Heidelberg Tours: Castle, Karzer, Cruises
Heidelberg’s paid attractions are easy to compare because most are priced per person and sold on the spot. The table below sets out the main options, and the notes underneath cover timing and booking.
| Attraction | Adult price | Reduced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle ticket to 31 Dec 2026 | €11 | €5.50 | Includes lower funicular, courtyard, Great Tun, Pharmacy Museum |
| Castle ticket from 1 Jan 2027 | €12 | €6 | Same inclusions |
| Castle interior tour | €6 extra | €3 extra | Only way to enter the state rooms; family tour €15 |
| Panoramaticket, return | €17 | €8.50 | Whole funicular plus castle admissions |
| Königstuhlticket, return | €10 | €5 | Upper section only |
| Studentenkarzer and University Museum | €7.50 | €5 | Combined ticket |
| Weisse Flotte sightseeing cruise | from €19 | n/a | 50 minutes, one drink included |
| Weisse Flotte Highlight cruise | from €29 | n/a | 90 minutes, first date 27 March 2027 |
Castle and funicular
The castle is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00, and the last admission is at 17:30. Guided interior tours are the only way to enter the Friedrichsbau and Ottheinrichsbau, and an audioguide is €6 extra. The funicular runs in two stages, changing at Molkenkur. Fares go up in January 2027, and the city has proposed halting the line from early October 2027 to the end of March 2028 for bridge repairs, with buses in its place. The tariff sheet is on bergbahn-heidelberg.de .
River cruises
Most Weisse Flotte departures use the Stadthalle pier at Neckarstaden 25. A solar-assisted boat on the Green-City cruise starts from the Alte Brücke pier. A longer Vier-Burgen sailing heads upstream for roughly 1.5 hours to Neckarsteinach and can be boarded flexibly. The calendar at weisseflotte.com shows which dates are live. Cruises thin out in winter, when the line sells a 50-minute mulled wine trip from €22.
University sites
Studentenkarzer hours run Monday to Saturday from 10:30 to 16:00 between October and May and daily from 10:00 to 18:00 between June and September. The Karzer-only ticket is €6 adult and €4 reduced and works on Mondays. The Karzer and museum close from 24 December 2026 to 11 January 2027. Lockers hold your bag during the visit.
Evening and bus options
An evening walk with a costumed watchman, called Auf den Spuren der Nachtwächter, meets at the Rathaus on Marktplatz and costs from about €16.90 for roughly 90 minutes. Start times are usually 20:00 or 20:30, and dates vary. A Cabrio sightseeing bus can be booked at the Hauptbahnhof or from the driver.
Passes
The HeidelbergCARD, at €25 for a day, €36 for two or €40 for four, bundles the castle ticket and funicular with the University Museum, the Studentenkarzer and several other museums. It also pays for regional transport across the VRN network. Children aged 5 and under travel free alongside an adult.
Read more: Heidelberg walking tours and the three-day itinerary . For other tour operators, run a Heidelberg tours search on GetYourGuide .