Bestseller2,546 reviews
10.5 hFrom Munich: Rothenburg and Romantic Road Day Trip by Bus
★ 4.5 · 2,546 reviews
- 10.5 hours, Stop at Harburg Castle
- 2 hours in Rothenburg
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$92$8.76 / hour
Check availability→ The Romantic Road in one day
Munich to Rothenburg day trip on the Romantic Road
A Munich to Rothenburg day trip takes 10.5 hours by coach. It follows the Romantic Road, stops at Harburg Castle, takes in the Nördlinger Ries and gives you two hours on your own in Rothenburg ob der Tauber before the ride back. It costs $92 per person and carries 2,546 reviews at 4.5. Below: what the price covers, how the day runs and who it suits.
Quick answer
The short answer. Book the Munich to Rothenburg day trip if you want Rothenburg, a castle and a stretch of the Romantic Road in one booking, with a guide on the coach and no route to plan: $92, 10.5 hours, two hours in the old town on your own. If you would rather be walked round a city by a guide, the Nuremberg day by train has a 4-hour guided tour for $89.
The Munich to Rothenburg day trip at a glance
- Price
- $92per person
- Length
- 10.5 hoursstart and finish at Karlsplatz 21
- Transport
- Coachalong the Romantic Road
- Named stops
- Harburg, the Nördlinger Ries, Rothenburgpassing through Dinkelsbühl
- In Rothenburg
- Two hours on your owna self-guided visit
- Harburg Castle
- Marked optionala steep hill and stairs inside
- Guide
- English and Germanplus an audio guide in seven languages
- Reviews
- 2,546rated 4.5
- Lunch
- Not includedthe listing mentions a coffee pause
- Meeting point
- Karlsplatz 21bus lane, exit G or F from the underground level
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationreserve now, pay later
How the day works
One coach, one castle, one medieval town
Where the 10.5 hours go, and what kind of day it is.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber lies on the Romantic Road, which the listing describes as a famous 220-mile route. A Munich to Rothenburg day trip turns that distance into one long day: you board a coach at Karlsplatz 21, ride the road with a guide and come back to the same bus lane at the end. The listed length is 10.5 hours.
First comes Harburg Castle, which the listing calls one of the oldest and best-preserved castle complexes in Germany; the short description adds that it was never damaged by war. Then the Nördlinger Ries, described as the giant depression left by an ancient meteor. The coach passes through Dinkelsbühl, and the longest stop of the day is Rothenburg itself: two hours to walk the old town at your own pace, which the listing calls a beautifully restored medieval town.
So what you buy is a romantic road tour from Munich with the planning done for you. A live guide speaks English and German on the coach, and an audio guide covers seven languages. What you do not buy is a guided walk through Rothenburg: the two hours there are yours. Farshid from Australia: «Great day all planned for us. Great info on the area and tips for where to go.»
Stop by stop
Harburg, the Ries and Rothenburg, in order
How the listing describes each part of the Munich to Rothenburg day trip, in the order of the day.
- Karlsplatz 21, Munich
The coach leaves from the bus lane at Karlsplatz 21. Coming up from the underground level, take exit G or F. The tour returns to the same place.
- Harburg Castle
One of the oldest and best-preserved castle complexes in Germany, in the listing’s words. The castle is marked optional on the itinerary; the way up is a steep hill, with stairs inside.
- The Nördlinger Ries
The listing describes it as the giant depression left by an ancient meteor, and invites you to experience its beauty on the way.
- Dinkelsbühl
The route runs via Dinkelsbühl. The listing names it as a town you pass through, not as a stop.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Two hours on your own, as a self-guided visit to the restored medieval town.
- Back through Hallertau
The way home to Munich passes through Hallertau, named in the listing as the largest hops-growing region in the world.
Along the way
Castle courtyard, gateway and old houses, frame by frame
Three frames from the listing photos of this Munich to Rothenburg day trip.
Inside the castle walls
A square stone tower, a long house with a red roof and shutters striped with yellow crosses, and a hedged garden laid out in the courtyard.
A gateway with its portcullis raised
Heavy wooden bars with pointed ends hang over the passage, beside a wall of red and yellow shutters and a climbing plant.
Half-timbered houses
Red timber framing, flower boxes under the windows and a steep tiled roof, with pastel town houses and a tall fir tree around it.
Every trip, current fare
What each long day costs and what the price covers
The Munich to Rothenburg day trip next to four other long guided days. Lunch is not included on any of them, and every price is per person.
| Trip | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rothenburg and the Romantic Road | $92 | per person | 10.5 hours | Coach with a live guide in English and German; Harburg stop; two hours in Rothenburg on your own | Karlsplatz 21, bus lane; ends there too | 4.5 · 2,546 |
| Nuremberg by train | $89 | per person | 9 hours | Travel by train with a guide; a 4-hour guided tour of the old town and the Nazi rally grounds | Dachauer Str. 4 | 4.4 · 431 |
| Salzburg by train | $89 | per person | 9.5 hours | Travel by train with a guide; an orientation tour with a map, then 3 hours on your own. Passport required | Dachauer Str. 4 | 4.7 · 1,805 |
| Neuschwanstein, our top pick | $89 | per person | 10 hours | Train or bus with a guide; a walking tour of the castle grounds. Castle ticket not included | Dachauer Str. 4; ends there too | 4.7 · 4,387 |
| Neuschwanstein by van | $140 | per person | 10 hours | Van along the Romantic Road, limited to 8; guided visit inside the castle; the Wieskirche. Castle tickets not included | Hotel pickup on this van day | 4.9 · 1,371 |
The price
What the higher price pays for
The coach day next to the train days, in money and in hours.
At $92 per person, the Munich to Rothenburg day trip is the highest-priced of the guided days by train or coach on this site, a little above Nuremberg, Salzburg and our top pick, the Neuschwanstein day, at $89 each. It is also one of the longest, at 10.5 hours, which works out at $8.76 per listed hour.
The price covers the coach, a live guide and the set route. Lunch is not part of it, and the Harburg Castle visit is marked optional, so check the booking page for what it involves.
Day trips on this site start from $66 per person, for the 9.5-hour Herrenchiemsee palace and boat 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: outings within reach of the city rather than days on the road.
Who it suits
Book the coach day, or plan something else?
Ten and a half hours suit some travellers well and others badly. Four honest tests for the Munich to Rothenburg day trip.
- Book it if you want Rothenburg and a castle without planning
A Rothenburg day trip from Munich on your own means working out the route yourself. Here one booking covers the coach, the guide and the stops. Theresa from the United Kingdom: «Beautiful places all timed perfectly».
- Book it if you like to explore at your own pace
Two hours in Rothenburg are yours. Johanna from South Africa: «Rothenburg was just gorgeous... I highly recommend climbing Rödeturm tower for magnificent views over the old town.»
- Think twice if steep paths are hard for you
The listing warns of a steep hill up to Harburg Castle and stairs inside. The castle visit is marked optional on the itinerary.
- Pick another day if you want a guided city walk
Rothenburg is self-guided. The Nuremberg day by train includes a 4-hour guided tour, at $89.
Other ways to fill the day
Nuremberg, the van day or the king’s castle instead
Three other long days, for travellers who want a different kind of town or a castle.
The only Rothenburg tour from Munich on this site goes by coach, and it does not stop in Nuremberg. Nuremberg has a day of its own: $89, 9 hours, by train with a guide, and a 4-hour guided tour that covers the old town with its hilltop castle and gothic churches, and the Nazi rally grounds. The Nuremberg guide sets out how that day runs.
The Romantic Road appears on one more listing. The Neuschwanstein day by van, at $140, drives along the Romantic Road, is limited to 8 participants, includes pickup and a guided visit inside the castle, and stops at the Wieskirche, a pilgrimage church on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It does not go to Rothenburg. The Neuschwanstein comparison puts it next to the other two castle days.
If castles matter more to you than old towns, our top pick is the Neuschwanstein day at $89: 10 hours by train or bus, with a guided walk round the castle grounds.
Before you book
Five things to check before you pay
A few minutes on the listing makes the Munich to Rothenburg day trip easier on the day.
- The meeting point
Karlsplatz 21, in the bus lane. Coming up from the underground level, use exit G or F. The tour ends there too.
- Money for food and coffee
Lunch is not included, and the listing does not say who pays for the coffee pause.
- Shoes for the castle hill
The way up to Harburg Castle is a steep hill, with stairs inside the castle.
- Your language
The live guide speaks English and German; the audio guide covers seven languages.
- Cancellation
The listing offers free cancellation, and you can reserve now and pay later. Check the deadline on the booking page.
Our verdict
Our verdict on Rothenburg in a day
Book it if one day is all you have for Rothenburg and the Romantic Road. For $92 the Munich to Rothenburg day trip gives you a guide, a castle stop and two hours in the old town, and 2,546 reviewers rate it 4.5. Tayla from Australia: «Rothenburg was such a lovely village, it felt like a fairytale.»
If you want a guided city walk, take the Nuremberg day by train at $89.
Book direct
The Munich to Rothenburg day trip and three other long days
The Rothenburg day first, then Nuremberg by train and two Neuschwanstein days. All four are priced per person.
Guided tour of rally grounds431 reviews
9 hFrom Munich: Nuremberg Day Trip by Train
★ 4.4 · 431 reviews
- Nine hours, Train from Munich with guide
- Guided tour of rally grounds
- Medieval old town visit
- Free cancellation
$89$9.89 / hour
Check availability→ 
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→ 
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→ Common questions
Munich to Rothenburg day trip: questions, answered
Can you do a day trip to Rothenburg from Munich?
Yes. The coach day on this site takes 10.5 hours, starts and ends at Karlsplatz 21, and gives you two hours in Rothenburg on your own. On the way it stops at Harburg Castle and passes the Nördlinger Ries and Dinkelsbühl. It costs $92 per person.
Is lunch included?
No. Lunch is not included on any day trip on this site. The listing mentions a pause for coffee but does not say who pays, so bring money for food and drinks.
Is there hotel pickup?
No. On the Munich to Rothenburg day trip you meet in the bus lane at Karlsplatz 21, exit G or F from the underground level, and the tour returns there. On this site, only the Neuschwanstein van day and the Königssee van day include pickup.
Is it a small group?
The listing gives no group size. On this site, only the Neuschwanstein van day states a limit: 8 participants.
Can I cancel?
Yes. The listing offers free cancellation, and you can reserve now and pay later. Check the deadline on the booking page before you pay.
How long is the train from Munich to Nuremberg?
About 1.5 to 2 hours on the guided Nuremberg day: its description says a 90-minute train journey, its itinerary says 2 hours. That day costs $89, lasts 9 hours and does not include Rothenburg.
Go deeper
More on day trips from Munich
Nuremberg
Nuremberg
The old imperial city by train, with a guide.
Neuschwanstein comparedNeuschwanstein compared
Three ways to see the king’s castle from Munich, side by side: coach, van, or with Linderhof.
SalzburgSalzburg
Mozart’s city across the border by train, with a guide on the day.
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.
