Schwangau

Day Two

We checked out from the A&O hostel early at about 5 am and walked towards Munich Central station.

Simple Breakfast

At the train station, we bought some hotdog sandwiches from a 'Wurstl' kiosk (left photo below) located within the station main hall. Couldn't recall what type of hotdog I bought (right photo below), but can remember it was oven hot and the taste was good. The price was EUR 3.80 with the bun.



Train to Füssen

Next we boarded the regional train RE 32666 (left photo below) at 0551 hours from the station. This is the earliest available train to Füssen on weekends. On weekdays, the earliest can be departing at 0452 hours. The cost of the train ride was covered by the Bayern tickets we bought the previous day. As for the cabin environment, it was typical of most regional train where 2 rows of seat facing each other and luggage rack above the seats (right photo below).



We had to change for another train RB 32620 at Buchloe station at 0640 hours. This time the train cabin was more cozy. During the journey, the view changed from flat farming lands (left photo below) to mountainous landscape (right photo below) where our destination is located. We reached Füssen at 0755 hours after about 2 hours of train ride.



Füssen

Füssen is small town at the southern most part of German, just some 5-km from Austrian border. The train station (left photo below) is simple with basic facilities. Good thing that the station has luggage lockers available (right photo below). We shared a large locker to put our luggage while bringing just few necessary items along.



After depositing our luggage, we then walked towards the shuttle bus stop located just behind the station. Two public buses can be taken, either No. 73 (left photo below) or No. 78. Luckily the bus we took wasn't that packed (right photo below); all of us could sit comfortably.



The cost of the bus ride was included in the Bayern tickets we bought. Bus schedule (left photo below) was posted at the bus stop stand for visitors to check. After a short journey of about 9-mins, we finally reached the Schwangau bus station (right photo below).



Hohenschwangau Ticket Center

Just about 5-mins walk from the Schwangau bus station, the Hohenschwangau Ticket Center (photos below) is where visitors will receive detailed information on possible entrance times to the Royal Castles. Do note that tickets to the Royal Castles are available only exclusively from the Ticket-Center.



As we bought our tickets online, we had to exchange our printed voucher for the actual entrance tickets at this Ticket-Center. Due to the limited time, we could only visit one of the royal castles: Neuschwanstein Castle. The cost was EUR 9 with an online booking fee of EUR 1.80, so the total cost was EUR 10.80 per person.

Is it worth to pay the extra EUR 1.80 for an online booking? Here're my personal thoughts: the price is worth for the time and uncertainty to wait at the ticket center for the next available slot to visit the castle; especially if the visit is on a tight itinerary and during weekends. Another advantage of online booking is that we get to select the desired timing for the tour.

Hohenschwangau Castle

Located behind the Ticket Center, Hohenschwangau Castle (photos below) or Schloss Hohenschwangau in German, is a palace built by King Maximilian II of Bavaria. Completed in 1837, the palace became his family's summer residence. It was also the childhood residence of King Ludwig II, son of Maximilian II.



View of Hohenschwangau Castle (left photo below) is stunning from the path leading to Neuschwanstein Castle as it is located next to the Alpsee lake with the Alps in the background. Interestingly a model of a swan stood at the highest castle point overlooking the lake (right photo below).



More than 300,000 visitors from all over the world visited the palace each year. The castle is open all through the year, except for Christmas. Opening hours from 0900 to 1800 hours (Apr to Sep) or 1000 to 1600 hours (Oct to Mar), depending on season. Due to limited time, we didn't get to visit this castle.

Getting to Neuschwanstein Castle

There are 3 types of mode to get to Neuschwanstein Castle:

By Foot

This takes approximately 40-mins walk from the Ticket Center. All the paths are clearly marked with signages and no additional fee required. These signages (photos below) are also available at the Mary's Bridge stop to guide visitors on the walking direction to the castle.

By Horse-Carriages

This takes visitors to a stop below the Neuschwanstein Castle and from there a 15-mins walk uphill is required. The carriage ride costs EUR 6 outward and EUR 3 back. The waiting area for the horse-carriage is in front of Hotel Müller (photos below).

By Shuttle Bus

This takes visitors to the Mary's bridge. From there, another 15-mins downhill walk is required to reach Neuschwanstein Castle. The ride cost EUR 1.80 outward and EUR 1 back; but if combined the return trip cost only EUR 2.60. The bus ride starts from the Schlosshotel Lisl (left photo below). The bus is often packed with visitors (right photo below), so do allow extra time for this ride.



Of course, we chose to take the shuttle bus ride. After alighting at the Mary's Bridge stop, we then took a slow walk downhill to Neuschwanstein Castle. The initial path is surrounded by thick vegetation (left photo below). But at the middle stretch, the path turn close to a cliff where stunning views of the nearby town (right photo below) and majestic Alps (bottom photos) can be seen.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Also known as Schloss Neuschwanstein in German, the Neuschwanstein Castle is a fairy-tale castle located on a rugged hill above Hohenschwangau village. This castle is the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The palace was intended to be a personal residence for King Ludwig II, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Laid over the ruins of two medieval twin castles that were demolished, the foundation stone for the palace was built in Sep 1869. The palace was first erected using conventional bricks but later other types of rocks were used. The white limestone came from nearby quarry while the sandstone bricks came from a distant town (photos below).



