We will be traveling by car and wanted to drive up to the castles. Are there castle tour guides available at the gate. Should we purchase tickets in advance but even if we do we would like to a guide take us through the castles. Please advise. Thanks!!
Posted by
NYC area
2914 posts
Hi Carol, The ONLY way to tour the castles is an organized tour with a guide. Tickets are avail. at the ticket center. http://schwangau.de/neuschwanstein-castle-628.html FYI: The Tegelberg cable car and luge ride (Sommerrodelbahn) are about a mile from the castles. http://schwangau.de/tegelberg-cablecar-626.html http://schwangau.de/the-summer-luge-636.html Paul
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19110 posts
There are parking lots for cars in the village of Hohenschwangau below the castles, but none at the castles, and I don't think that cars are even allowed on the roads to the castles themselves. At least I have never seen them on the roads, and the roads are clogged with pedestrians walking on the roads as well as horse carts that you can ride in to the castles.
Posted by
NYC area
2914 posts
Hi again Carol, To be more specific, you need to park the car in one of the parking lots. You then go to the ticket kiosk and buy tickets and get tour time.s If visitng both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, you'll get a tour of Hohenschwangau first. The tours are timed to allow you enough time to get from one to the next. To visit/tour Neuschwanstein, you can either: 1 - walk up to the castle 2 - take a carriage (horse drawn) up to the castle
3 - take the shuttle bus up to Marienbrucke (Mary's Bridge) just ABOVE Neuschwanstein. From here you'll walk DOWN to the castle. Hohenschwangau castle is an easy walk from the ticket kiosk to the castle. Neuschwanstein is a pretty steep walk up. At least I think it's steep. Paul
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
It's not very steep, just a long, gradual slope (pretty good distance, though).
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
We parked in the Hohenschwangau lots and walked up to n'stein. After the tour, we leisurely walked back down, stopping at a cafe for some hot chocolate (it was Christmas). Very easy walk with no vehicle traffic (aforementioned carriages aren't much of a hazard). If you're in any shape at all, you'll be fine. My wife was in her 2nd trimester and had no trouble at all.
Posted by
Phila, Pa USA
144 posts
Last time I was @ Neuschwanstein, we took the bus UP to the castle, but enjoyed walking back DOWN to the parking area. The pathway is right at the base of the castle, and heads at a gentle slope down through the woods to the base. It was very pleasant, only took maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and gave us a chance to stretch our legs before getting back into the car.