Munich | How to arrive

By Air

Munich International Airport is one of the largest in Europe and is located in the municipality of Freising, 35 km from the city center.

Lufthansa offers direct flights from USA to Munich.

Upon arriving in Munich via the airport, head to your hotel using the S-Bahn S1 or S8 lines. S-Bahn trains depart regularly—at intervals of no more than 20 minutes—and the journey between the airport and the city center takes approximately 40 minutes on the S8 and 50 minutes on the S1. Tickets can be purchased at the automated machines located throughout the airport.

In this case, I recommend purchasing a Group Day Ticket, which costs €18.70, or a Single Day Ticket, which costs €9.70.

By Train

If arriving at the Hauptbahnhof (Central Train Station), you should already be close to your hotel, provided you booked accommodation in the city center.

If needed, take any S-Bahn line in your desired direction. At the station machines, purchase a Gruppen-Tageskarte Zone M (Group Day Ticket); it costs just €18.70 for up to five people for the entire day. For a single traveler, purchase a Single Tageskarte Zone M, which costs €9.70. Travel is free for children up to 6 years old, and children up to 14 years old pay half price. The Group Day Ticket allows groups or couples to take as many trips as they wish within the selected validity zone in Munich and the surrounding area.

Purchase train tickets on the Bahn website by clicking the button below.

By Car

If arriving in Munich by car, I recommend parking at the Stachus Einkaufszentrum garage—accessible via the entrance at Herzog-Wilhelm-Straße 11—for visits to the city center.

Alternatively—and preferably—leave your car at one of the P+R (Park and Ride) facilities located next to various subway stations. A great suggestion is the large parking lot next to the Fröttmaning metro station, which costs just €1.50 per day, with an additional charge of €4.00 for each subsequent day. It is located right next to the Allianz Arena stadium, just off the A9 highway. To head downtown, take the U6 metro line to the Odeonsplatz station.

By Bus

Although less common for long-distance travel than the train, there are bus options available from cities across Germany and other countries traveling to Munich.

There are several bus companies, but the largest is FlixBus; I recommend purchasing your tickets via this website.

In Munich, the FlixBus terminal is located at the ZOB (Zentral Omnibus Bahnhof).

Advantage: This can be the most economical option, although it offers less flexibility regarding schedules and destinations compared to the train.