Getting around · Munich · Germany
Getting around Munich
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Munich's U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses are integrated in the MVV network and reach every sight quickly. The Altstadt is compact and largely pedestrianised, and cycling is popular on a wide network of lanes. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- MUC, FMM
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- MVV day tickets
Ways to get around
Metro
Eight U-Bahn lines cross the city, with Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz and Hauptbahnhof as main hubs; trains are frequent from early morning until around 1am, later at weekends.
Validate paper tickets in the blue stamping machines before boarding; inspectors fine passengers without valid tickets.
Train
S-Bahn suburban trains share a central tunnel through Hauptbahnhof, Marienplatz and Ostbahnhof and run out to the airport, Dachau and Lake Starnberg.
Tram
Trams are useful for Nymphenburg (tram 17), Haidhausen and the Isar bridges, and give a scenic view of the city.
Cycling
Munich is flat and bike-friendly, with the MVG bike-share scheme and rental shops near the centre.
Ride on cycle paths, not pavements, and watch for pedestrians in the Englischer Garten.
Walking
The Altstadt sights from Karlsplatz to the Hofbräuhaus and Odeonsplatz are within 15 minutes' walk of each other.
Taxi
Cream-coloured taxis are metered and reliable but expensive, especially to and from the airport.
Tickets and passes
MVV day tickets
Single and group day tickets for zone M cover the whole city; group tickets suit families and pairs travelling together.
Deutschlandticket
A monthly subscription covering local and regional transport across Germany, including Munich's network and regional trains to many day-trip destinations.
City Tour Card
Combines unlimited public transport with discounts at museums and attractions.
From the airport
Munich Airport (MUC) is about 30 km northeast of the centre. S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 run to Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz in about 40 minutes, and the Lufthansa Express Bus serves the Hauptbahnhof. Memmingen Airport (FMM), used by some budget airlines, is about 110 km west, with coach links to Munich.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport covers the city and most day trips by train; parking is expensive and the centre restricts traffic. A car helps only for touring the Alpine lakes and King Ludwig's castles at your own pace.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Neuschwanstein Castle | About 2–2.5 hours by train and bus | Regional train to Füssen, then bus to Hohenschwangau |
| Salzburg | About 1.5–2 hours by train | Railjet or regional train from Hauptbahnhof |
| Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial | About 40 minutes by S-Bahn and bus | S2 to Dachau, then bus to the memorial |
| Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze | About 1.5 hours by train | Regional train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then cogwheel train and cable car |
| Chiemsee and Herrenchiemsee | About 1 hour by train, plus ferry | Train to Prien am Chiemsee, then boat |
| Nuremberg | About 1 hour 10 minutes by ICE train | ICE from Hauptbahnhof |
| Lake Starnberg | About 30 minutes by S-Bahn | S6 to Starnberg |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Munich?
No. Public transport covers the city and most day trips by train; parking is expensive and the centre restricts traffic. A car helps only for touring the Alpine lakes and King Ludwig's castles at your own pace.
+How do you get from the airport to Munich?
Munich Airport (MUC) is about 30 km northeast of the centre. S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 run to Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz in about 40 minutes, and the Lufthansa Express Bus serves the Hauptbahnhof. Memmingen Airport (FMM), used by some budget airlines, is about 110 km west, with coach links to Munich.
+What is the best way to get around Munich?
Metro: Eight U-Bahn lines cross the city, with Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz and Hauptbahnhof as main hubs; trains are frequent from early morning until around 1am, later at weekends.