Neuschwanstein Castle + lake forgenssee

Regular fare, such as on the direct 8:00 train, is €26.70 one way, per adult. You could still get a Bayern ticket for the return trip. Prices shown on the DB link at How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online.

Looks like a pretty expensive bike ride.

Note: the only rail connection that gets you to Hohenschwangau before the ticket kiosk opens (8 AM) leaves Munich at 4:48 AM and gets to the Hohenschwangau bus stop at 7:32. That would cost the full fare of 26,70€ per adult one way (is everyone an adult?).

The next connection leaves Munich at 6:53 and gets to Hohenschwangau at 9:13. It might take 10 minutes to walk to the kiosk and you need to pick up tickets one hour before tour time, so you could take a 10:30 tour. That trip would cost the same thing 26,70€ each.

BTW, that's the cost of the train fare to Füssen Bahnhof only. However, the 6:53 connection gets you to Füssen at 8:55 and the bus leaves after 9 AM, so if you already had a Bayern-Ticket for your return (purchased the day before or that morning at the Hbf), you could use it for the bus to Hohenschwangau.

If you already have the Bayern-Ticket in hand and you purchase full fare tickets from Munich to Kaufbeuren at 18,30€/adult, you can leave on the 7:53 train from Munich. That train gets to Kaufbeuren at 8:48 and leaves at 9:00, when the Bayern-Ticket is valid. It gets to Füssen at 9:56 and the bus gets you to the bus stop in Hohenschwangau at 10:13. You could schedule your tour for about 11:30.

I think you need to schedule your tour time in advance at www.hohenschwangau.de.

so helpful! thanks so much!

and speaking from experience...when you depart the train in Fussen and looking to jump on the bus to the castles be prepared for huge crowds. There were WAYYYY too many people for the buses which turned the crowds into galloping herds as everyone attempted to "run" for the next bus. We made it just fine, but it's rather annoying especially when you don't anticipate it.

Same thing happened when boarding the train at Fussen back to Munich. There were crowds gathered on the platforms just waiting to pounce through the open train doors. If you were at the back of the line you got to "stand" for the duration of the train trip.