taxis between Fussen and Neuschwanstein

Hi Cathy, There are no trains from Fuessen to the castles. The trip from Fuessen to Neuschwanstein is about 10 minutes. While we never used public trans. to get from Fuessen to the castles, I found that on Oct. 3rd there's a 10:05 bus from the Fuessen train station that gets to the castle's at 10:13. Then it shows a bus leaving the castle's at 14:44 (2:44) and getting back to Fuessen at 14:55. http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en?ld=964&seqnr=8&ident=8x.0213814.1326759686&rt=1&rememberSortType=minDeparture&REQ1HafasScrollDir=2 Paul

Hi again, the info is here also: http://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/howtoget.htm Paul

If the train runs on time, we can make the bus for the trip out to the castles. If it isn't on time, we can't wait for the next bus that is an hour later. I would like to stay a bit longer (the return bus is a bit earlier that I would like). That's why I would like to know if it is easy to get a taxi back to the Fussen station.

The bus from Fuessen to Hoheschwangau is timed to the arrival of the train. It's usually sitting right outside the front door of the Fuessen station shortly after the train arrives. See my webpage for more information. The bus back to Fuessen Bhf is also timed with the train. See the German Rail (Bahn) website for schedules.

Super! Thanks, Lee, for one piece of my puzzle. Now, all I need to find out : is it really easy to get a taxi back to Fussen? Is there a taxi area at the castles with taxis waiting to take people back to Fussen? Or can you call and schedule one?

Lee is right. The buses will be waiting at the station. When we went, it was in July and there were actually two different routes waiting at the station. 99% of the people that get off the train at Fuessen will be gettig on those buses, so of the train is late, they will wait (the bus is a connection, not really a separate route) - but remember this is Germany - the train won't be late :-). You'll have to wait a few minutes because they will fill the buses to capacity (standing too) before leaving. As for getting back - don't be timid. The Germans don't queue up like the Brits or Americans. You'll have to be assertive to get on the bus back to town.

I just rechecked bahn.de. There is a bus from the castles back to the Fussen station 15:41 - 15:48. That actually works with my schedule, but it would still be nice to know if we can fall back on a taxi for that return trip.

I've never seen taxis at the bus stop going back to Fuessen, probably because there would be no point to it. The bus gets you to the Bahnhof a few minutes before the train leaves and costs less. There would be no benefit to a taxi. You can easily take the bus at 15:46, but if you leave much later by taxi, you won't get to the station in time to catch the train. Why do you think 15:45 is important? The next train after 15:45 leave Fuessen at 16:04, and the 15:46 bus from Hohenschwangau gets to the Fuessen station at 15:55, in time for the train.

Cathy - I know you are nervous about the train and bus connections. That is how I was when I traveled to Germany two summers ago and made two trips across the country with multiple train connections in unfamiliar stations with sometimes less that 5 minutes between arrival and departure. Lee and his websites and maps was very helpful to me, and he is definitely right about this one. Just remember, German trains aren't late. They have all the connections timed and efficient. If there is a point where a train (or bus) runs a few minutes behind for some reason, the connection waits. The don't view it all as independent routes (like airlines with connecting flights). Instead it is all one system timed to go together. The buses leave when they do because the trains come when they do. So, don't be nervous - it will all work out and they will run on time. Alle ist in ordnung (All is in order).

sorry...should be Alles ist in Ordnung.

I don't remember a gift shop at Hohenschwangau, but there was one in Neuschwanstein. I'm not sure if you can access it before the tour. Our tour of Neuschwanstein ended in the gift shop. I think the bus takes you to Marienbrücke, above the castle, and there is quite a steep trail down to Neuschwanstein. You might prefer the horse drawn carts which leave from in front of Hotel Müller, just up the hill from the kiosk (also, apparently, from behind Hohenschwangau). As for retracing a few steps. The tours in the castles are guided group tours. You can't go back in on your own. In case you haven't already found it, information about the castles and tours is at www.hohenschwangau.de. There is an English language side.

