Travelling to/from Munich

As the capital of Bavaria and the home of lederhosen, weisswurst, and Oktoberfest, Munich is the city most North Americans associate with German culture. People traveling in Germany will fall in love with the city as you sample world-famous Bavarian beer and explore the massive Englischer Garten. You can even surf the Eisbach River during the summer! Even if you're not a soccer fan you definitely can't escape the excitement that 'football' generates in Munich. Catch a match at Allianz Arena during the football season or just head to a bar to experience the local fandom!

How to Get to Munich

   Flights: Munich Airport ((IATA: MUC, ICAO: EDDM),) was opened in 1992 as a replacement of the old airport, Riem, which was located near the city center. Today, it is the second largest airport in Germany and 7th busiest in Europe, used by almost 40 million passengers per year. The fastest way to get to the center from the airport is the S-Bahn (overground train). There are 2 lines, the S1 and S8, that connect the airport with the city in 40 minutes and the service departs every 20 minutes. An ExpressBus is also available that stops at the airport, taking just under an hour.

Web-site: https://www.munich-airport.com/passengers-visitors-75328

More information: https://www.munich-airport.com/public-transport-260822

Train: Munich Hauptbahnhof is one of the main train stations in Germany and together with Hamburg it is the most frequented station in the country with 450,000 passengers per day. There are 7 S-Bahn lines stopping at the station: the S1-S4, S6-S8. These lines come from all directions and have their own platforms inside the station. The U-Bahn (underground) also connects the city with the central station. The Hauptbahnhof has 6 U-Bahn lines including the U1, U2, U4, U5, U7, and U8. Furthermore, the station also offers several tram lines and buses that stop in front and beside the station.

Munich Ostbahnhof is the second biggest train station in Munich. Located 2.4 km from the city center, there are a lot of travel options that connect Ostbahnhof to the city center. 7 S-Bahn lines stop here; S 1-8, except the S5. Located just underneath the station, the U5 also offers direct services to the center as well as the number 19 tram and several city bus lines.

      Bus: Munich is one the most popular destinations in Germany, so there are many bus providers, serving routes to and from Munich. The most important one being Flixbus, as the company has its headquarter in Munich. Other important providers are Postbus, Infobus and Eurolines. Munich's main bus station, called the Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (or ZOB), is located next to the central train station (or Hauptbahnhof), therefore all the routes to the city center apply from ZOB with just a small walk to the central train station.

Public transport within Munich

Munich has an extensive public transportation system. It consists of a network of underground (U-Bahn), suburban trains (S-Bahn), trams and buses. Subway stations are marked with signs showing a white "U" on a blue background. The S-Bahn suburban lines are marked with a white "S" on a green background. Tram and bus stops are marked with a green "H" inside a green circle on a yellow background.

All S-Bahn suburban lines go through the city center and connect Munichs Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) to East Station (Ostbahnhof) with popular tourist destinations like Marienplatz and Karlsplatz in between.

The same ticket is valid for all these forms of public transportation. You don't need different tickets, if you move from train to tram to bus.

Tickets can be purchased at the blue vending machines, found at U- and S-Bahn-stations, at many tram and bus stops and newspaper kiosks.

Note: Before first embarking, the ticket must be validated - insert the ticket into the small stamping machines posted at the entrances to U- and S-Bahn tracks or on trams and buses. It's a € 60 fine if you are caught riding without a valid ticket.

An information office of the Munich public transportation network (MVV), where English is spoken, is located at the Marienplatz Basement.

Tickets

There are different types of tickets: Single Tickets (called "Einzelfahrkarte"), Stripe Tickets (called "Streifenkarte") and Day Tickets (called "Tageskarte"). The rules how to use these different tickets are rather complicated.

Staying as a tourist in Munich Day Tickets are the best option. They are uncomplicated and mostly cheaper than Single or Stripe Tickets. These tickets allow for unlimited travel on all U-Bahn, S-Bahn trains, trams and buses from the time validated until 6:00 am the next day, 3 Day Tickets from the time validated until 6:00 am the fourth day.

