Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most popular attractions in Germany. It is one of the most beautiful castles in the world. You can gauge its beauty from the fact that the castle in Disney’s classic movie ‘Sleeping Beauty’ is inspired by Neuschwanstein Castle. Hence, many people also refer to it as Disney Castle.
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Reasons Why Neuschwanstein Castle Is Not Worth Visiting
You may be wondering why we are suggesting that Neuschwanstein Castle is not worth visiting when it should have been a must-visit. Well, there is no one reason for that. Here are all the main reasons that will make you reconsider your decision to visit Neuschwanstein Castle.
Reaching Neuschwanstein Castle Is Time-Consuming
Location is the biggest factor in deciding whether Neuschwanstein Castle is even worth visiting. Neuschwanstein Castle is located close to Germany’s border with Austria, in Schwangau municipality of Bavaria state of Germany. It is about 60 kms from the ski-resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and 130 kilometres from Munich.
You will most likely rely on public transport to reach Neuschwanstein Castle from your base. And it is not straightforward to get there. First, you need to reach Fussen which is the closest town to the castle. From there you have to take bus 73 or 78 for a 10-minute bus ride that will drop you at the ticket counter in Hohenschwangau. And you are still not there at the castle. The castle is located uphill and you will either have to walk for about 1 km or take a shuttle bus or a horse carriage to reach there.
If you are like other travellers, you will be coming to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich on a day trip. Munich to Fussen takes 2 hours by train which includes a transfer at Buchloe train station. The transfer is straightforward but you will have only 6 minutes for the transfer. And if the train gets delayed by more than that like how it happened to us during our visit, you will have to wait at Buchloe train station an hour to catch the next train.
The total time from Munich train station to Neuschwanstein Castle is about 3 hours, including waiting time at Fussen and Hohenschwangau to catch the buses.
You may also think of making Garmisch-Partenkirchen your base if you are also planning to visit Zugspitze (the highest peak in Germany). We had also considered it at one point but despite it being just 60 kms away, there is no direct connection between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Neuschwanstein Castle, and in fact it takes 4-5 hours of one-way travel time using public transport. So, that leaves Munich as the only viable base.
Best Viewpoint Is Far From Neuschwanstein Castle
The shuttle bus from Hohenschwangau to Neuschwanstein Castle does not actually drop you right at the castle entrance but about 500 metres away, near Marienbruecke (Mary’s Bridge). The bridge is a place from where you get the best views of Neuschwanstein Castle.
The castle is very far from the bridge and you will be capturing the castle’s beauty from a distance.
Also, you will not be alone. There will be hundreds of tourists along with you on that narrow bridge and several hundred in the queue to get on the bridge. Lack of space and with people moving constantly, it is hard to get a perfect picture with nobody photobombing you. And you will only have about 10 minutes or so on the bridge before the guard will start asking you to move out to allow other people to get in.
You may come across articles on the internet where many bloggers talk about a secret viewpoint from where you get a closer view of the castle with virtually no crowd. From the pictures we have seen, yes those views looked prettier but you will have to cross a fence and walk uphill on the unpaved path to reach there.
The authorities have put up a fence to stop people from taking that path for one simple reason – it is dangerous. The path is so uneven and unfenced that even a little fumble and you may end up getting a serious injury. And that so-called viewpoint has a valley on the other side. You have to be firm on your footing otherwise it is THE END for you.
No views are worth more than a life. We would strongly suggest respecting the rules and not thinking of crossing the fence in case you decide to visit Neuschwanstein Castle.
Neuschwanstein Castle Is Not That Pretty From Inside
Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II, also known as, Mad King Ludwig. He was known for extravagant spending on the construction of lavish palaces like Neuschwanstein Castles and Linderhorf Palace. But he died before the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle could be completed. At the time of his death, only external structures were almost completed leaving interiors in simplistic form.
Also, entry inside Neuschwanstein Castle is only allowed via a 30-minute guided tour. The guided tour costs EUR 15 (~INR 1350) and reviews of the tour are not great. Many people complained about it being rushed and involved climbing lots of stairs. You will have to pre-book the tour many days in advance otherwise forget getting a ticket on the same day.
Tips To Visit Neuschwanstein Castle
Considering the long travel time, lone viewpoint and not very attractive interior, we do not consider Neuschwanstein Castle as worth visiting attraction.
But if you are still keen on visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, here are some tips for a better experience.
Buy A Bayern Ticket
Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle can be a costly affair. A train ticket between Munich and Fussen costs EUR 26 (~INR 2340). A roundtrip bus ticket on Fussen-Hohenschwangau-Fussen costs EUR 4.4 (~INR 400) and a roundtrip shuttle bus costs EUR 3.5 (~INR 300). If you add up everything, it will cost about EUR 80 (~INR 7200) per person just on travel.
This cost can be significantly brought down by purchasing a Bayern Ticket which is a day pass that allows unlimited travel on regional trains, buses, and U-Bahns in Bavaria. It only costs EUR 27 (~INR 2430) for 1 adult. Any additional passenger up to a maximum of 4 can use the same ticket just for an additional Euro 9 (~INR 810) per person.
We paid EUR 36 (~INR 3200) for a Bayern ticket for two persons that not only covered the train travel but also the bus between Fussen and Hohenschwangau. We ended up spending only EUR 43 (~INR 3900) on travel which otherwise would have cost us EUR 160 (~INR 14400).
Consider Renting A Self-Drive Car
If you are a group of 3 or more, you may consider reaching Neuschwanstein Castle by car. It will not only save about an hour each way but will give you the freedom to reach other nearby attractions like Hohenschwangau and Linderhof Palace which is not possible by public transport.
Book A Coach Tour From Munich
You can also consider booking a coach tour from Munich if you want to visit multiple attractions without worrying about travel logistics. It is not the cheapest option by any means but definitely the most relaxing one.
The tour generally includes a visit to Linderhof Palace and Oberammergau (a pretty town in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) in addition to Neuschwanstein Castle. The tour costs ~ EUR 75 (~INR 6750) per person and does not include any entrance tickets.
Final Thoughts!!
All the travel blogs are filled with articles suggesting how Neuschwanstein Castle is a must-visit but no one has written about the pain points. We wrote this article to present the reality to help you make an informed decision on whether to visit Neuschwanstein Castle or not.
There is no denying in fact that the castle if seen from Marionbruecke looks like it straight from the fairy tale book but it is also a fact that it will take 6 hours of roundtrip travel (if you are coming from Munich) for just 10 minutes of views and that too from a distance.
We had gone with low expectations but were disappointed at the end of the day. No views irrespective of how pretty they are worth full days’ of effort and money to us.
But every individual is different. What may seem not worth visiting to us may feel worthwhile to you. Do not put off your visit to Neuschwanstein Castle just because we did not like it. Consider everything and then make your decision. You very well may be visiting Germany only once in your lifetime. Sometimes it is better to go and be disappointed rather than regretting for the rest of your life. That’s what made us visit 🙂
Have you been to Neuschwanstein Castle? Share your thoughts in the comments below!!
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