Opening hours and prices

Prices, hours and rules checked against the official pages of the Bavarian Palace Administration and the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau. The booking page always has the final word.

Neuschwanstein Castle is open all year round, with four closing days and two seasonal timetables. The hours apply to the tours, not to the grounds: the Marienbrücke, the courtyard and the paths around Hohenschwangau can be walked at any time without a ticket. Since the rooms can only be seen on a guided tour with a time slot, the question "when does the castle open" really means: when do the first and the last tours start.

Opening hours by season

Season	Castle (tours)	Ticket Center Hohenschwangau
28 March – 15 October	9:00 – 18:00	8:00 – 16:00
16 October – 27 March	10:00 – 16:00	8:00 – 15:30
Closed	1 January · 24, 25 and 31 December	same days

The first tour starts at opening time and the last one leaves shortly before closing; the Ticket Center opens an hour earlier to release the day's leftover tickets. The switch between the summer and the winter timetable always happens on 16 October and 28 March, regardless of public holidays. On 26 December and on 2 January the castle is open on the winter timetable.

Prices

Ticket	Price	What you need to know
Adult (18 and over)	€21	guided tour of about 30 minutes with a fixed time slot printed on the ticket
Reduced	€20	students, visitors over 65, people with disabilities and groups, under the rules of the Bavarian Palace Administration
Under 18	free	a named €0 ticket is still required; online, the booking fee is charged for children too
Online booking fee (official shop)	€2.50 per ticket	online purchases only; nothing extra at the Ticket Center counter
Day trip from Munich with the ticket included	varies by operator	coach or minivan, guide and a reserved castle slot in one booking

When to go

Period	Crowds	What to expect
June – September	heaviest	comfortable slots sell out weeks ahead; the leftover-ticket queue starts around 7:00; long days, gorge path open
October – November	moderate	autumn colours, fewer coaches; the Marienbrücke usually still open; winter timetable from 16 October
December – February	light, except the holidays	castle in snow, short days, closing at 16:00; the bridge may be closed for ice; shuttle and cable car may stop
March – May	rising	snowmelt and fresh green; crowds return from Easter onwards; summer timetable from 28 March

For visitors flying in from the UK or the US the best compromise is early October to late November: no summer crush, the viewpoints open and tickets available a few days ahead. For the snow-covered postcard, go between mid-January and the end of February, on a weekday, and accept that the bridge may be shut. Whatever the month, the first tour of the day and the last one are the quietest.

Rules at the entrance

• Guided tour only, about 30 minutes, in groups; the time printed on the ticket is binding and late arrivals are not admitted.
• Backpacks, pushchairs, rigid baby carriers, suitcases and walking poles cannot be taken in; there are no lockers.
• No photography or filming in the rooms; the courtyard and the viewpoints are fine.
• No animals, with the exception of assistance dogs.
• The tour involves stairs between floors; visitors with reduced mobility should contact the Ticket Center in advance for the separate arrangements.
• The audio guide is included in the ticket and handed out in the castle, in 17 languages including English.

The other sights in Hohenschwangau

Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig's childhood home, keeps the same opening hours and is seen on a 45-minute guided tour with a separate ticket. The Museum of the Bavarian Kings on the lakeshore needs no time slot and tells the story of the Wittelsbach dynasty. The walk around the Alpsee takes two hours, and the Tegelberg cable car lifts you above the castle for the famous top-down view. A full day in the valley with both castles and the lake is the natural plan if you are staying in Füssen rather than rushing back to Munich.

Frequently asked questions about hours and prices