You only need to choose between different types of Day Tickets.

Simply said: When travelling alone, choose the type Single Day Ticket. When travelling with at least one another person (friend, wife), choose the type Gruppen DayTicket (Groups Day Ticket). When you want to go by public transportation means only in Munich, choose the type Day Ticket inner zone or in case of a longer stay the type 3 Day Ticket inner zone. When you plan visiting places like Dachau memorial camp, Schleissheim Castle or Starnberg at Lake Starnberg choose the type Day Ticket XXL area. When you have to transfer from airport to the city centre or vice versa, choose the type Day Ticket entire network. Detailed information see below.

Types of Day Tickets:

Single Day Ticket inner zone (Single Tageskarte Innenraum) 6,70 EUR
Single 3 Days Ticket inner zone (Single 3-Tagekarte Innenraum) 16,80 EUR
Single Day Ticket XXL area (Single Tageskarte XXL) 8,90 EUR
Single Day Ticket entire network (Single Tageskarte Gesamtnetz) 13,00 EUR

Gruppen Day Ticket inner zone (Gruppen Tageskarte Innenraum) 12,80 EUR
Gruppen 3 Days Ticket inner zone (Gruppen 3-Tagekarte Innenraum) 29,60 EUR
Gruppen Day Ticket XXL area (Gruppen Tageskarte XXL) 16,10 EUR
Gruppen Day Ticket entire network (Gruppen Tageskarte Gesamtnetz) 24,30 EUR

Additionally a Single and Gruppen Day Ticket "Aussenraum" is offered (Single 6,70 EUR, Gruppen 12,80 EUR) only covering the area outside of Munich. If you have purchased a 3 Days Ticket inner zone and want to visit points of interest outside on one of these days you can buy it as a supplement.

The Single Day Ticket is good for a single person. The Gruppen Day Ticket is a family and group ticket. Up to five adults can travel together. Interesting for families: Two children aged 6-14 years count as one person (so 2 adults and 6 children can travel together on one ticket).

The Day Tickets inner zone (Innenraum) allow travels within the whole of Munich plus a number of neighboring districts (shown in white on the  network plan). The Day Tickets XXL cover travels within the inner zone and the city outskirts (white and green zone on the  network plan) including Dachau, Schleissheim, Starnberg at Lake Starnberg. The Day Tickets entire network (Gesamtnetz) cover travels within the entire Munich transportation network. This type is needed for transfers Airport - Munich City.


Alternatives to the Day Ticket: Single Ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) or Stripe Ticket (Streifenkarte).

They can only under special circumstances be cheaper than the Day Tickets, for example you arrive at Munich Central station in the evening and want to go by public transportation means to your hotel - only one trip. But note: Airport transfer is starting from two travellers cheaper with a Gruppen Day Ticket entire network.

Single Ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) good for one single trip in one direction, valid for three hours. Normal trip within Munich 2,90 €, for trips outside Munich the price is dependend on the zone of the destination.

There is also available a version of the single Ticket: the Short Distance Ticket (Kurzstrecke), good for up to four stops on all transportation means, but only two stops of these on U- or S-Bahn, valid for one hour: 1,50 €. Press the button at the vending machine marked "K" = Kurzstrecke

Stripe Ticket (Streifenkarte) can be used for several trips. Within Munich you must stamp two stripes. There is a small discount compared with single Tickets, you can save a few cents, but the handling is more complicated.


City Tour Card: the City Tour Card cost a bit more than the Day Tickets. It serves the same purpose, but offers additionally discounts on some museums and tourist attractions.  More information

MVV homepage:

https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/tickets-and-fares/tickets-daytickets/index.html 

Some more information about Munich:

http://www.munich-touristinfo.de/index.html

https://www.muenchen.de/int/en/traffic/public-transport.html