I know there are lots of questions about this but none seem to answer my specific questions. We are staying in Munich for 4 days this summer at Hotel Torbrau and will have a rental car. We would like to take a day trip to see Ludwig's castles and surrounding area. Our plan is to leave Munich early 7:00-7:30, see the two castles, and then return via Obergammerau and Linderhof. A couple of questions:

1) I am told the drive is around 2 hours - does this include getting out of central Munich? Should I allow extra time for morning rush hour?

2) What is the recommended "fast" route?

3) Based on our starting time, what time should we book our tickets? Would 10:30 be cutting it too close (allowing for being there an hour ahead to pick-up the tickets)?

4) Do you have to see Hohenshwangau first? I see if you book the "kings ticket" you do, but what about if you booked them separately?

5) What is the recommended "scenic route" to return to Munich via Obergammerau and Linderhof?

Thanks so much

If you want tours in English you need to go to the websites and make sure that's what you're booking. We did a couple in the fall - and happened to get there when the only remaining English tour was full - so we did one in German.

But - if you MUST have the tour in English you need to reserve and time for it.

We drove from the Fussen area to Munich airport, which is slightly north of Munich proper, and our trip was almost exactly 2 hours. We didn't drive into Munich though, so maybe someone else can help with that part.

I would probably go with the 11:00 ticket just to give a little more time cushion. 10:30 is probably fine, picking up tickets at 9:30, but I think it would be better to have a little more time to hang out there than to be rushed on the drive.

I suppose if you reserved your tickets seperately, you could do the tours in any order you choose. I did think it was interesting to go in chronological order though - see where Ludwig grew up and then see his fairytale dream of a castle.

I don't have a recommendation for a scenic route between Oberamergau and Munich, but between Fussen and Oberamergau, if you cross into Austria to the town of Reutte, there is a nice route to Oberamergau. It goes past a really pretty lake called the Plansee and through some really nice countryside. You will see it on a map - pretty much the only road connecting the two towns directly.

Thanks for the info - anyone have any more insights - especially about Munich morning traffic rush?

Hi C,

>I am told the drive is around 2 hours...

Enter your hotel address as the departure point at both www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com, and add about 0:30 hr to be safe.

If you want tours in English, get the King's Ticket. You will have time to get from H to N.

I suggest paying the fare for the horse-drawn carriages. The way up to the castles is very steep. Also be prepared to do some walking from where you are dropped off to where you enter for the tours.

>What is the recommended "scenic route" to return to Munich via Obergammerau and Linderhof?

Enter Fuessen to Munich via Linderhof and 86989 Wies at www.viamichelin.com. It is a very scenic route.

The Wieskirch is worth the small detour.

The route will take you into Austria in order to get to Linderhof. You will need the road tax sticker - 7E for the 10-day pass (vignette). Available at all gas stations and many souvenir shops.

Enjoy your visit.

Thanks for the map links - they are very helpful!

There is definitely enough time to walk between H and N with the combination ticket. We walked rather than take the horse cart or the bus - it was a hot day and I was pretty slow. Still, there was plenty of time for me to get up the hill and relax in the shade before the tour started.

Thank you ira. We are doing almost the same route except we are staying in Mittenwald. I have entered that route into our notes. I love the horse-drawn carriage idea.

J Correa: how long was your total time at the castles? If we reserved the King's Tickets for 11:00, what time do you think we would be finished?

My new favorite map site is google. In the search line just type in something like "Munich to Oberammergau to Fussen Germany" then click on maps.

Someone said you need the Austria sticker. It was my understanding that that is only necessary if you are on the big roads in Austria. Going through this little corner of Austria you will be on smaller roads and I have never bought the sticker for that particular trip. Perhaps someone who really knows the laws can tell us. Maybe I just got lucky and didn't get caught.

Be prepared for a possible "crush" getting onto the horse-drawn carriage and try not to plan it so that you assume you will get on the first one.

This will obviously depend on time of day, etc., but be aware that others may not be as respectful of "I was next in line" as Americans tend to be.

The last time we were there you would have thought we were trying to make it into the last lifeboat on the "Titanic" what with the pushing and elbowing that went on.

All part of the "adventure" of course.

The walk up to the castle itself is rather steep but not impossible.

I'm sorry you don;t have more time because with the use of a car a visit to the largest Ludwig build of all, the palace at Herrenchiemsee, would have been ideal.

It is truly a miniature Versailles on the inside with a Hall of Mirrors that is larger than the one in France and the most beautifully-decorated interior of all the Ludwig builds including the over-the-top Linderhof.

That's OK, save it for the next trip.

Thanx Dukey. We plan to visit Europe many times.

Cem,
I was in Munich last week, and while there I took a day trip to Neuschwanstein. Something to keep in mind (which is what we did) is that you can purchase a "Castle Tour" ticket from most hotels and from the information center at the Central Train Station. With this package a bus picks you up at your hotel (at about 7:45) and you ride to Linderhof where you go on a tour and then you to go Obergammerau and then to Neuschwanstein. This was extremely convenient, although very touristy. Price was 64 Euros per person which included transportation and castle admission. One positive thing about this is that you don't have to worry about getting tickets (they arrange it for you), however, one negative thing is that it felt very rushed, so if you are someone who likes to take your time this might not be the best for you, but at any rate it is something to consider.

We are also going to stay at the Hotel Torbau for 3 nights in September and are going to drive to the Castles on a day trip. When are you going? Please let me know what you think of the hotel.

I think from the start of the tour of Hohenschwangau to the end of the tour of Neuschwanstein, it was 2 to 2 1/2 hours. We made a whole day of the visit though. After the tour of N, we walked up to the Marienbruke - the bridge behind the castle. We also had lunch and wandered over to the Alpensee - the lake near the castles.

btbrown: we will be at the Hotel Torbrau the first week in August so will let you know what we think.

Thanks jcorrea, want to make sure we still have time for Linderhof.

>Someone said you need the Austria sticker. It was my understanding that that is only necessary if you are on the big roads in Austria. Going through this little corner of Austria you will be on smaller roads and I have never bought the sticker for that particular trip. <

If you zoom in on the maps at www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com you will see that the Austrian B roads (no sticker required) suddenly open into 4-lane divided highways as you approach the borders.

This is where the police sit and wait for you.

Pay the 7E for a 10-day sticker and avoid the fine.

Where do you buy the sticker?

You can buy the auto toll stickers at gas stations, post offices, roadside rest stops, etc, near the border, certainly on the Austria side and sometimes on the other side. Ask for a Vignette.

If you stay in Mittenwald and drive to Fussen via Austria, do you just stop at the first place you see in Austria that sells them?