May is our pick for Neuschwanstein Castle with Linderhof's Venus Grotto, open from 15 April on Linderhof's opening hours page. The castle receives around 6,000 visitors a day in summer.
Updated Hours and tickets neuschwanstein.de and the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau, last read ; tour listings read
The choice is based on opening dates; the official pages give no monthly crowd comparison. Your ticket for the castle still sets the time you enter.
Month by month
May puts your visit inside Neuschwanstein Castle's longer season, from 28 March to 15 October. May is the first full month when both summer schedules apply.
Neuschwanstein Castle switches to summer hours on 28 March. Linderhof's Venus Grotto starts its season on 15 April. May fits both schedules for your trip.
Neuschwanstein Castle receives around 6,000 visitors a day in summer. Long summer waits at the castle are flagged on the Palace Administration's general information page. Buy your timed ticket before travelling.
Neuschwanstein Castle keeps summer hours through 15 October. From 16 October, your visit falls under winter hours. The horse carriage to Hohenschwangau Castle also stops for winter.
Neuschwanstein Castle's winter season runs from 16 October to 27 March. Your tour inside the castle lasts about 30 minutes. The shuttle bus stops when snow or ice covers the road.
By the clock
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 . Both castles, the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings close on 1 January and 24, 25 and 31 December.
In winter
The Marienbrücke page puts the bridge 5 minutes on foot from the upper shuttle bus stop. Ice and snow can close the bridge in winter. A bridge closure does not stop your tour inside the castle.
The shuttle bus does not run on snow or ice. The horse carriage to the castle runs throughout the year. The shuttle bus and horse carriage to the castle have no timetable or reservations.
The horse carriage stops running for the winter season, as stated on the Hohenschwangau Castle tours page. The walk from the Ticket Center in the village to the castle takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Keep the bridge optional in your winter plan. The Pöllat gorge path below Neuschwanstein Castle is closed for safety, with no reopening date. Use the signed route to the castle.
Linderhof Palace opens 9:00–18:00 from 15 April to 15 October and 10:00–16:30 from 16 October to 14 April. Tours inside the palace last about 25 minutes. The Venus Grotto closes from 16 October to 14 April.
Linderhof's park buildings close for winter, except the Royal Lodge, as detailed on Linderhof's directions page. Your winter visit can still include the palace interiors.
The Tegelberg cable car's maintenance closure starts on 9 November 2026, as announced on the Tegelberg cable car site. The notice read on 29 October 2026 gives no reopening date.
The Museum of the Bavarian Kings closes for renovation from 9 to 11 November 2026 on the Ticket Center's opening times page. Keep those dates out of your museum visit.
Choose a date between 15 April and 15 October if your trip depends on visiting Linderhof's Venus Grotto. The Linderhof combinations compare tours which include both palaces.
Arrive in Hohenschwangau 1.5 to 2 hours before your Neuschwanstein Castle tour, as advised on the official ticket page. The climb comes before your time at the gate. Buy your ticket before you go up.
The walk from the Ticket Center to the castle takes 30 to 40 minutes on the castle's directions page. The road you follow up to the castle is steep.
The shuttle bus costs €3.50 uphill or €5 return on the Ticket Center's transport page. The shuttle bus takes about 15 minutes from car park P4 to the upper stop. From the upper shuttle bus stop, the steep walk down to the castle takes about 15 minutes.
The horse carriage to the castle costs €8 uphill or €4 downhill. The horse carriage runs from opposite Hotel Müller to the stop below the castle in about 20 minutes. Your walk from the horse carriage stop to the castle takes 10 to 15 minutes uphill.
Your ticket: €21 for one tour inside the castle of about 30 minutes, at the Ticket Center. The official price list adds a €2.50 fee when you buy online. The official online ticket shop lets you choose the date and time. Tickets bought online cannot be exchanged or returned.
Count back: allow 1.5 to 2 hours in Hohenschwangau before your tour, including the climb. For same day tickets, reach the Ticket Center in the village by 8:00, as advised on the castle's admission page. Sales depend on availability.
May is our choice for Neuschwanstein Castle with Linderhof's Venus Grotto, whose season begins on 15 April. The castle's summer season runs from 28 March to 15 October. The castle receives around 6,000 visitors a day in summer. Your timed ticket fixes when you enter.
Neuschwanstein Castle hours are 10:00–16:00 from 16 October to 27 March, changing to 9:00–18:00 from 28 March to 15 October. Your ticket for the castle sets a fixed start for a tour of about 30 minutes. Late arrivals cannot join their tour inside the castle. The castle closes on 1 January and 24, 25 and 31 December.
October works for Neuschwanstein Castle's longer opening hours only through 15 October. From 16 October, winter hours apply and the Hohenschwangau Castle carriage is suspended. The shuttle bus needs roads clear of snow and ice. Your tour inside the castle still lasts about 30 minutes.
Neuschwanstein Castle is open in November for guided tours of about 30 minutes. Your visit falls within the winter season, from 16 October to 27 March. The Tegelberg cable car's announced maintenance closure starts on 9 November 2026. The Museum of the Bavarian Kings closes for renovation from 9 to 11 November 2026.
Linderhof Palace opening hours are 9:00–18:00 from 15 April to 15 October, then 10:00–16:30 from 16 October to 14 April. Your visit inside the palace requires a guided tour of about 25 minutes. The Venus Grotto is closed from 16 October to 14 April. The palace closes on 1 January, Shrove Tuesday and 24, 25 and 31 December.
The official Neuschwanstein Castle ticket costs €21; the tours below add transport or a guide outside the castle. The winter tours compare the seasonal options.
Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace tickets included. €21 at the Ticket Center covers entry to the castle; €195 adds the Munich coach and the palace. The Venus Grotto is included from 15 April to 15 October.
10 hours 30 minutes Shared coach, up to 28 people. ★ 4.9 (1,086)
Neuschwanstein Castle ticket included in the Winter option. €21 at the Ticket Center buys your tour inside the castle; €64.19 adds a guide from Hohenschwangau. The shuttle bus uphill and horse carriage downhill are included when running; the bus also requires the bridge to be open.
3 hours Shared tour with up to 30 people. ★ 4.9 (423)
Neuschwanstein Castle ticket extra. €21 at the Ticket Center buys one tour inside the castle; €72 buys the winter coach tour from Munich. Castle tickets are sold separately for cash on the coach.
9 hours 30 minutes up to 44 people ★ 4.6 (133)
Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle tickets included. The combination tickets page gives the Kings-Ticket as €43.50 at the Ticket Center; €138 adds travel by coach from Munich and a guide. Your horse carriage or shuttle bus fare is extra.
10 hours up to 30 people ★ 4.9 (119)
Prices in euro per adult for the named option, as listed on . Tour bookings go through our booking partner.
