tickets while in town. The upside is that tickets have a specific admission time. Visitors may roam the town and beautiful countryside after buying tickets rather than wait for hours in the castle courtyards, as was the practice for well over a century after Schloss Neuschwanstein opened to paying visitors.
In contrast to previous practice, it is mostly no longer necessary to pick up a paper ticket at the Ticket Center itself. Follow instructions on the ticket but usually, a QR code on the phone may simply be scanned at the castle entrance itself.
Buy Tickets Online for Schloss Neuschwanstein
Tickets, especially for Schloss Neuschwanstein, can already sell out early in the day. If any tickets were not sold online, the slots are available from the Ticket Center at 8:00 am (8:30 in winter) every day (and only for the specific day). It is much more sensible to buy timeslot tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein online as long as possible in advance.
At times, tickets are only sold around two weeks in advance — guided tours from Munich could usually ensure admission on a specific day much longer in advance.
Telephone and email reservations for individuals are no longer accepted.
Tickets are sold at the Ticket Center only for visits on the same day — no advance purchases possible. Also, any combination tickets are only valid for the same calendar day.
Combination tickets for both castles are not sold while special hygiene regulations are in force — allow at least 2.5 hours between visits if buying tickets for both castles.
Tips When Buying Tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle
Buying tickets online in advance is the most sensible way to see the fantasy castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. A day-trip excursion tour from Munich may still get visitors into the castle if traveling without a reservation.
Demand for tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein is generally higher in the afternoon than early morning. Arriving earlier than the mass of day-trippers from especially Munich is a good idea to ensure a pleasurable visit.
The most popular months to visit Neuschwanstein Castle are July to September. Other school holidays and long weekends are also busy.
Seeing both Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein on the same day gives a slight discount. School groups are charged for Schloss Hohenschwangau but not for the far more popular Schloss Neuschwanstein.
Children under 18 are admitted free to both Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castle when accompanied by a paying adult but need a physical ticket so remember to include the young ones when making reservations!
Tickets for the Schlosskonzerte (Castle Concerts) are not sold at the Hohenschwangau Ticket Center.
A superb savings deal for Schloss Neuschwanstein (but not Hohenschwangau or the museum) is the Bavarian Palaces and Gardens season ticket, which pays for itself very fast when sightseeing in Bavaria and Munich. However, the ticket for Neuschwanstein may currently only be picked up in Schwangau — advance online reservations are currently possible for pass holders and still great value at €2.50.
Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein is easy on public transportation from Munich with the Bayern Ticket a great deal on the railways and buses.
Transportation from Hohenschwangau town to Schloss Neuschwanstein
The castles ticket center is in the heart of Hohenschwangau village. From here, several routes lead up the hill to the Disney-like Schloss Neuschwanstein. The shortest and most direct route takes around 30 minutes but more interesting routes are available. On a clear day, consider going through the Pöllat Gorge at least one way.
Most visitors walk up the hill from Schwangau town but alternatives are available to Schloss Neuschwanstein as long as the roads remain free of ice:
- A bus service runs from Schlosshotel Lisl near the Ticket Center in Schwangau to near the panorama viewing points “Jugend” and “Marienbrücke”. From here, it is still 600 m (2,000 ft) or 10 minutes’ walk to the castle entrance.
- Horse-drawn wagons go from Hotel Müller in Schwangau to near the Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle – from here, it is still 300 m (1,000 ft) or 5 minutes walk to the castle entrance.
In both cases, pay the drivers directly in cash. The price of the down ride is generally half the price of the up ride.
Note: the Pöllat Gorge and Marienbrucke are closed for maintenance work, probably until end 2022. The wagons and bus do not always operate — check the website for details if that is an issue.
Transportation from the Ticket-Center to Schloss Hohenschwangau
The most direct route from the Ticket-Center to Schloss Hohenschwangau is a ten-minute hike over a slight hill. A level route is also available taking around 20 minutes.
A horse-drawn wagon goes from just below the Ticket-Center to Schloss Hohenschwangau in around 20 minutes.
Opening Hours for Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles
Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau are open daily, including Mondays and most public holidays. Opening hours from mid-March to mid-October are from 9 am to 6 pm and from mid-October to -mid-March from 10 am to 4 pm. The Ticket-Center in Schwangau opens and closes an hour earlier than the castles.
Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle is closed on December 24, 25, and 31, January 1, and Faschingsdienstag (Mardi Gras). Schloss Hohenschwangau is usually only closed on December 24 and January 1.
Both Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau can only be seen on guided tours. These tours take 20 to 35 minutes each. These guided tours Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau are available in English or German while audio guides are available in Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Slovenian, and Czech.
Due to ongoing restoration work, some rooms may be closed.
Visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein is physical somewhat demanding. It is a steep walk up the hill to Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle where a further 165 stairs are ascended and 181 descended on the tour. Visiting Schloss Hohenschwangau is more relaxing as only around 90 stairs are involved.
The Disney-like Schloss Neuschwanstein is for many a highlight of a visit to Bavaria and indeed Germany. Hohenschwangau Castle is less popular but played a major role in inspiring Mad King Ludwig to built Schloss Neuschwanstein. Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein is easy on public transportation from Munich while drivers and some tours make it possible to see Schloss Linderhof on the same day. Similarly, day-trip tours, e.g. Get Your Guide, offer excursions that include both Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Linderhof or other sights on the same day, while Klook includes top en route at Oberammergau and Linderhof, or Oberammergau and the Wieskirche.
More on King Ludwig’s Castles and Palaces
Savings Deals in Bavaria:
- Visit Mad King Ludwig’s Fantasy Castles Near Munich in Germany
- Save on Top Sightseeing Site Tickets in Bavaria, Germany
- Save with the Bayern Ticket on Public Transportation — Buy the Bayern Ticket Online from Deutsche Bahn.
- Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich
Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau:
- Buy Tickets for Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles
- Transportation to Schloss Neuschwanstein
- See Romantic Disney-Like Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle
- Visit Schloss Hohenschwangau in Bavaria, Germany
- Top Sightseeing Sites in Füssen and Schwangau
- Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Schloss Neuschwanstein
Schloss Linderhof:
- See Schloss and Park Linderhof in Bavaria, Germany
- Visiting Schloss Linderhof: Opening Hours, Tickets and Transportation
- Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Linderhof
Schloss Herrenchiemsee:
- Visit Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle near Munich
- See Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle in Bavaria
- Transportation to Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle
- Book Day-Trip Tours from Munich to Herrenchiemsee
