Munich Transport

The greatest way of getting around in Munich - when the weather is fine - is riding by bike. It is also possible to walk quite a bit in the city center which is reasonably small, but for larger distances or even daily trips, e.g. in the English Garden, a bike is the best option. You can either hire a bike or - if you are not in the mood of conceiving a route - attend a guided tour by bike.

Bike rental and sightseeing >>

Munich's main train station is the Hauptbahnhof in the city center. Here, not only trains to national and international destinations arrive and depart, but also U-Bahn and S-Bahn.

The airport of Munich - Franz Josef Strauss International Airport - is located about 30 kilometers northeast of Munich and can be easily reached by S-Bahn. Two lines go to the airport, S1 and S8. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes from Hauptbahnhof.

The public transport system in Munich is operated by the MVG and includes S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams.

The public transport system in Munich that is operated by the MVG is really good and quite reliable. It is possible to choose between U-Bahn (underground), S-Bahn, buses and trams. The transport system of Munich is very developed and fairly easy to use. The service hours usually are from about 5.00 a.m. to 1.00 a.m. On the weekends and on official holidays, the service hours are extended. In addition, there are night buses and trams that run about every hour during the whole night.

It is recommendable, however, to get a map of the network from one of the information centers. If this is not possible, there are maps at each station as well, mostly near the ticket machines.

For trams and buses, it is possible to buy your ticket either before from a ticket machine or office, but also at the ticket machine in the tram or the bus. This is not possible for U-Bahn and S-Bahn. There, you have to buy it before at a ticket machine or office and validate it before you start your trip.

The most convenient as well as the quickest way to get around Munich is probably the U-Bahn. Trains leave regularly and the train times are quite reliable.

The trains of the S-Bahn are not as regular as those of the U-Bahn. However, this is the best way of travelling to suburban areas of Munich and cover longer distances.

To use buses for getting around in Munich is not as reliable as the U-Bahn. However, sometimes it is an ideal way to go to places and sites where there is no U-Bahn or S-Bahn. Bus line 100 covers quite many museums on its way which would be hard to reach by public transport otherwise.

When you use the U-Bahn or S-Bahn, you will not see anything of Munich; however, you will get to your destination fairly straightforward, particularly with the U-Bahn. If you are in no hurry and want to see as much as possible of the city, the tram is the best option. There are a few tram lines that are quite recommendable for sightseeing, e.g. Linie 19 between Ostbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof.