Our top pick4,387 reviews
10 hFrom Munich: Neuschwanstein Castle Full-Day Trip
★ 4.7 · 4,387 reviews
- Ten hours, 2-hour train or bus ride
- Guided walk around castle grounds
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$89$8.90 / hour
Check availability→ Lakes, castles and mountain roads
Munich Alps day trip: Königssee or Neuschwanstein
A Munich Alps day trip on this site is one of four long days south: Königssee in the Berchtesgaden Alps by van, or Neuschwanstein Castle by van, by train or bus, or by coach with Linderhof. All four start in Munich and run 9 to 10.5 hours. Below: what each one costs, what the price leaves out, and which day fits the mountains you have in mind.
Quick answer
The short answer. For the mountains themselves, the Munich Alps day trip to book is Königssee by van: $146, 9 hours, pickup at your hotel, a lake in the Berchtesgaden Alps below the 2,700-metre Watzmann. For the king’s castle at the edge of the mountains, take our top pick, the Neuschwanstein full-day trip by train or bus at $89. On both, part of the day is paid on top: the boat at Königssee, the castle ticket at Neuschwanstein.
The Munich Alps day trip at a glance
- Mountain days
- 4 day tripsKönigssee, and three ways to Neuschwanstein
- Deepest into the Alps
- Königssee by vanBerchtesgaden Alps, 9 hours
- Mountain day fares
- $85 to $146per person
- Our top pick
- $89Neuschwanstein by train or bus, 10 hours
- Hotel pickup by van
- Only the two van daysKönigssee and Neuschwanstein
- Smallest group
- Up to 8Neuschwanstein by van
- Paid on the day
- Boat and castle ticketsnot in the tour price
- Lunch
- Not includedon any of these days
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationcheck the deadline on the listing
What counts as the Alps
Which day trips reach the mountains of Bavaria
One trip goes deep into the Alps, three reach their edge. The rest stay in the lowlands.
Of the fourteen listings on this site, one goes deep into the mountains. The Königssee day by van follows the German Alpine Road to a lake in the Berchtesgaden Alps, and its listing describes towering rock faces, the chapel of St. Bartholomä, dating back to 1134, and the Watzmann at 2,700 metres (8,900 feet). If the picture in your head is a boat on a green lake between walls of rock, that is the Munich Alps day trip that matches it.
Three more go to the edge of the mountains, where King Ludwig II built Neuschwanstein. The van version describes its route as travelling through the Bavarian Alps. Malinda from the United States, on the coach day: «Seeing the castles amongst the countryside and Bavarian alps was more beautiful and satisfying than anticipated.»
Everything else is a different kind of day. Salzburg, Nuremberg and Rothenburg are city days. Herrenchiemsee is a lake and a palace, and its listing says nothing about mountains, so we do not sell it to you as a Munich to Alps day trip.
Five days, side by side
The four mountain days, and one lake day
Every Munich Alps day trip below starts in Munich. Prices are per person, read off the listings in October 2026.
- Königssee and the Berchtesgaden Alps by van — $146, 9 hours
As a Bavarian Alps day trip from Munich, this is the one that goes furthest in. Pickup is included on this van day, and it ends with a hotel drop-off. The guide speaks English or German. On the lake, the listing names the echo of Königssee and the “Sleeping Witch”. The boat ticket is paid in cash to the guide. 232 reviews at 4.6.
- Neuschwanstein by van, up to 8 people — $140, 10 hours
Pickup is included on this van day too, and the group is limited to 8. You get a guided tour inside the castle, the Marienbrücke, a gorge with cascading waterfalls and the Wieskirche, an 18th-century pilgrimage church with UNESCO World Heritage status. Castle tickets are paid in cash to the guide after the tour, but the guide books them for you. 1,371 reviews at 4.9.
- Neuschwanstein by train or bus, our top pick — $89, 10 hours
A two-hour ride each way through Bavarian landscapes, past the old town of Füssen. The guide leads a walking tour of the grounds, with the lake, Hohenschwangau Castle, the waterfall gorge and the Marienbrücke. Going inside the castle is optional and paid on the morning of the tour. It starts at Dachauer Str. 4. 4,387 reviews at 4.7.
