Neuschwanstein
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Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is Ludwig II's unfinished castle above Hohenschwangau in Bavaria. You visit the castle only on a guided tour through 14 rooms in about 30 minutes.

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

Open today, Friday 10:00–16:00 Castle hours: 10:00–16:00 in winter → Adult ticket €21 One guided tour; €2.50 extra per ticket online → Walk from the village 30 to 40 minutes Uphill on foot; the shuttle bus and horse carriage also leave a walk →

The official ticket page asks you to reach the village of Hohenschwangau at least 1.5 to 2 hours before your tour. Your plan needs room for the hill and any transport queue.

The place

What is Neuschwanstein Castle?

Neuschwanstein Castle was begun for Ludwig II in 1869 and never completed. The king built the castle as a private retreat. The castle opened to the public seven weeks after Ludwig II's death in 1886.

Neuschwanstein Castle receives about 1.4 million visitors a year. Your guided visit lasts about 30 minutes through 14 rooms. Each guided tour admits up to 35 people, so every visitor needs a ticket.

Neuschwanstein Castle from Marienbrücke, with the Forggensee behind

Hours

Neuschwanstein Castle opening hours

Neuschwanstein Castle is open 10:00–16:00 from 16 October to 27 March, as the castle's opening hours page shows. From 28 March, Neuschwanstein Castle opens 9:00–18:00 daily; the first tour starts at 9:00 and the last tour of the day finishes at 18:00.

8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00

Ticket Center The Ticket Center Hohenschwangau opens 8:00–15:30 from 16 October to 27 March. Tickets for your visit today go on sale at 8:00.

same-day tickets 8:00

Neuschwanstein tours Neuschwanstein Castle opens 10:00–16:00 from 16 October to 27 March. Your guided tour of Neuschwanstein Castle lasts about 30 minutes.

Hohenschwangau tours Hohenschwangau Castle opens 10:00–16:00 from 16 October to 27 March. Your guided tour of Hohenschwangau Castle lasts about 45 minutes.

Shuttle bus The shuttle bus runs uphill from 9:00 to 15:30 in winter. The Ticket Center's FAQ gives 17:00 for the last shuttle bus down in winter.

last bus down 17:00

Museum The Museum of the Bavarian Kings admits you without a timed slot, except during renovation from 9 to 11 November 2026.

From 28 March From 28 March, Neuschwanstein Castle opens 9:00–18:00.

open bus going down only at this time

Hours follow the castle's opening hours page and the Ticket Center's opening times page, read on 29 October 2026. Both castles, the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings close on 1 January and 24, 25 and 31 December.

The castle and the Ticket Center in the village close on 1 January and 24, 25 and 31 December. The Ticket Center's opening times page gives ticket sales as 8:00–15:30 from 16 October to 27 March.

Late arrivals cannot join the guided castle tour. Be in the castle courtyard before the time on your ticket. Your tour number appears on the monitor beside the turnstiles.

Count back: arrive in Hohenschwangau 1.5 to 2 hours before your tour. Be in the courtyard before your ticket time.

Tickets

Neuschwanstein Castle tickets

Museum of the Bavarian Kings The Museum of the Bavarian Kings costs €14.50 per adult with an audio guide. Reduced Museum of the Bavarian Kings admission costs €13.50. Children under 18 enter the Museum of the Bavarian Kings free with an adult.

€14.50 €17

Neuschwanstein Castle Neuschwanstein Castle costs €21 per adult for about 30 minutes with a guide. Reduced Neuschwanstein Castle admission costs €20. Children under 18 need a free Neuschwanstein Castle ticket.

€21 €23.50

Hohenschwangau Castle Hohenschwangau Castle costs €23.50 per adult for about 45 minutes with a guide. Reduced Hohenschwangau Castle admission costs €19.50. Children aged 7 to 17 pay €12 at Hohenschwangau Castle; under 7s enter free.

€23.50 €26

Prince-Ticket The Prince-Ticket covers Neuschwanstein Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings for €33.50 per adult. A reduced Prince-Ticket costs €31.50. Children under 18 get a free Prince-Ticket with an adult.