The Neuschwanstein Castle consists of several different sections: a Gateway building, Knight's building, Ladies apartment, Royal building (Palace) and a keep with a chapel.

The Gateway building is the only structure of the castle whose exterior wall facing outside is cased with red bricks (left photos below), while the court fronts is cased with yellow limestone (right photos below).



The most striking structure of the upper court level is the Rectangular Tower (left photo below) with an impressive height of 45-metres. Like most of the court buildings, it mostly serves a decorative purpose. The upper courtyard (right photo below) consists of Bower on left, the Palas or Hall building in the center, and Knight's building on the right. The Palas is a colossal five-storey structure in the shape of two huge cuboids that are connected in a flat angle and covered by two adjacent high gable roofs. Above the balacony of the Singer's Hall are two large frescoes: namely "Saint George" (bottom left photo) and "Patrona Bavariae" (bottom right photo).





After gotten our admission tickets, we had to wait for our group tour to start at the lower courtyard. Each group tour is marked with a number and clearly indicated on the electronic board (left photo below) at the Gateway building. This group tour number, number 416 for our group, was also indicated on the admission tickets (right photo below).



As no photograph can be taken during the group tour, thus there is none to share them here to illustrate how luxurious the decoration was. However through internet search, I managed to find some of them (see photos below).





Despite its Romanesque Revival furnishing, the palace was fitted with several latest technology innovations of the late 19th century, such as the battery-powered bell system, telephone lines and even automatic toilet flushing.

The kitchen was also equipped with the latest technology, including a Rumford oven which turned the skewer with its heat and so adjusted the turning speed automatically. In addition, a free-standing stove with an underground smoke outlet, a side-board and cupboard for keeping the food warm (photos below).





The kitchen visit was the last place of the castle tour. Prior to the exit, there was a small exhibition on the castle where a model of the castle, in an accurate scale, was displayed (photos below).



Next destination: Mary's Bridge. However before reaching, we had to walk uphill back to the Mary's Bridge bus stop. As the path was winding and uphill (left photo below), one of my colleagues even willing to pay EUR 10 to get the rubbish truck (right photo below) to ferry her back. Of course, that was a joke. The path wasn't that difficult; the Mary's Bridge bus stop can be reached within 20-mins by taking a slow walk.



Queen Mary's Bridge

Also known as Marienbrücke in German, it is a bridge located near the famous Neuschwanstein castle. The bridge spans over the Pöllat Gorge, with steep cliffs on both sides (left photo below). Underneath runs a water fall from the surrounding mountains down into the valley. When King Ludwig II was rebuilding Neuschwantein Castle, he had the then existing wooden railings of the Marienbrücke replaced by the present elegant cantilever construction made of iron (right photo below).



Each year, many tourists visited the bridge just to get a good view of the castle, and to take pictures of them with it in the background. The view of the castle is almost unreal and simply breadth-taking. Here's a perfect picture of the Neuschwantein Castle with its surroundings:

Details of the castle façade can also be captured from this bridge (photos below).





Over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle, and more than 1.3 million people visited annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. Neuschwanstein Castle is open daily except on 01 Jan and 24/25/31 Dec, and opening hours from 0800 to 1700 hours (Apr to 07 Oct) or 0900 to 1500 hours (08 Oct to Mar).

German style Lunch

After the photo shots, we then followed the same route back to the Schwangau bus stop. As we had some time for the next departing bus, we got our lunch from this souvenir cum snack stall (left photo below). What I had ordered was Currywurst + Pommes (fries) at EUR 4 and a cup of cappuccino at EUR 2 (right photo below). Its simple and yet filling lunch.



We got onto a direct train RE 32611 which departed from Füssen at 1306 hours and reached Munich Central Station at 1507 hours. As we were all tired, you can imagine that we doze off all the way to the destination.

Munich Central Station

Being souvenir collectors, one of my colleagues and I gotten our "last-min" souvenirs (photos below) from a kiosk at the Main Hall of the station. No guessing needed on which of the souvenirs I bought.



We also had an early dinner at the food hall inside the main station hall. What caught our attention was this stall selling Asian food (left photo below). Since we've been to Switzerland for almost 4 months, this was definitely our choice. I had ordered a Vietnamese Pho at EUR 5.90 (right photo below); without disappointing me, the taste was authentic to the ones I've tried in Vietnam.



We also ordered a sushi at EUR 5.90 (left photo below) to be taken-away and consumed during our train ride back. We then boarded the train at 1634 hours. Similar to the route to Munich, we had to change to another train at St. Gallen (right photo below) before arriving at Neuchâtel at 1941 hours.



With this, it ended my first Germany trip to its southern part.