- Neuschwanstein and Linderhof by coach — $85, 10 to 10.5 hours
An air-conditioned bus from Karlsplatz 21 to Neuschwanstein and, on the full-day option, Linderhof, the king’s “Royal Villa”. You choose an option with castle tickets or without them; a later departure drops Linderhof. A live guide speaks eight languages. 16,984 reviews at 4.6, the most on this site.
- Herrenchiemsee, the lake day — $66, 9.5 hours
A train with a guide, then a ferry on Chiemsee, “the Bavarian Ocean”, to the palace King Ludwig II built in 1878 in the image of Versailles. Boat and palace entrance are paid separately. 150 reviews at 4.9.
Along the way
Day trip to Bavarian Alps from Munich, frame by frame
Three frames from the lakes and castles a Munich Alps day trip reaches.
St. Bartholomä on the shore
The red-domed chapel and white houses at the water’s edge, under a sheer rock face.
Neuschwanstein and the mountainside
A shingled tower roof close up, and Neuschwanstein below a forested mountainside.
Rock walls in green water
Steep valley walls and a strip of meadow mirrored in clear, still water.
Every trip, current fare
What each mountain day costs and what it covers
Four mountain days and the lake day, priced per person: current fares for anyone planning a Bavaria tour 2026. Lunch is not included on any of them.
| Trip | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Königssee and the Berchtesgaden Alps | $146 | per person | 9 hours | Van day with a guide in English or German. The boat is paid in cash to the guide; lunch not included. | Hotel pickup on this van day; hotel drop-off at the end | 4.6 · 232 |
| Neuschwanstein by van | $140 | per person | 10 hours | Van for up to 8, guided tour inside the castle, Wieskirche, gorge walk. Castle ticket paid in cash to the guide; lunch not included. | Hotel pickup on this van day | 4.9 · 1,371 |
| Neuschwanstein by train or bus | $89 | per person | 10 hours | Train or bus with a guide, walking tour of the castle grounds, Füssen. Going inside is optional, paid on the morning of the tour. | Dachauer Str. 4 | 4.7 · 4,387 |
| Neuschwanstein and Linderhof | $85 | per person | 10 to 10.5 hours | Air-conditioned bus with a guide. Options with or without castle tickets; lunch in Hohenschwangau at your own expense. | Karlsplatz 21 | 4.6 · 16,984 |
| Herrenchiemsee by train and boat | $66 | per person | 9.5 hours | Train with a guide, 40-minute guided palace tour, Fraueninsel. Boat and palace entrance paid separately before the tour. | Dachauer Str. 4 | 4.9 · 150 |
The price
Why the mountain days cost what they do
What the fare pays for, and what you pay on the day.
The four mountain days cost $85 to $146 per person. The coach to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof has the lowest fare of the four and the most reviews. The two van days cost the most, and they are the only ones that include pickup.
Budget for what a Munich Alps day trip leaves out of the fare: the boat at Königssee, the castle ticket at Neuschwanstein unless you book the coach option with castle tickets, and lunch.
Day trips on this site start from $66 per person, for the 9.5-hour Herrenchiemsee day by train and boat. It is a calmer day on a lake, not a mountain day. The listings at $22 to $59 are the aquarium ticket, the hop-on hop-off bus, the bike ride and the three guided visits to the Dachau Memorial Site. None of them goes to the mountains.
Who it suits
Which mountain day fits you
Five honest tests for choosing a Munich Alps day trip.
- You want mountains and water, not castles
Take Königssee by van. Anneliese from New Zealand: «Coming from New Zealand we’re accustomed to beautiful landscapes but the Bavarian alps are something else.»
- You want inside Neuschwanstein, with a small group
Take the van at $140: a guided tour of the castle and up to 8 people. Elina from Sweden: «Picked us up at our Hotel and drove us to the locations listed.»
- You want Neuschwanstein at a lower fare
Our top pick at $89 walks you round the grounds; going inside is optional. Khalid from Canada: «the countryside views to and from the area are alone worth it.»
- You want two of the king’s palaces
The coach day adds Linderhof on the full-day option, at $85, in 10 to 10.5 hours.
- You want a calmer day on the water
Herrenchiemsee, at $66. John from the United Kingdom: «we had time to ourselves for taking photographs of the castle and on the neighbouring island Fraueninsel».
Before you book
Day trip to Alps from Munich: five things to check
Two minutes on the listing saves surprises on a Munich Alps day trip.
- Cash for the boat at Königssee
Boat tickets are not in the tour price. The listing asks you to pay for them in cash directly to the tour guide.
