Neuschwanstein Castle Tour from Munich: Skip-the-Line Tickets

Two fairy-tale castles in one day, without the massive queues

A private tour from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle with skip-the-line tickets included, plus Linderhof Palace and optional Hohenschwangau Castle. Your guide meets you at your hotel, drives you through the Bavarian Alps, hands you entry passes before you arrive, and walks you through each castle's interior. Choose between 9.5 or 11 hours depending on whether you add Hohenschwangau or other stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Theresienwiesepassing by
2. Neuschwanstein Castle2h 30m · entry included
3. Hohenschwangau Castle50m
4. Linderhof Castle1h 15m · entry included

Castles and Bavarian sights tour

• Pick-up from provided address
• Pass Oktoberfest site and Bavaria statue
• Visit Lake Starnberg and learn history
• Drive through Bavarian countryside to Hohenschwangau
• Receive skip-the-line tickets and map
• Tour Neuschwanstein Castle for 35 minutes
• Explore additional castle rooms for 15 minutes
• Visit Queen Mary's Bridge viewpoint
• Enjoy views of Pöllat waterfall
• Drive to Linderhof Palace via scenic route
• Tour Linderhof Palace and park
• Visit Oberammergau village and guided tour
• Optional visit to Ettal Benedictine monastery
• Optional visit to a baroque church

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and a drive south toward the Alps, passing Theresienwiese (the Oktoberfest grounds, nearly empty outside the festival season) and Lake Starnberg, where King Ludwig II died under mysterious circumstances in 1886. After about two hours, you reach the village of Hohenschwangau at the foot of Neuschwanstein. Your guide hands you skip-the-line tickets before you arrive at the castle: no waiting at the entrance gate, even though up to 8,000 visitors crowd the place on any given day. You then choose how to reach the castle: walk uphill from the car park (about 1.5 km in 45 minutes), take a shuttle bus to Queen Mary's Bridge (€4, not available in snow), or ride a horse-drawn carriage (€8 up, €4 down). The guided tour inside takes roughly 35 minutes. Afterward you walk through additional rooms at your own pace.

From Queen Mary's Bridge (one of the world's most famous castle viewpoints, built by Ludwig II in 1866). You see the Pöllat waterfall and the castle's full silhouette. The bridge sits a 20-minute walk downhill from the castle entrance. After Neuschwanstein, you drive roughly 50 minutes toward Linderhof Palace, crossing into Austrian territory along the scenic Lake Plansee (or taking an alternate Bavarian route depending on weather and avalanche risk). Linderhof is Ludwig's smallest but most intimate palace, set in a secluded Alpine valley with French baroque design, trick paintings, and the famous "Magic Table." Skip-the-line tickets are included here too. The palace park holds additional fairytale buildings, including the Venus Grotto (reopened April 2025, €3 extra, cash only, steep path, closed in winter).

Depending on which tour length you book, you may also visit Hohenschwangau Castle (Ludwig II's father's neo-gothic summer residence, with skip-the-line tickets available for €23.50 per adult), the medieval town of Füssen, or the Passion Play Village Oberammergau, famous for its 250-year-old murals and wood carvings. The tour includes a licensed guide who speaks English or German (Spanish, Portuguese, or French on request), mineral water, and transport in a new Mercedes or VW minivan with air conditioning: your group only, no strangers added. Hotel pickup is included.

What’s included

• Skip-the-line entrance tickets for Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles.
• hotel pickup and private transport in a new Mercedes or VW minivan with air conditioning.
• licensed guide in English or German (Spanish, Portuguese, or French on request).
• mineral water.
• choice of 9.5-hour or 11-hour tour length.

Options for this experience

2 options

9.5 exclusive private hours!Guide in English or German · 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 09:00Lasting 9 hours 30 minutes, this option starts with a 7:00 AM skip-the-crowds visit, including skip-the-line tickets for Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle. Pickup is included.

XXL-Time CreditGuide in English or German · 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 09:00Lasting 11 hours, this option starts with a 7:00 AM skip-the-crowds visit, with skip-the-line tickets included for both Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle. This XXL-Time Credit lets you explore something new and/or spend more time at the sights. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 09:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Sightseeing Bavaria Exclusive

Is this one for you?Book the 9.5-hour option if you want to focus on Neuschwanstein and Linderhof without rushing, or the 11-hour tour if you'd like to add Hohenschwangau, Füssen, or Oberammergau. The skip-the-line tickets mean you bypass the gate crowds that plague these castles year-round, but be ready for the 346 stairs inside Neuschwanstein and the uphill walk from the car park. If either is a concern, let the operator know at booking so they can arrange alternatives.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

What's the difference between the 9.5-hour and 11-hour tour options?

The 9.5-hour tour covers Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles with time at Queen Mary's Bridge. The 11-hour option (called XXL-Time Credit) adds Hohenschwangau Castle, Füssen, or Oberammergau, though you'll have 25 minutes less time at the main castles if you choose a third stop.

Do I really get to skip the line at Neuschwanstein, or is that just marketing?

Neuschwanstein receives up to 8,000 visitors daily, and your guide hands you skip-the-line entrance tickets before you arrive at the castle. You walk past the gate queue. The same applies to Linderhof Palace. Hohenschwangau skip-the-line tickets (€23.50 per adult) can be booked separately after your reservation.

How much walking is involved to actually reach Neuschwanstein Castle?

From the car park to the castle entrance, you walk uphill roughly 1.5 km (1 mile) in about 45 minutes, or you can take a shuttle bus to Queen Mary's Bridge (€4, not in snow) or a horse-drawn carriage (€8 up, €4 down). Once inside the castle, there are 346 stairs up and down. If walking that distance is difficult, inform the operator immediately after booking. They can arrange an exclusive lift service inside the castle at no extra cost, though availability is limited.

What happens if I want to visit Hohenschwangau Castle too?

Hohenschwangau is optional and only included in the 11-hour tour. Skip-the-line entrance tickets cost €23.50 per adult (€2.50 for children under 6). You'll book these online after your reservation. A carriage service runs almost door-to-door in the warmer months, though you'll climb stairs to the third floor inside. There's no elevator.

Is lunch included, and what about the Pöllat waterfall or the Venus Grotto?

Lunch is not included. You'll have free time to eat at cafés in Hohenschwangau, Füssen, or Oberammergau. The Pöllat waterfall is visible from the castle courtyard and from Queen Mary's Bridge at no extra cost. The Venus Grotto at Linderhof Palace costs €3 per adult (cash only) and requires a steep 0.3-mile walk. It's closed in winter and reopened in April 2025 after renovation.

Can I bring young children or a stroller?

Yes. Specialized infant seats are available, and strollers work for getting around the grounds, though they're not allowed inside the castle interiors. Linderhof involves only two relatively flat 10-minute walks plus stairs to the first floor. Neuschwanstein's 346 interior stairs are steeper. If mobility is a concern, mention it immediately after booking so the operator can arrange support.