Gray Line tour?
Sep 6th, 2015, 07:49 PM
#1
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Gray Line tour?
Hello! DH and I will be in Munich for four nights in mid-October. Gray Line offers a Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Royal Castle and Oberammergau Tour. It is 10.5 hours - one hour at Linderhof, 30 minutes in Oberammergau and 3.5 hours in Neuschwanstein. Has anyone done this tour? It seems rushed so I don’t know if I should spend the time doing something else or if I should go since we may not make it back to Munich. Thoughts?
Sep 6th, 2015, 09:35 PM
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Hi lovs2travel,
You can really do this very easily on your own; trains and busses will take you there and back again, and you'll be able to set your own schedule. I think Oberammergau is a lovely town, and I wouldn't be happy with only 30 minutes there. The tour also doesn't seem to give you any time in Füssen (one of the prettiest towns in the area) or at the lake outside Füssen.
I personally would want to do it slower, see fewer things at one time and see more of them.
Have fun as you plan!
s
You can really do this very easily on your own; trains and busses will take you there and back again, and you'll be able to set your own schedule. I think Oberammergau is a lovely town, and I wouldn't be happy with only 30 minutes there. The tour also doesn't seem to give you any time in Füssen (one of the prettiest towns in the area) or at the lake outside Füssen.
I personally would want to do it slower, see fewer things at one time and see more of them.
Have fun as you plan!
s
Sep 7th, 2015, 02:19 AM
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I agree with the above: half an hour for Linderhof is too rushed. Personally I was not so impressed by Oberammergau, but more so by nearby Ettal with its wonderful abbey.
Going on your own is indeed no problem. There are regular busses between Oberammergau, Linderhof and Ettal.
Planning can be done on the website of the German railways: http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml, including the busses. (Clicking the white-on-orange arrow gives you the travel details. Further clicking gives you a map.)
Going on your own is indeed no problem. There are regular busses between Oberammergau, Linderhof and Ettal.
Planning can be done on the website of the German railways: http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml, including the busses. (Clicking the white-on-orange arrow gives you the travel details. Further clicking gives you a map.)
Sep 7th, 2015, 05:30 AM
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I would do it yourself and drop Neuschwanstein (a fake castle that Mad Ludwig never even lived in) to focus on Linderhof and a couple of the cute towns.
We really prefer Herrenchiemsee of all Ludwig's Castles - and you could do it by car from Munich.
check them out in a couple of guidebooks to see which you would enjoy more.
We really prefer Herrenchiemsee of all Ludwig's Castles - and you could do it by car from Munich.
check them out in a couple of guidebooks to see which you would enjoy more.
Sep 7th, 2015, 06:53 AM
#7
I did this tour and another guided tour as well. The first tour was only to Neuschwanstein with a guide who took us by train. The second time was with the Gray Line Tour. I didn't really like the tour guide too much but we did go to all 3 places. It was very cold and snowing as it was the first week in December. We went on a week day.
Linderhof was small to me so I though the time there was fine. We were the first people in and walked a bit outside but again too cold for me to really walk around outside. Neuschwanstein is on timed tickets which you know and I didn't want to be bothered with coordinating things. Again to cold for me to want to walk around and the last tour we did walk down to the lake below Hohenschwangau Castle. By the time we got to the drop off for Neuschwanstein I knew to get in line for carriages. The bus that runs behind to take you up to the castle was not in service and I wasn't walking that hill again. Inside Neuschwanstein, it was not crowded like my prior visit. Last time, we were like cattle being herded into each room and didn't have any arm space. This time was different. The bridge to view the back of the castle (Marienbrücke (Mary's Bridge) bridge, was closed. Probably why the bus service was also not working. Oberammergau was just a short stop and they let us walk around a bit. Not much was open so the amount of time was ok to me.
When I take tours, I take them for what they are. I'm just on it to see certain things. I go with the intention of getting a feel to see if maybe one day, I'd like to go back and do more. So I was happy with what I saw and again, I didn't want to worry about getting lost or timing anything. It's just a different point of view. I also don't remember stopping for lunch on the second tour but grabbed something where the bus dropped us off.
Linderhof was small to me so I though the time there was fine. We were the first people in and walked a bit outside but again too cold for me to really walk around outside. Neuschwanstein is on timed tickets which you know and I didn't want to be bothered with coordinating things. Again to cold for me to want to walk around and the last tour we did walk down to the lake below Hohenschwangau Castle. By the time we got to the drop off for Neuschwanstein I knew to get in line for carriages. The bus that runs behind to take you up to the castle was not in service and I wasn't walking that hill again. Inside Neuschwanstein, it was not crowded like my prior visit. Last time, we were like cattle being herded into each room and didn't have any arm space. This time was different. The bridge to view the back of the castle (Marienbrücke (Mary's Bridge) bridge, was closed. Probably why the bus service was also not working. Oberammergau was just a short stop and they let us walk around a bit. Not much was open so the amount of time was ok to me.
When I take tours, I take them for what they are. I'm just on it to see certain things. I go with the intention of getting a feel to see if maybe one day, I'd like to go back and do more. So I was happy with what I saw and again, I didn't want to worry about getting lost or timing anything. It's just a different point of view. I also don't remember stopping for lunch on the second tour but grabbed something where the bus dropped us off.
Sep 7th, 2015, 09:27 AM
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With Linderhof you really need to go in good weather since a lot of what you will look at is the grotto and gardens - as well as the inside.
None of these is a trip I would do in December. We have visited all of Ludwig's Castles and a bunch of towns in the area - but over several trips in May and June.
None of these is a trip I would do in December. We have visited all of Ludwig's Castles and a bunch of towns in the area - but over several trips in May and June.
Sep 7th, 2015, 09:32 AM
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With Linderhof you really need to go in good weather since a lot of what you will look at is the grotto and gardens - as well as the inside.
None of these is a trip I would do in December. We have visited all of Ludwig's Castles and a bunch of towns in the area - but over several trips in May and June.
None of these is a trip I would do in December. We have visited all of Ludwig's Castles and a bunch of towns in the area - but over several trips in May and June.
Sep 8th, 2015, 02:36 PM
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Thank you all for the advice. I had my reservations about taking the tour so your insights were very helpful. I will print out the directions to go ourselves then play it by ear. I am thinking about a day trip to Nuremberg instead, but we will see how things go once we get to Munich. Thank you all again!
Sep 11th, 2015, 06:39 AM
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"I am thinking about a day trip to Nuremberg instead".
Look out for the time table of the Muenchen - Nurnberg - Express, which you can use with a Bayern - Ticket (28 Eur. for two). Its travel time is just 20 minutes longer than the expensive ICE and you are not bound to a specific Train.
Look out for the time table of the Muenchen - Nurnberg - Express, which you can use with a Bayern - Ticket (28 Eur. for two). Its travel time is just 20 minutes longer than the expensive ICE and you are not bound to a specific Train.
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