Isn't there any other mode of transportation between these two cities other than the train which makes a detour through Buchloe which is way out of the way? Is there a bus line available to cover this 10 mile trip? Thanks.
I don't have any specific contact information, but if your goal is to visit the castles, there are bustours from Garmisch. These are probably easier than using public transportation, if a little more expensive.
I think it must be more than 10 miles.
There is a bus, which goes via Oberammergau. Here is the schedule, courtesy of Lee, who posted it here previously:
http://www.rvo-bus.de/site/rvo__bus/de/fahrplan__regionales/fahrplaene/suche/fpl/9606.pdf
Watch out for reduced service on weekends. We did it on a Saturday by taking the train to Reutee, and a bus from there. That bus went all the way up to the castles after a stop in Fussen.
Thsi area is mountainous, which means the roads and train tracks don't go in straight lines from place to place.
You can also stay on the train at Reutte (or get on the next one at Reutte) and go on to Pfronten just over the border in Germany. From Pfronten-Ried Bahnhof there are regular buses to Füssen Bahnhof and on to Hohenschwangau. An advantage of this route is that the bus travel in entirely in Germany, and you can use a Bayern-Ticket for it (the Bayern-Ticket is also valid for the rail line between Garmisch and Pfronten since the rail line, although it goes through the Austrian Tirol, only connects to German Rail lines, so it run by German Rail and the Bayern-Ticket is valid on it. If you go from Reutte, you will have to pay separately for the part of the route in Austria.
All these connections (buses included) will show up if you do a search on the German Rail website.
If you take the bus via Oberammergau, note that it stops at Hohenschwangau, site of the castles, before it gets to Füssen Bahnhof.
It is more than 10 miles, I recall it was about a 3 hour drive. Do not try in on a Friday afternoon, yikes. Maybe there is more than one town by the name of Garmisch? Joanne
"It is more than 10 miles, I recall it was about a 3 hour drive." Unless traffic was really bad, I'm not sure which way you drove. Going through Austria and by Reutte, it takes under an hour.
The Michelin recommended route goes through the Austrian Tirol via Reutte and is 61km long (about 36 mi)