€33.50 €38.50

Wittelsbach-Ticket The Wittelsbach-Ticket covers Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings for €36 per adult. A reduced Wittelsbach-Ticket costs €31. A Wittelsbach-Ticket costs €12 for children aged 7 to 17; under 7s enter free.

€36 €41

Kings-Ticket The Kings-Ticket covers Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle for €43.50 per adult. A reduced Kings-Ticket costs €38.50. A Kings-Ticket costs €12 for children aged 7 to 17; under 7s enter free.

€43.50 €48.50

Swan-Ticket The Swan-Ticket covers Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings for €56 per adult. A reduced Swan-Ticket costs €50. A Swan-Ticket costs €12 for children aged 7 to 17; under 7s enter free.

€56 €63.50

adult price at the Ticket Center what the online fee adds

The official price list adds €2.50 per ticket online, including free tickets, as read on 29 October 2026. The combination tickets page adds €5 per ticket online for two sights or €7.50 for three, also on free tickets. Use your combination ticket on one visit date.

The official price list puts Neuschwanstein Castle admission at €21 per adult. Your €21 ticket for the castle buys one guided tour of about 30 minutes. The castle's €20 reduced ticket requires proof of eligibility, including for students and visitors aged 65 or over. Buying any castle admission ticket online adds €2.50.

Children under 18 visit the castle free but need their own ticket. Free tickets for the castle still carry the €2.50 online fee on the castle's admission page. You must include babies and toddlers when you book.

The combination tickets page pairs Neuschwanstein Castle with the Museum of the Bavarian Kings in the €33.50 adult Prince-Ticket. The €43.50 adult Kings-Ticket covers the castle and nearby Hohenschwangau Castle. Online purchase adds €5 per Prince-Ticket or Kings-Ticket.

The €56 adult Swan-Ticket covers Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings. Online purchase adds €7.50 per Swan-Ticket. The €36 adult Wittelsbach-Ticket covers Hohenschwangau Castle and the museum, plus a €5 fee for each ticket bought online. Combination tickets cover one visit date only.

Your ticket: €21 at the Ticket Center in the village or €23.50 online for one guided castle tour of about 30 minutes.

Buying

How to buy Neuschwanstein Castle tickets

Neuschwanstein Castle tickets cost €23.50 per adult in advance through the official online ticket shop. Your ticket's QR code works on your phone. Printing your ticket is optional.

The Ticket Center Hohenschwangau sells tickets from 8:00 for the same day only. On most days, tickets for the castle sell out by late morning. Arrive by 8:00 if you still need your ticket.

Standard tickets for the castle cannot be reserved by phone or email. Online tickets cannot be exchanged or returned. If your date shows no tickets, additional allotments may appear from 8:00, subject to availability. The official online shop updates availability daily.

Hohenschwangau village and the Alpsee in autumn, from above

Up the hill

How difficult is the walk up to Neuschwanstein Castle?

On foot The free walk from the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau to Neuschwanstein Castle takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Your route is steep and paved.

30 to 40 min

The shuttle bus The shuttle bus from car park P4 costs €3.50 uphill or €5 return per adult. Allow about 15 minutes aboard, then 15 minutes steeply downhill on foot to Neuschwanstein Castle.

15 min +15 min walk down

The horse carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle The horse carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle leaves opposite Hotel Müller: €8 uphill or €4 downhill per person. Allow about 20 minutes aboard, then 10 to 15 minutes uphill on foot to Neuschwanstein Castle.

20 min +10 to 15 min walk up

The horse carriage to Hohenschwangau Castle The horse carriage leaves in front of the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau: €5.50 uphill or €3 downhill per person. Your ride takes about 10 minutes to below Hohenschwangau Castle; walk to the entrance. The Hohenschwangau Castle carriage stops in winter.

10 min

ride or walk, minutes walk from the stop to the gate

The shuttle bus and horse carriages have no timetable or reservations; snow or ice stops the bus, per the Ticket Center's transport page, read 29 October 2026.