There are taxis right outside the train station in Füssen. Probably less than 10 euro to take you to the castles. I would tell the driver when you want to return and arrange for him to pick you up and return you to the station. I did not see taxis just staying at the castles hoping to pick up a fare. (Was there Dec 2011)

Stephen, good tip. Wish I had thought of it myself. Lee, the bus time around 15:45 works. At first I had just looked at the bahn.de schedule with crossed eyes and thought we would have to leave the castles earler 14:44 (2:44) like Paul mentioned - and I didn't want to have to rush it that much. The extra hour is just right.

And the taxi is a second option if the 3 of us can't be assertive like Cary suggests. My 70-year-old mom is travelling with us. She can move for a 70-year old, but back up systems need to be in place.

There is a train (with a possible change in Buchloe) to Munich every hour and the buses from Hohenschwangau are timed for you to connect to the train. If you miss the 15:45 bus you are not likely to find a taxi in time to get to the station for the 16:04 train. But no matter, the next train isn't for an hour and there will be a bus to meet it. There are restaurants and shops in the area for you to spend your time waiting (the 3 pictures I took of the walk to the kiosk were from one such restaurant). It's a very short walk from the bus to the train platform. BTW, if you come out from Munich using a Bayern-Ticket, the bus fare to and from Hohenschwangau is included.

Cathy, Can I back up on something else you mentioned. I've been to Neuschwanstein three times, once with my wife and twice with her and different other people - showing it to our guests. After arriving at the car park (we always drove - don't beat me, Lee ) its a short walk over to the ticket booths. Get or pickup tickets. During the hour before the tour starts, take the horse cart thing up the hill, admiring the views. That will save your mother from using her sticks, or some of you could schlep up the hill - its quite steep. Half an hour of tour, back outside, 20 minutes back down. That's 2 hours. Even with getting lots of pictures of the Marionbrucke what will you do for the other 2 hours?

Whoa, wait a minute, Nigel. Check the arithmetic. Cathy says: we can get to Fussen train station at 9:56. (...)We would spend about 4 hours at the castle area and need to be back at the Fussen station by 3:45 (15:45) Given that the ride from the station is short, and so is the ride back, 15:45 minus 9:56 is 5 hours and 49 minutes. So you are actually talking about well over 5 hours for such a short experience.

As I said, there is a bus/train connection every hour. If the trip only takes them 4 hours, they can take an earlier bus (13:50 or 14:41). Or, there are lots of shops and restaurants in the area around the Hohenschwangau bus stop. Or they can take the bus into Füssen and look around town, maybe have dinner there, and take an evening train back to Munich. There is also a second castle, Ludwig's boyhood home, Schloß Hohenschangau, that can be toured at Hohenschwangau.

I built wiggle room into our schedule. Question: when is the best time to go to the gift shop, before or after one of the tours? That will affect the time I book for the tours. Is the only gift shop at Hohenshwangau? Here's my time scenario (approx times): 10:05 - bus to castles 10:30 - pick up reserved tickets for touring both castles 11:30 - start Hohenschwangau tour 12:15 - bus up the hill 13:30 - start Neuschwanstein tour
15:45 - bus back to Fussen The second tour should be over by 14:00. But Rick Steves says there's a 20 min video to watch also. That would really be pushing us to make the 14:44 bus. Also, I just know my husband and mom. They like to linger and perhaps retrace a few steps.

I was just thinking about retracing steps outside the castles/tours.

Yes. If we finish up earlier, we can move on out. But knowing us, we will linger in the area and look and absorb the "aura" of the place. Munich isn't our final stop for the evening so I just wanted to make sure that we caught at least the 16:04 train so we can get to our hotel for the night around 19:00...we are not night people...getting to bed early is a necessity.

We did take a taxi from Fussen to the castles. I could tell that taking the taxi kept us one step ahead of the rest of the crowd that took the bus. Walking to the bus stop after the tours, we saw a taxi and took it back to the Fussen station. It all worked out so well. Thanks for all your input before our trip.

There are taxis at the train station. It is not far to the castles and so not much of a fare. I did not see taxis at the castles for the return trip, except for those that just let someone off. You could flag one down, or make arrangements if you have one take you to the castles.