chitzul

Hello!

Planning to see the Hohenzollern castle in August and have a little problem with the train and bus timetable and fares.
We'll be starting from Nuremberg, with a train to Stuttgart, another train to Hechingen and a bus to the castle. From bahn.de I understand that there are only 2 buses/day from Hechingen to the castle (at 11:25 and 13:25). Backwards, there are 2 buses at 16:05 and 18:30. We plan to sleep the night in Stuttgart and the next day go to Lichtenstein Castle in Honau (train to Reutlingen and bus to Honau). After Lichtenstein we're going back to Nuremberg.

1. What are the fares for the Hechingen - Hohenzollern Castle? (and may I add, does one really need 4-5 hours to see the castle? aren't they other buses back to Hechingen at earlier times?)
2. Would the Baden-Württemberg day ticket help us with these trips? Does it cover the buses too? Or what suggestions do you have to cut the costs for transport?

Thanks a LOT!

hausfrau

Can't help with the transport side as I have only visited these two castles by car...but if you are going to make the trip you might as well spend some time there. If you hike up to Hohenzollern from the parking lot (a nice walk), take the guided tour, visit the catacombs, wander around the outside of the castle, and have a meal at the Burgschenke, you can certainly spend a good 4-5 hours there. Lichtenstein is much smaller, the tour is shorter, and there is not as much to see outside, so I would give it 2-3 hours.

chitzul

Found an IC with 29Eur/2 pers Nuremberg-Stuttgart.
Then we'll go to the Hohenzollern Castle and in the afternoon head back to Stuttgart and stay at a hotel for the night. This day's trains will cost 28Eur with the regional day pass ticket for 1-5 pers.
Next day go to the Lichtenstein castle and from there either to Stuttgart or to Wurzburg (another day pass of 28 Eur) to take another IC to Nuremberg (29 Eur/2 pers).
The trips to the castles involves some buses too.
1. Anyone knows the fares (approx) for the buses?
2. Anyone knows if the bus to Honau (Lichtenstein) also goes up to the castle or leaves us in Honau? Because there are about 7 km up to the castle from the city of Honau.

Thanks a lot!

Cowboy1968

After a bit of googling..

The Baden-Württemberg ticket (regional day pass) covers both the regional IRE train from Stuttgart to Hechingen as well as the #300 bus from Hechingen station to the parking lot of Hohenzollern castle.

There are only those two buses each way you mentioned. Plus one extra rt bus on weekends but not earlier than the earliest regular return option.

The uphill walk from the park is estimated at 20 minutes. A shuttle bus can take you uphill most of the way (except for the last 1/4 mile), and costs €1.75 o/w or €2.80 rt (not included in Baden-Württemberg day pass).

For a 2-3 hr stay (calculated from the base of the hill, parking lot), you can leave Stuttgart at 12:16 and connect to a bus to the castle's parking lot which will arrive there at 13:20. Hike up to castle and visit. Return with bus from parking lot at 16:05.