kgholtz

I am traveling to Munich and Salzburg in Aug. and want to also see Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles. First, what is the best way to go to Neushwanstein, by tour, or on your own by train? Second, is possible to take the train from Fussen directly to Salzberg or should we just do a day trip to the castles from Munich and then take the train from Munich to Salzburg? We are going for 7 days and would appreciate the advice!

Watzmann

The train from Munich to Füssen takes 2 hours. You don't really need a guided tour, as tours of the Neuschwanstein are readily available at the museum counter. A good option, particularly if you travel in a group, would be the "Bayern Ticket" (bavarian ticket) of Deutsche Bahn/German Railways. For 21 €, up to 5 people can travel one day in whole bavaria whereever they want (in regional trains only, but these are the only ones to Füssen anyway). To get to Salzburg, you probably will have to get back to Munich first (from Füssen) and then go on to Salzburg. To go to Linderhof, you need to take another train from munich, the one heading to Garmisch Partenkirchen. You might consider renting a car in Munich to visit the castles, and then take the train to salzburg

kgholtz

Thank you! What web site can I look up the train schedule? Also, I heard there are long lines to buy tickets for Neuschwanstein castle, is it best to buy tickets in advance on the web before leaving the states?

RufusTFirefly

I'm not a person who generally enjoys driving, but we drove on part of our trip to Germany 2 years ago. Driving from Munich to Hohenschwangau (the village where Neuschwanstein castle is located) via Linderhof was very easy and fun. It allowed us to make several stops along the way in interesting towns and at sights like the Wieskirche that we couldn't have experienced by train.

kgholtz

Unfortunately, we are not going to rent a car.

Watzmann

Train schedules are available at the german railways` homepage: www.bahn.de.
I was only a boy when I last went to Neuschwanstein about 20 years ago, and still I clearly remember cueing. Probably it's a good idea to book the tickets in advance.
Here is the english version of the Neuschwanstein home page: http://www.neuschwanstein.de/english/index.htm
At this page, you get all information on tickets. There's also an online ticket shop: http://www.hohenschwangau.de/ticketcenter0.0.html

I think, Linderhof is less crowded than Neuschwanstein. I've been there three or four years ago and the cueing wasn't a problem.

padbrasher

kgholtz,
Unless you want to stand in line for a very long time, make reservations on-line. When you arrive at the castles, walk past the hundreds of people in line to the advance purchase window and you are good to go. I think anyone arriving after 12 noon without advance reservations runs a great risk of not getting in at all.

hleesa

Definitely try to buy a ticket in advance for Neushwanstein. I tried to go a few years ago without a pre-ticket and the line was over 2 hours long. We weren't able to wait that long though so I missed out.

Watzmann

In a previous answer, I had said that there is no direct train connection between Neuschwanstein (Füssen) and Linderhof (roughly: Garmisch-Partenkirchen). Now I've learned that a small and very scenic train route called "Außerfernbahn" links the Füssen area with Garmisch: http://www.erlebnisbahn.at/ausserfernbahn/
Though not directly leaving from Füssen Bahnhof, it leaves in the very near by town of Pfronten, which is easily accessable by bus from Füssen. Tickets such as Bayern Ticket and Schönes Wochenende Ticket are valid, although the track goes through austrian territory. This looks to me as the most charming way to get from Neuschwanstein to Linderhof (unless you have a car). You could do something like that: Early morning leave from Munich to Füssen, visit of Neuschwanstein. Afternoon: catch train to Garmisch, sleep there, maybe visit germany's highest peak, the zugspitze, by cable car. Next morning: take bus/train to Linderhof (approx. 20km off Garmisch), visit Linderhof, catch train back to Munich from Garmisch or Oberammergau or Oberau. Sleep in Munich. Next day off to Salzburg. When booking a hotel in Salzburg, check on the city`s homepage for special offers: the city issues a so-called "Salzburg-Card" that provides free entry to all museums/castles, free public transport inclusive boat ride on the river and special discounts/packages if you book a hotel room along with it: http://www2.salzburg.info/sehenswertes_281.htm

johndpringle

Last year in April my wife and I went to Bavaria. We took the train from Munich to Fussen and stayed at the Hotel Sonne in Fussen. Just don't stay there on the weekend when the bar across the platz has a live band. The Hotel staff were great. They advised us to call the castles and make our reservations over the phone. Give yourself some time between castles. Rick Steves makes the point well in his Guidebook.

After we returned by bus from the castles I walked around Fussen by myself and really enjoyed it. I went to Mass at the church on the hill and the acoustics were fantastic.

The next day we left Fussen for Munich and transfered at the Main train station to a train going to Salzburg. We stayed at the Hotel Blau Gans (Blue Goose). Salzburg is lovely.

Munich has some great art museums. I love the Hofbrauhaus.

Have a great time.

bhuty2003

i went sept 2002 to those spots. I did it by car and enjoyed the drive, got to stop off and see many other things that i hadn't planned and had a lovely time all in just a few short days.

Since you seem intent on not taking a car then thats useless information BUT...
we arrived at the castle around lunch time. yes there was some line up but i've seen longer at a supermarket's express aisle. Get there bulk early or get there lunch time and you should be fine. prepay if you want and if you are a person who panics about time.

kjenn

I don't know if this was mentioned in the Bayern ticket above, but it also covers travel to Salzburg - which is a real bargain because I believe one way from Munich to Salz is around 30 Euro. Also, remember that the Bayern pass covers the munich subway, so after you return from a daytrip you can continue to use the pass until 3 AM. It is a great deal.

kgholtz

Is the Bayern ticket only good from 9am??

mikemo

I would agree that driving is way better.
I must say that I was disappointed with Linderhof and Neuschwanstein c/w Castle Burg Eltz on the Mosel.
I stayed at Hot Gasthaus Fraundorfer in Partenkirche, drove to Ludwig's places and on to Salzburg mostly on MT (Bavarian Alps) roads, stayed at Hot Wolf-Dietrich in Salzburg and visited Berchtesgaden and the Kehlstein (Eagle's Nest) on the way back to Munchen. Actually, the bus ride up to the Kehlstein and the engineering and labor involved in construction of the road and elevator give you an idea of how "nuts" der Fuhrer actually was.
M
PS my paternal GM was German born in Karlsruhe in the 1870's

don76

kgholtz
All those who responded to your questions gave excellent advice.
In October 2003 We stayed in Munich and purchased a Bayern ticket for a day trip to Salzburg.
We caught the earliest train from Munich,(I believe it was at 9 AM) and took a small van tour of the city. We left the tour van at Mozart's home in order to see the museum and took a local bus back to the train station that afternoon to return to Munich. You can't beat the price.
We took a tour bus from Munich to Linderhof/Neuschanstein castles and didn't have the problem with renting a car.
Suggestion;
We purchased both the train and castle tour bus tickets at the tourist info office located by the furthermost train track as you enter the train station. The American woman who works there was most helpful and of course speaks English.
The personnel who work in the alternate tourist office on the street side of the train terminal did not speak English so communication was a problem.
If you do take the bus tour from Munich to the castles be sure to arrive at the meeting place early in order to get the panorama seats at the front of the bus on the upper level.
Enjoy your trip
Don

mikemo

Hi Don,
Actually they all speak English mostly better than the average big city US high school graduate, but one must know a bit of "greeting" German.
M

kjenn

According to the info on bahn.de the bayern pass is only good from 9 am on, but when we purchased our tickets at the window the lady said we could use it anytime. We left for Fussen using the ticket at 8 and had no problems.