Lucerne to Neuschwanstein Castle..How?
 

We are visiting Europe in September on an organised tour. We want to negotiate a day free of the tour when we are in Lucerne, Switzerland, as my husband wants to see Neuschwanstein Castle. Can you please help us with suggestions on how to get from Lucerne to the castle (don't make me spell it again!!) Thanks heaps.

Unfortunately, if you did this by rail just to get there from Lucerne would take you six hours.

If you are absolutely intent on doing it then driving might be faster but that's a LOOOOOOONG day and some might not even agree that Neuschwanstein is "the best" Ludwig castle to see, anyway.

I suppose it would never substitute but a shorter trip would be down to Montreux to see the Chillon castle.

Quite honestly, i think you may have to set your sights elsewhere on this go round.

Go to mappy.com Type in Luzern, Schweiz and Hohenschwangau, Deutschland. You'll get exact details on how to drive there. It's 3.26 hour drive (by car) one way (excluding border crossing waiting time). Going by train is even more complicated.

There are lots of castles in Europe and I can imagine you'll be seeing some on your organised tour. Are you sure you want to make this tour? Schloss Chillon in Montreux is also quite impressive and can be reached by train within 3 hours. An even closer castle would be Thun (1.5 hours away).

Hi Intrepid1: We posted at the same time. It's nice to know that we have the same opinion on some things.

I didn't want to get into a pissing contest about driving vs. rail and as you and I both know, Schuler, taking the train would be a round about route at best in this case

Glad you mentioned Thun which I had forgotten about.

I enjoyed seeing Neuschwanstein but, personally, I think some of the others (Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee) are, overall, much more rewarding to visit.

I would settle for - or organize - another castle (but then Neu is not one of my favorites - I prefer much older castles to semi-faux modern ones). I actually like both Chillon and Thun much better. There is also an interesting one in Gruyere - a very pretty little town. I even like all of Ludwig's other major castles better than this one.

As others have mentioned - the drive would be at least 3 hours each way - so a pretty long day.

Why not check out the castle's web site to get more detailed info before you decide if the trip is worth it - or if you might enjoy one of the others just as much.

I am a world traveller and I have to tell you that Neuchwanstein is one of the most horrid, over-hyped, tacky places I have ever been to. To spend 6 hours driving to see it is an act of depravity. Only the daft would do such a thing. You will be in Switzerland with so many things to do and see, why would you want to drive all the way to Bavaria????? To me, this is like traveling to Paris and wanting to take a day trip to Oslo.

However, if you have your heart set on it, you may want to find out if there are any tour companies in Luzern offering escorted day trips to Neuschwanstein. Start doing an internet search or contact your hotel.

TTT

I drove from Intertlaken to Fuessen (skipped Neuschwanstein, tend to agree with other's asseesment) three weeks ago. From Altdorf or Schwyz on, the route is the same: Bregenz, Lindau, Hindelang, Weissbach, Reutte, Fuessen. It took me about 5 hours. Although I have been to Fuessen many times, I promptly got lost in the major highway construction project on the approach to the city.. Wound up on the west side of the Bannwaldsee, but eventually arrived at my favorite place in the area, the Wieskirche.

But to answer Shelby's original question: Forget about a one day round trip from Luzern to Neuschwanstein.

>Neuschwanstein is one of the most horrid, over-hyped, tacky places I have ever been to

Agreed 100%, don`t go there just a waste of time!!!

I disagree on Neuschwanstein. It is, indeed, a fantastic confection created by a somewhat tortured mind, but it is also quite a vision on top of that mountain. It also contains some of the finest 19th century wood carving you'll see anywhere.

In addition, the "Mad" Ludwig saga, the Wagner connection, the entire history surrounding the decline of European monarchies with Ludwig's Bavaria being the poster child is all quite fascinating.

Look beneath the surface. I find some of the harping on Neuschwanstein to be sophomoric, shallow, and certainly reflective of a lack of a historical sense and an understanding of sociological changes that were sweeping Europe, and had been for some time--of course, not I'm referring to anyone in particular.

One doesn't have to like Neuschwanstein, but to imply that someone who does has poor taste or is somehow lacking in artistic sense or otherwise inferior in some way is just ignorant.

Oh, and rude, too.

>find some of the harping on Neuschwanstein to be sophomoric, shallow, and certainly reflective of a lack of a historical sense and an understanding of sociological changes that were sweeping Europe

> I can`t disagree with you more. I think your interpretation is an absolute misunderstandig of Bavaran and German histrory at all. But we already agreed to disagee on this point...

thankyou all for your very informative responses. You have me convinced!