Home » Destinations » Europe » Germany » Bavaria » Day Trip To Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castles From Munich
- Last Updated on November 3, 2024
Bavaria is most famous for its castle-dotted landscape, and Mad King Ludwig built the best. In fact, Neuschwanstein inspired Walt Disney’s castle. No visit to the area would be complete without touring at least two of these fairy tale places. This itinerary covers a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace from Munich, including a stop in the picturesque Bavarian village of Oberammergau.
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Day Trip To Neuschwanstein And Linderhof Castles From Munich
Linderhof Palace
Linderhof Palace is included in the list of Bavarian castles, though it doesn’t really meet the typical castle criteria. It has no fortifications; it was built for pleasure, not defense. The grounds are modeled after Versailles in France, and it shows. The sculpted gardens are exquisite, and the interior feels far more “lived-in” than Neuschwanstein Castle. The palace is accessible via guided tour only. You can schedule online in advance or buy tickets on arrival, but you may have to wait for your time slot if you buy when you get there.
Cost and Hours: €10 per person. Open daily Apr-Oct 15 9:00am-6:00pm, Oct 16-Mar 10:00am-4:30pm.
Address: Linderhof 12, 82488 Ettal, Germany
Website: www.schlosslinderhof.de
Oberammergau Village
This quaint village is one of the most picturesque in Bavaria. If you have time to stop, wander around the half-timbered houses, many of them painted with literal fairy-tale designs. If you are traveling on a tour bus through here, they will point out some of the most famous ones.
Address: Oberammergau, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is the most famous of the lot and a true fairy tale. It’s what people imagine when they think of Bavarian castles, and it does not disappoint. It is accessible only via guided tour. You can book online in advance or buy tickets on arrival, but you may have to wait for your time slot if you buy when you get there.
Cost and Hours: €15 per adult. Open daily Apr-Oct 15 9:00am-6:00pm, Oct 16-Mar 10:00am-4:00pm.
Address: Neuschwansteinstrasse 20, 87645 Schwangau, Germany
Website: www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch
Getting There
These castles are easy enough to reach by car (just follow Google maps), but by public transportation it is impossible. We are not generally the tour-bus type of travelers, but after searching high and low for a way to get there without a car, we ran out of options. The best (and only) way to see both Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace without a car is by tour bus. There is only one group that does this two-castle tour, and it’s only available from Munich. This itinerary is the same one that the recommended tour follows.
Bus tour
There are two options when booking the tour, regular and premium. The itinerary is the same. The main difference is price and group size. The premium tour is a smaller group, and also includes the entrance fees to the castles (€27), as well as snacks and drinks on the bus. If money is no object, go for the premium tour. If you don’t mind being on a huge tour bus full of people, then go for the regular tour. Book several days in advance as they do sell out.
Public Transportation
If you don’t care about seeing Linderhof Palace, you can get to Neuschwanstein from Munich via public transportation (it will take you over 2 hours each way). Take the train from Munich to Fussen, then take a bus or taxi to Neuschwanstein from there. This is only worth doing if you have your heart set on visiting Hohenschwangau, as tours don’t generally go there (it is not as famous as Neuschwanstein).
In our opinion, it is easier and better to just do this bus tour and see the two more famous, more beautiful castles. However, if you rent your own car, you can follow this itinerary at your own pace and throw in Hohenschwangau at the end if you have time.
This day trip is ideally combined with a visit to Munich. See our Munich itinerary to get the most out of your time in this modern and vibrant city.
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