The walk up to Neuschwanstein Castle is steep in places and follows about 1.5 km of paved road. The castle's directions page allows 30 to 40 minutes from the village Ticket Center to the gate.
Updated Hours and tickets neuschwanstein.de and the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau, last read ; tour listings read
The shuttle bus leaves a steep descent of about 15 minutes to the castle. The horse carriage leaves 10 to 15 minutes uphill, so neither ride takes you to the gate.
Ways up
Choose the shuttle bus if you can manage 15 minutes downhill; choose the horse carriage for 10 to 15 minutes uphill. Neither transport service has a fixed timetable or takes reservations.
The walk from the village Ticket Center to Neuschwanstein Castle takes 30 to 40 minutes. Walking costs nothing. The paved road climbs about 1.5 km and is steep in places.
The adult shuttle bus fare is €3.50 uphill or €5 return on the Ticket Center's transport page. The ride from car park P4 to the Marienbrücke stop takes about 15 minutes. The castle gate is another 15 minutes downhill on foot.
The horse carriage costs €8 uphill or €4 downhill per person. The ride from opposite Hotel Müller to the stop below the castle takes about 20 minutes. From the horse carriage stop, the castle is about 450 metres or 10 to 15 minutes uphill.
Arrive in Hohenschwangau village 1.5 to 2 hours before your tour, as the official ticket page recommends. Your transport queue comes before the ride. Neither ride includes the walk from the stop.
Your ticket: the adult Neuschwanstein Castle ticket costs €21 at the village Ticket Center on the official price list. The guided tour lasts about 30 minutes. Booking through the official online ticket shop adds €2.50 per ticket.
The castle's opening hours page rules out entry if you miss your timed tour. Be in the castle courtyard before the time on your ticket. Your tour number appears beside the turnstiles. Allow extra time for security checks.
Count back: reach the village 1.5 to 2 hours before your tour, then allow 30 to 40 minutes for the uphill walk. Buy your ticket before going up.
You can take a stroller up to Neuschwanstein Castle, but the paved 1.5 km road from Hohenschwangau has steep sections. The Ticket Center's family page recommends the shuttle bus or horse carriage for families with strollers. Both rides leave a steep walk.
A normal sized folding stroller fits in the compartment behind the horse carriage. Strollers cannot enter the rooms of the castle. A designated room in the courtyard holds your stroller during the tour.
Be ready to carry young children through the rooms of the castle. The guided tour lasts about 30 minutes and includes many narrow winding stairs.
Neuschwanstein Castle offers lift access to 1 wheelchair or walking aid user per hour, with an advance reservation required. The hill needs separate transport arrangements.
The path from the shuttle bus to Neuschwanstein Castle descends at 12 to 19%, as the castle's accessibility page states. The Ticket Center advises against the shuttle bus if you have walking disabilities.
The horse carriage has no ramp. You must be able to board with assistance. The horse carriage can carry folding wheelchairs, but cannot take electric wheelchairs. The final 450 metres to the castle climb at up to 15%.
The Ticket Center's accessibility page requires lift requests by email, with a €2.50 service fee per person. You need a valid disability certificate. The lift door is 0.85 m wide; the lift is 1.30 m deep. Use the village Ticket Center for your lift booking and castle ticket.
For visitors with reduced mobility, a vehicle can reach the castle entrance on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10:00 and 12:00. Ask the castle administration office for details about transport.
The Marienbrücke page gives about 5 minutes on foot from the shuttle bus stop to the bridge. In winter, snow and ice stop the shuttle bus and can close the bridge. The castle tours continue during closures of the bridge.
The Ticket Center's FAQ gives the last shuttle bus uphill as 15:30 and downhill as 17:00 from 16 October to 27 March. The shuttle bus does not run on 1 January or 24, 25 and 31 December.
The horse carriage to the castle runs throughout the year. Allow 10 to 15 minutes uphill from the horse carriage stop to the castle.
The walk up to Neuschwanstein Castle is steep in places and takes 30 to 40 minutes from the village Ticket Center. The uphill route follows about 1.5 km of paved road. The recommended arrival in Hohenschwangau village is 1.5 to 2 hours before your tour.
The Neuschwanstein Castle shuttle bus stops above the castle, leaving about 15 minutes downhill to the entrance. The descent reaches gradients of 12 to 19%. The ride from car park P4 takes about 15 minutes and costs €3.50 uphill or €5 return per adult.
The horse carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle still leaves about 450 metres uphill to the gate. The walk from the horse carriage stop takes 10 to 15 minutes. The ride from opposite Hotel Müller takes about 20 minutes, costing €8 uphill or €4 downhill per person.
Strollers cannot go inside Neuschwanstein Castle during the guided tour of about 30 minutes. The designated storage room in the castle courtyard holds your stroller during the visit. Folding strollers can travel in the horse carriage. The last walk from the horse carriage stop still takes 10 to 15 minutes uphill.
Neuschwanstein Castle has a lift for one wheelchair or walking aid user per hour, plus one companion. You need a valid disability certificate and must request the lift by email through the village Ticket Center. The €2.50 service fee is per person. The lift does not provide transport up the hill.
These 4 Neuschwanstein Castle tour options include admission and hill transport. You still walk from the transport stop to the gate, even with a guide.
Neuschwanstein Castle admission is included. €21 buys admission at the village Ticket Center; €64.19 adds a guide from Hohenschwangau and hill transport. The shuttle bus up requires a running service and the bridge to be open. The horse carriage down depends on services running.
3 hours Shared tour: up to 30 people. ★ 4.9 (423)
Neuschwanstein Castle admission is included. €21 buys admission at the village Ticket Center; €58 adds a guide and the shuttle bus up. The bus requires a running service and the bridge to be open. The horse carriage is excluded.
2 hours 20 minutes Shared tour with up to 35 people. ★ 4.9 (79)
Neuschwanstein Castle admission is included. €21 buys admission at the village Ticket Center; €133.34 adds a private guide from Füssen or Hohenschwangau. The shuttle bus up requires a running service and the bridge to be open. The horse carriage down depends on services running.
3 hours 30 minutes Private group of up to 7; at least 2 adults per booking. ★ 4.8 (99)
Neuschwanstein Castle admission is included. €21 buys admission at the village Ticket Center; €244 adds private transport from Munich and hill transport. Hotel pickup and return are included. At the castle, your transfer uses the shuttle bus or horse carriage.
8 hours Private party, up to 6 travellers per booking. ★ 5.0 (179)
Prices in euro per adult for the named option, as listed on . Tour bookings go through our booking partner.
Bus 73 or 78 connects Füssen with Hohenschwangau. The hill to the castle starts in the village.
Marienbrücke is about 5 minutes on foot from the shuttle bus stop. Winter closures affect access to the bridge.
The adult Neuschwanstein Castle ticket costs €21 at the village Ticket Center. Online booking adds €2.50 per ticket.