The castle ticket on a city card

Heidelberg Marketing's city card puts the castle ticket, the funicular, unlimited VRN buses, trams and regional trains and a set of museums on one personalised card for one, two or four consecutive days. Pick it if you are staying at least a night and would rather not buy a ticket for every ride and every door.

About this experience

This is not a tour. It is the castle ticket plus the city's public transport plus a stack of museums, sold by Heidelberg Marketing and valid for one, two or four consecutive days, from midnight to midnight. The castle part is the real thing: the listing includes the castle ticket with the funicular round trip to Molkenkur, the courtyard, the barrel cellar and the German Apothecary Museum, the same cover as the ticket sold at the castle cash desk. On top, unlimited travel on VRN buses, trams and regional trains in second class, one-time entry to the University Museum, the Student Prison and the current special exhibition, the Kurpfälzisches Museum, the German Packaging Museum, the Prinzhorn Collection and the Völkerkundemuseum, plus a city guide and map and discounts; details on Heidelberg Marketing's HeidelbergCARD page.

Two warnings before you click. The card is personalised and valid only with your ID, and the listing on GetYourGuide is non-refundable: Heidelberg Marketing's own terms say changes, name transfers and cancellations are not permitted. The guided tours on this site list free cancellation; this one does not. And it does not include the castle's interior tour, which is a supplement sold at the castle, or the upper funicular to the Königstuhl summit, which is a separate ticket.

There is one practical step: the castle ticket itself is collected, not printed at home. The listing names the Tourist Information offices at the Hauptbahnhof, Neckarmünzplatz and Bismarckplatz, the castle visitor centre and the funicular counters at the Kornmarkt and Schloss stations. Since 2026 the card is also available digitally as a PDF. If you want a guide with your castle ticket instead, the Discover Heidelberg Castle walk bundles the same ticket with two hours of explanation.

The castle ticket with the funicular round trip, the courtyard, the Great Tun and the Apothecary Museum
Unlimited VRN public transport: buses, trams and regional trains in second class
One-time entry to the University Museum, Student Prison, Kurpfälzisches Museum and more
One, two or four consecutive days, midnight to midnight
Children aged 5 and under travel free with an adult
A Heidelberg guide and map, and discounts on tours, shops and restaurants

How it runs

Before you travelChoose the days
One, two or four consecutive days. Pick the option that matches your nights; the clock runs from midnight to midnight, so a late arrival on day one is wasted.
On arrivalCollect the castle ticket
At Tourist Information (Hauptbahnhof, Neckarmünzplatz or Bismarckplatz), the castle visitor centre or the Kornmarkt and Schloss funicular counters. Bring the ID the card is personalised to.
MorningFunicular and castle
Bus 33 or 20 to Bergbahn, the funicular from the Kornmarkt, then the courtyard, the Great Terrace, the Great Tun and the Apothecary Museum on your card's castle ticket.
AfternoonMuseums and the river
Back down to the Student Prison and the University Museum (the listing notes time-slot tickets for the prison), or the Kurpfälzisches Museum on the Hauptstrasse, all one-time entries on the card.
Day two onwardRide anything
Trams to Neuenheim for the Philosophenweg view, the S-Bahn to Mannheim or Schwetzingen, buses back at night, all inside the VRN network.

What's included

Included

Castle ticket: funicular round trip to Molkenkur, courtyard, Great Tun cellar, German Apothecary Museum
Unlimited VRN public transport in second class (bus, tram, RE, RB, S-Bahn)
One-time entry to the University Museum, Student Prison and special exhibition
One-time entry to the Kurpfälzisches Museum, German Packaging Museum, Prinzhorn Collection and Völkerkundemuseum
Heidelberg guide and city map
Discounts on guided tours, museums, restaurants and shops

Not included

The castle's interior tour (a supplement sold at the castle)
The upper funicular from Molkenkur to the Königstuhl summit
Any guide: you visit on your own
A refund: the listing is non-refundable and the card cannot be transferred to another name

Who it suits

Book it if

You are staying one night or more and will ride buses and trams several times a day
You want the castle ticket in your pocket before you arrive
You like museums: the University Museum, the Student Prison and the Kurpfälzisches Museum are on it
You are travelling with children aged five or under, who ride free

Skip it if

Your plans might change: the listing is non-refundable
You are in Heidelberg for a few hours only and will visit the castle and nothing else
You want someone to explain the castle: see the Discover Heidelberg Castle walk
You expect the furnished interiors: they are the castle's own tour, a supplement at the cash desk

What guests say

It's much more relaxing when you don't have to worry about how to get from A to B.
Charleen · Oct 2025

Very good, and with the card you have several benefits and discounts.
Gustavo · May 2026

Tips before you book

Start the card on a full day. Validity runs midnight to midnight, so a card that starts the evening you arrive loses most of its first day.
Carry the ID you booked with. Heidelberg Marketing's terms say the card is personalised and the transport part is valid only with official identification.
The Student Prison needs a time-slot ticket; the operator's page gives a phone number and says the on-site office is closed on Sundays. Sort it on day one.
The castle ticket's funicular cover ends at Molkenkur. The historic upper line to the Königstuhl is a separate ticket at the Molkenkur station.
Both funiculars are due to be suspended from 4 October 2027 to 7 April 2028 with a replacement bus; see our note on the closure.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the HeidelbergCard include Heidelberg Castle?

Yes. The listing includes the castle ticket with the funicular round trip to Molkenkur, the courtyard, the barrel cellar and the German Apothecary Museum. The castle's interior tour is a supplement sold at the castle and is not on the card.

Can I cancel the HeidelbergCard?

No. The listing on GetYourGuide is non-refundable, and Heidelberg Marketing's terms say changes, name transfers and cancellations are not permitted. Book it once your dates are fixed.

Where do I collect the castle ticket?

The listing names the Tourist Information offices at the Hauptbahnhof, Neckarmünzplatz and Bismarckplatz, the castle visitor centre and the funicular counters at the Kornmarkt and Schloss stations. Bring your ID.

Which public transport is covered?

Unlimited travel on VRN buses, trams and regional trains (RE, RB and S-Bahn) in second class across the Rhine-Neckar network for the days of the card, which reaches Mannheim and Schwetzingen as well as every bus in Heidelberg.

Ready to book

Book HeidelbergCard

The castle ticket with the funicular, every bus and tram in the region and a stack of museums on one personalised card for one, two or four days.

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Discover Heidelberg Castle: Guided WalkTwo hours with a guide in the courtyard, on the terrace and at the Great Tun; funicular and castle ticket included; grounds only.2 hours · Guided walk, English or German

Sightseeing Bus and Castle TourAn hour of the city by bus, an hour in the castle grounds and the Great Tun, funicular down; the listing names German only.2 hours · Bus tour + castle grounds, German

Neckar River Sightseeing Cruise with a DrinkFifty minutes on the Neckar under the Old Bridge with the castle above you, out to the weir and back, a drink in your hand.50 minutes · Boat, a drink included