As one of Germany’s major cities, Munich has no lack of transportation options. Like Frankfurt, Munich has an international airport, so you can fly there directly from many destinations including North America, Great Britain and Asia, and it is easily accessible from anywhere within Germany or Europe.
By Plane—Munich’s Franz Josef Strauss International Airport (www.munich-airport.com; tel. 089/9752-1313) ) is located 29km (18 miles) northeast of the city center. Opened in 1992, the airport is among the most modern and efficient in the world. The S-8 S-Bahn light-rail train (tel. 089/4142-4344) connects the airport with the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) in downtown Munich. Trains leave from the S-Bahn platform beneath the airport every 20-25 minutes daily between about 4am and 10:45pm, less frequently through the night. The fare for the 40-minute trip is 10.80€ adults. (If you are going to be using public transportation once in the city, you’ll save money by buying an All-Zone Tageskarte/Day Ticket for 12.40€ and using it to get into the city. Note that the “day ticket” is valid until 6am the following day—in other words, NOT 24 hours.) The Lufthansa Airport Bus (www.airportbus-muenchen.de; tel. 0180/583-8426) runs between the airport and the main train station in Munich every 20 minutes from about 6:30am to 10:30pm. The trip takes about 40 minutes and costs 10.50€ one-way or 17€ round-trip. A taxi to the city center costs about 75€ and can take more than an hour if traffic is heavy.
By Train—You can easily reach Munich by train from any city in Germany or Europe. Daily trains arrive from Frankfurt (trip time: 3 3/4 hr.) and Berlin (trip time: 6 hr.). Munich’s Hauptbahnhof, on Bahnhofplatz near the city center, is one of Europe’s largest train stations, with a hotel, restaurants, shopping, and banking facilities. A train information office on the mezzanine level is open daily from 7am to 8pm; you can also call Deutsche Bahn (www.bahn.de; tel. 11861 for train information and schedules). Connected to the rail station are the city’s extensive S-Bahn rapid-transit system and the U-Bahn (subway) system.
By Car—Think twice about driving to or in Munich. Most of downtown is a pedestrian-only area—wonderful if you’re a walker, a nightmare if you’re a driver. Traffic jams are frequent, and parking spaces are elusive and costly. If you plan on making excursions into the countryside, renting a car in the city center instead of trekking out to the airport is more convenient. Car-rental companies with windows at the main train station include Avis (www.avis.com; tel. 089/1260-000), Hertz (www.hertz.com; tel. 089/1295-001), and Sixt Autovermietung (www.sixt.com; tel. 089/550-2447.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
