Munich Travel & Attractions

The capital of Bavaria, Munich, is host to the BMW Open tennis tournament each year in early spring. This magnificent old city is famous for its incredible Baroque and Rococo architecture as well as the notorious Oktoberfest, where local breweries serve up their tipple to well over a million visitors each year in October.

Munich is the third largest city in Germany after Hamburg and Berlin and is easily accessible by car, plane and train. Getting around the city is no problem at all, and apart from a visit to Dachau, there are several attractions to see and plenty to do, in and around Muenchen.

Getting There

By Car – Most highways, or autobahns, lead to Munich, but over weekends and at peak times the roads become very congested. Locals advise the use of public transport to and around the city.

By Plane – Franz Josef Strauss International Airport is the second-largest international airport after Frankfurt. It has two terminals – Terminal 1 is for all international airlines and Terminal 2 is used by the local carriers, Lufthansa and Star Alliance. The airport is situated just 30kms out of the city centre and is well serviced by the S-Bahn, a commuter train, on lines S1 or S8. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes and the tickets cost in the region of €8.80 one way or €10 for a day pass.

By Train – The main station or Hauptbahnhof is located in the centre of Munich. The Deutschebahn uses the city as a major German hub and connects Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy and all south German cities to Munich.

Getting Around

Munich has a more than adequate localised transport service which includes buses, trams, a metro rail connection (U-Bahn) and the S-Bahn. Visitors can buy individual, group, daily and weekly tickets for use on all of the above modes of transport.

If you plan to arrive by air and want to explore Munich and the surrounding areas, it would be wise to buy a ticket for the whole network – Gesamtnetz. This allows for travel to and from the airport and use on all S-Bahn, U-Bahn and bus routes.

Daily tickets for the Gesamtnetz are €10 for a single and €18 for a partner card which accommodates up to five adults. The ticket is valid until 6am the following day.

Please remember that ALL tickets have to be stamped to verify authenticity and stamping machines can be found at the entrance to S-Bahn and U-Bahn platforms and on all buses and trams. If you do not stamp your ticket you are liable to a fine of €40.

Undoubtedly the most pleasant way to explore this stunning city is by bicycle. There are over 200km of bike trails throughout, and maps and bike rentals are available at the main train station.

Munich Travel & Attractions

There are tons of wonderful places to visit in and around Munich – markets, castles, beer halls, shops, museums and, of course, the notorious Dachau Concentration Camp.

Hofbrauhaus am Platzl – is arguably the most famous beer hall in the world. Each year in October millions of tourists descend upon Munich for the biggest party in the world – the Oktoberfest. Local breweries encourage visitors to sample their ales and in 2003 6.4 million visitors drank 6.1 million litres of beer!
Visit the breweries dotted throughout the city and taste the different flavours - Weizenbier or wheat beer, Helles which has a translucent gold hue and is the most popular beer in Munich today, Dunkles or Munich dark beer which gets its colour from burnt malt and was popular in the 19^th Century and Starkbier which is the strongest with a 6-9 % alcohol content. Make sure you have a designated driver!
The Baroque Palace of Nymphenburg is 6km out of the city and is a stunning reminder of the glorious past of the Bavarian royals. The Schloss is considered to be Europe’s finest royal residence.
The Deutsches Museum is located on an island in the middle of the Isar River. It is one of the oldest and most comprehensive science museums in the world.
The Viktualienmarket is the fresh produce market and one of the highlights of Munich travel & attractions.