Neuschwanstein
Places
The Alpsee

The Alpsee shore below Hohenschwangau Castle.

Neuschwanstein lake: the Alpsee and its viewpoints

The Alpsee is the lake below Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. The circular trail covers about 5.2 km and takes about 1.5 hours. Your castle tour time comes first.

Updated 30 October 2026 Hours and tickets neuschwanstein.de and the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau, last read 29 October 2026; tour listings read 29 October 2026

Alpsee circular trail 5.2 km About 1.5 hours around the lake; unsuitable for strollers. → Alpsee boat hire €15 / 30 minutes Rowing or pedal boats for up to 4 people; cash only. → Jugend viewpoint 5 minutes Walk from the upper shuttle bus stop to the lake viewpoint. →

The official ticket page asks you to reach Hohenschwangau at least 1.5 to 2 hours before your Neuschwanstein Castle tour. Save the full circuit around the lake until after the castle tour if your time is tight.

The place

What is the lake near Neuschwanstein Castle?

The lake near Neuschwanstein Castle is the Alpsee, with an easy circular trail of about 5.2 km. Hohenschwangau Castle overlooks the same lake. Woods and mountains surround the shore.

The Alpsee trail page names the lake as King Ludwig II's favourite. The Ticket Center also describes the water as among the cleanest in Bavaria.

Your ticket: Neuschwanstein Castle costs €21 per adult on the official price list, for a guided tour of about 30 minutes. The castle's admission page adds a €2.50 online fee, taking your total to €23.50.

The Alpsee with Hohenschwangau Castle and the mountains.

The trail

How long is the walk around the Alpsee?

The Alpsee circular trail is about 5.2 km long and takes about 1.5 hours. The easy route has benches along the way. The full circuit is unsuitable for strollers.

Marie's Monument marks Queen Marie's bathing spot on the Alpsee shore. You can stop and rest on the benches around the lake. Rest stops need extra time.

The walk from the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau to Neuschwanstein Castle takes 30 to 40 minutes on the castle's directions page. The paved road climbs steeply. Under the rule on the castle's opening hours page, you cannot join your tour if you arrive late.

Count back: allow 30 to 40 minutes from the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau to the castle gate. Add about 1.5 hours if you walk around the Alpsee before your tour. Allow extra time for your stops and the walk across the village. Be in the castle courtyard before the time on your ticket.

The Alpsee, Schwansee and the foothills from above.

Boats and the lido

Alpsee boats and the Alpseebad lido

Alpsee rowing and pedal boats cost €15 per boat for 30 minutes on the Alpsee boat house page. Each boat takes up to 4 people. You pay in cash.

The boat house operates from May until September or October, in good weather. You cannot reserve a boat. Life jackets are included in your rental.

The Alpseebad lido opens from May to October in good weather. You can add a swim to the lake walk while the lido is open. Your castle admission time stays fixed.

The Alpsee water with the mountains behind.

The Jugend viewpoint

How do you reach the Jugend viewpoint?

The Jugend viewpoint is about 5 minutes on foot from the upper shuttle bus stop. The path from the stop is steep. The uphill walk from car park P4 takes about 45 minutes.

The Jugend viewpoint puts the Alpsee on your left and the Schwansee on your right. Hohenschwangau Castle and the Allgäu Alps are also visible. Choose the viewpoint for views of both lakes; choose Marienbrücke for Neuschwanstein Castle.

The shuttle bus from P4 costs €3.50 per adult uphill or €5 return on the Ticket Center's transport page. The bus reaches the upper stop in about 15 minutes. The steep walk from the upper shuttle bus stop to Neuschwanstein Castle takes about 15 minutes downhill.

The Ticket Center's FAQ gives the last shuttle bus uphill as 15:30 from 16 October to 27 March. The last bus downhill leaves at 17:00 from 16 October to 27 March. Snow or ice stops the bus and can close the bridge in winter. The bus does not run on 1 January or 24, 25 and 31 December.

Lakes and foothills around Hohenschwangau in autumn.

Getting there

How do you get to the Alpsee from Füssen?

Bus 73 or 78 takes about 15 minutes from Füssen station to Hohenschwangau on the Ticket Center's directions page. Your stop is Hohenschwangau Neuschwanstein Castles on Alpseestraße. Walk towards car park P4 for the lake.

Car park P4 is beside the Alpsee, opposite the Museum of the Bavarian Kings. Car parking costs €12 for up to 6 hours on the Ticket Center's parking page. Each further hour costs €1, up to €16 in total.

The Museum of the Bavarian Kings is on the Alpsee shore, about 3 minutes on foot from P4. The museum's visit page describes visits without a fixed admission time. The Schwansee is a separate lake, visible from the Jugend viewpoint.

The horse carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle costs €8 uphill or €4 downhill per person. The carriage ride from the stop opposite Hotel Müller takes about 20 minutes. From the carriage stop, you walk uphill for 10 to 15 minutes to the castle gate. The bus and the carriage have no fixed timetable or reservations.