Neuschwanstein Castle Day Trip

just be careful of ice in November on the way up and down.

Neuschwanstein has many detractors but you might not agree with them. I've always found it odd that people are willing to travel 3 hours one way just to have a view of the castle (or palace, as the purists like to point out).

The castle and Fussen will eat up your day.

https://www.bahn.de/

As long as you’re there, take the tour. It lasts an hour. Time wise it makes little sense to make that trip to look at the castle for 10 minutes.

As an FYI, when I was there it was so foggy one couldn’t even see the bridge let alone the castle. Visability was about 20 feet.

Another nice activity there is the hike around the lake. It's absolutely beautiful and under 2 hours of pretty much level ground.

My wife and I visited Neuschwanstein last year in September, we took the train from Munich to Fussen. You can check the train schedules online, but if I remember correctly, it was about 1 1/2 hours, flat rolling hills but as you get closer to Fussen you can view the foothills of the Alps. Very nice train trip. In Fussen we stayed 2 days/3 overnights.
One full day for Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. I would suggest you taking the tour inside Neuschwanstein. Most people think the Neuschwanstein tour is not worth it, but we found it to be great! If you are really interested in Neuschwanstein then take the tour.
The second day we hung around the town of Fussen which was also great, don't overlook Fussen, it worth even 2 or 3 hours to walk around.

actually the 3 hours is closer. Each way. Got to get to the Hbf or other station, then almost all connections are with a connection, between 2:15 and 2:49 as far as Füssen, then you need to get the bus, then the long walk up the mountain to the bridge. Look around and 3+ hours back again. 6 hours on trains and buses, 30 minutes walk up and 30 down, and 15 there for the photo equals 7 and a quarter in my book. In November that is sunrise to sunset.

And is it worth it to take a shuttle bus/tour there and back or just do the train? I realize the tours do not include the admission price. Just wondering how difficult it will be to do the train and such. DO the tours go anywhere else besides the castle to make it worth it?

Neuschwanstein is not an old castle and not so historic. If you are in the area, it is worth a short visit.
However, in my opinion it is overrated.

The Fussen/Garmish area is great, there are many other great things to see. In particular, going up the Zugspitze, highest mountain in Germany.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187302-Activities-Garmisch_Partenkirchen_Upper_Bavaria_Bavaria.html

Also, The Romantic Road starts in Fussen and goes all the way through many great cities and towns. Many medieval walled cities.
Oberammergau is the site of the Passion Play that is given every 1 0 years.
https://www.romanticroadgermany.com

Easy enough to do on your own if you decide to see the castles (see both). Don't know if you need tickets in advance for the end of November. If you do, buy them here: TICKETS

Train times: https://www.bahn.de/

Bus from Fussen train station, look for bus number 78 schedule: BUS

We were in Fussen last week. We took a bus to parking lot & walked to Mary's Bridge, uphill, maybe 1/2 mile. The bridge offers amazing photo op.
We love walking & the outdoors & opted out of castle tour...overrated in our opinion.
Loved Fussen...beautuful old city. Good food, too.
Reservations necessary on weekends.

A reservation for what on the weekends?

Reservations on weekends- for the castles. And possibly for restaurants. If you are going to spend all that time on trains and buses for a view of N'stein, then you might as well spend the time and money to see the interior. No, it's not a real "castle". Nor is it a real palace that was lived in by anyone but Ludwig (for a very short period). But it is quite something to see, in its overly Wagnerian styling. If you want to see what a real Bavarian palace interior is like, take the extra time for the Hohenschwangau tour.

And if you aren't inclined to walk up the quite steep path to Mary's Bridge, you can take a bus up from the parking lot. A daytrip via bus tour isn't going to be any less expensive than DIY by train and bus. And will likely take just as long. Your day will be full with just the castles, especially given the short daylight hours. Even if you had a car you would be starting and ending in darkness.