The walk up to Neuschwanstein Castle takes 30 to 40 minutes from the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau. The castle's directions page describes the walk as about 1.5 km on a steep uphill road. Walking avoids the transport queue.

The shuttle bus costs €3.50 uphill or €5 return per adult on the Ticket Center's transport page. The shuttle bus takes about 15 minutes from car park P4 to the stop above the castle. The final walk from the bus stop to the castle takes about 15 minutes down a steep path.

The horse carriage to the castle runs all year, costing €8 uphill and €4 downhill per person. The horse carriage takes about 20 minutes from opposite Hotel Müller to the stop below the castle. The walk from the carriage stop to the castle takes about 10 to 15 minutes uphill.

The shuttle bus and horse carriage have no fixed timetable or reservations. Your waiting time comes before the ride. Snow or ice stops the shuttle bus and can close Marienbrücke in winter. The horse carriage to Hohenschwangau Castle stops for winter.

Count back: allow 30 to 40 minutes uphill if you walk; transport queues come before the ride and final walk.

On foot The walk from the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau to Neuschwanstein Castle takes 30 to 40 minutes uphill. Walking route → The shuttle bus The shuttle bus from P4 costs €3.50 uphill or €5 return, with about 15 minutes riding and 15 minutes walking downhill to Neuschwanstein Castle. Bus and fares → The horse carriage The horse carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle costs €8 uphill or €4 downhill, with about 20 minutes riding and 10 to 15 minutes uphill on foot. Carriage and fares → Train from Munich From Munich, take the train to Füssen; bus 73 or 78 then reaches Hohenschwangau in about 15 minutes. Train and bus →

Inside

What can you see inside Neuschwanstein Castle?

The Neuschwanstein Castle tour visits 14 rooms in about 30 minutes. The castle's room-by-room tour page includes the Throne Hall and the Singers' Hall. You also see the king's rooms.

The castle offers guided tours in English and German. Audio guide tours inside the castle cover 17 languages. Your booking must specify an audio guide tour for an audio device.

You can view the castle's historic kitchen on the ground floor after your guided tour. Your tour ends on the second floor. Do not take photographs or film inside the castle, as the castle's visitor information page requires.

Throne Hall mosaics and chandelier, historic colour print

The Singers' Hall in a historic colour print

One of the king's rooms in a historic photograph

Neuschwanstein Castle's upper courtyard and the Palas

Neuschwanstein Castle's red Gateway Building

The rules

Neuschwanstein Castle entry rules

Neuschwanstein Castle admits up to 35 people per tour, each with a ticket for the printed time. The Ticket Center's FAQ permits regular size backpacks and handbags inside the castle. Leave bulky luggage and hiking backpacks in your car or coach.

Strollers and child carriers cannot go inside the castle. You can leave your stroller in the designated courtyard room. The Ticket Center's family page locates lockers and toilets at the courtyard entrance. The Ticket Center in the village has no luggage storage.

Your bags may be checked at the castle's entrance. Allow time for security checks before your tour. Animals cannot enter the castle, even in carriers. Glass bottles and knives are also prohibited inside the castle.

The Ticket Center's accessibility page limits the castle's lift to one visitor with severe mobility impairments and one companion per hour. You must reserve your lift visit by email through the Ticket Center in the village. The lift reservation costs €2.50 per person. You must show a valid disability certificate.

History

Neuschwanstein Castle history

The foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle was laid on 5 September 1869, as the castle's building history page records. Site work had begun in summer 1868. Workers removed up to 8 metres of rock for the foundations.

Neuschwanstein Castle's Gateway Building was topped out on 11 June 1872. Ludwig II could stay upstairs from the end of 1873. Work on the Palas began in September 1872. The Palas was topped out on 29 January 1880.

Ludwig II's rooms in the Palas were ready for use in 1884. The Bower and Square Tower were completed in 1892. The castle itself was never completed.

Neuschwanstein Castle from the east, with the valley below

Neuschwanstein Castle tours

All 11 tour lists →

Four tours include your Neuschwanstein Castle ticket: a Hohenschwangau guide, a train from Munich, Linderhof Palace by coach or private Munich pickup.