- The months at Königssee
From mid-October to mid-April the boat only goes to St. Bartholomä, without Salet, the Obersee or the Röthbachfall. The day visits the old town of Berchtesgaden instead.
- Your castle ticket
By van, the guide books it and you pay in cash after the tour. By train or bus, going inside is optional and paid on the morning of the tour. By coach, pick the option with or without castle tickets.
- The walk up to Neuschwanstein
The train-or-bus listing gives an uphill walk of about 20 minutes, with a carriage or bus up as an option, and says the day is not wheelchair accessible.
- Being on time
The train-or-bus day and Herrenchiemsee start at Dachauer Str. 4; arrive 15 minutes before.
Our verdict
Our verdict on the Munich Alps day trip
For the mountains themselves, book Königssee by van. At $146 it costs the most of the five, and it goes deepest into the Berchtesgaden Alps, with hotel pickup on this van day. If you book one Bavarian Alps tour from Munich, make it this one.
If Neuschwanstein is the point, take our top pick at $89, or the van at $140 to see inside with up to 8 people.
Book direct
Book a Munich Alps day trip
Our top pick first, then the other three mountain days and the lake day. All five are priced per person.
Bestseller232 reviews
9 hFrom Munich: Königsee Day Tour by Van
★ 4.6 · 232 reviews
- Nine hours, Pickup and hotel drop-off
- St. Bartholomä Chapel visit
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$146$16.22 / hour
Check availability→ 
Likely to sell out1,371 reviews
10 hFrom Munich: Neuschwanstein Castle Full-Day Trip by Van
★ 4.9 · 1,371 reviews
- Ten hours, Limited to 8 participants
- Pickup included
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$140$14.00 / hour
Check availability→ 
Bestseller16,984 reviews
10 - 10.5 hFrom Munich: Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castle Full-Day Trip
★ 4.6 · 16,984 reviews
- 10 to 10.5 hours, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof in one day
- Air-conditioned bus from Karlsplatz
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
Bestseller9.5 h
9.5 hFrom Munich: Herrenchiemsee Palace and Boat Trip Day-Tour
★ 4.9 · 150 reviews
- 9.5 hours, Train from Munich with guide
- 40-minute guided palace tour
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$66$6.95 / hour
Check availability→ Common questions
Munich Alps day trip: questions, answered
Which of these day trips include hotel pickup?
Only the two van days: Königssee at $146, which also ends with a hotel drop-off, and Neuschwanstein by van at $140. The train-or-bus day and Herrenchiemsee start at Dachauer Str. 4, and the coach to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof leaves from Karlsplatz 21.
Is the Königssee boat ride included?
No. Boat tickets and lunch are not included in the tour price. You pay for the boat in cash directly to the tour guide.
Does the boat go to Salet from mid-October to mid-April?
No. In those months the boat only goes to St. Bartholomä, without Salet, the Obersee or the Röthbachfall, and the day visits the old town of Berchtesgaden instead.
Are Neuschwanstein Castle tickets included?
Only on the coach day to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, if you pick the option with castle tickets. By van, the guide books your ticket and you pay in cash after the tour. On the train-or-bus day, going inside is optional and paid on the morning of the tour.
Is lunch included?
No, on none of these days. On the coach day, lunch in Hohenschwangau is at your own expense. By van, you can opt for a cheese and sausage platter at a farm; the listing does not say it is part of the price.
How long is the walk up to Neuschwanstein?
The train-or-bus listing gives about 20 minutes uphill, with a carriage or bus up as an option. The coach listing gives 30 to 40 minutes, around 1.5 km on a steep uphill road, with many steps inside. On any Munich Alps day trip to the castle, wear good shoes.
Go deeper
More on day trips from Munich
Königssee and Berchtesgaden
Königssee and Berchtesgaden
The green lake in the mountains, a boat ride and the valley around it.
Neuschwanstein comparedNeuschwanstein compared
Three ways to see the king’s castle from Munich, side by side: coach, van, or with Linderhof.
Linderhof and NeuschwansteinLinderhof and Neuschwanstein
Two of the king’s palaces in one day, and what the extra stop costs you in time.
HerrenchiemseeHerrenchiemsee
The palace on the island in the lake, reached by boat.
Which one to pickWhich one to pick
Choosing by time, budget and interest: castles, cities, lakes or history.
