How do you get to Munich?
Getting There9.6/10Among the 5% easiest cities to reach
- Main airport
- Munich International Airport (MUC)
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: raileurope.com, seat61.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- S-Bahn from airport to city center is the most economical and frequent option; trains run every 20 minutes and take ~45 minutes to the main train station.
- Munich Hauptbahnhof is centrally located near Marienplatz and serves as a gateway to extensive German and European rail networks.
- Train fares vary like airfares; booking in advance (up to 6 months ahead for most services) typically yields better prices.
- Many European destinations are reachable by direct overnight trains, including Budapest, Venice, Rome, Florence, and Bologna—arrive relaxed and well-rested.
- Day trips to nearby Alpine regions, Austria, and Italy are easily accessible: Salzburg (1.5–2h), Innsbruck (2h), Neuschwanstein Castle (~2h), and Nuremberg (2h15).
- Munich has excellent scenic train routes, especially the Munich–Verona journey through the Brenner Pass and the Munich–Zurich route.
- Booking tickets through official sources (Deutsche Bahn website int.bahn.de, Trainline, or RailEurope) is recommended; fares start from €14–€20 for many destinations.
Airport
- Name
- Munich International Airport (MUC)
- Distance From City Center
- About 28.5 km northeast
Ground Transport Options
S1, S8
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Duration To City Center
- ~45 minutes to Hauptbahnhof
- Notes
- Most economical and reliable option for city center access
Key Stops
- Munich Hauptbahnhof (main train station)
- Marienplatz
- Laim
- Ostbahnhof
Munich Hauptbahnhof
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes during daytime
- Notes
- Direct connection to main train station
Available outside airport terminals
- Duration To City Center
- ~35 minutes
Train Operators
Deutsche Bahn (DB)
- Coverage
- Primary operator for Germany; international services across Europe
- Services
- ICE (high-speed), IC/EC (domestic & international), regional trains
ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways)
- Coverage
- Direct services to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Venice, Bologna, Verona
- Services
- Railjet, EuroCity trains to Austria, Italy, and other destinations
Lufthansa Express Rail
- Services
- Bus connections to airport and city center
Domestic Connections
~3h58 to 6h12
- Train Type
- ICE
- Destination
- Berlin Hbf
~6h18
- Train Type
- ICE
- Destination
- Frankfurt
~3 Hours
- Train Type
- Regional/IC
- Destination
- Stuttgart
~2h15
- Train Type
- Regional/IC
- Destination
- Nuremberg
International Connections
~4h30
- Train Type
- Railjet
- Destination
- Vienna, Austria
- Notes
- Easy change in Salzburg
~1h30 to 2h15
- Train Type
- Regional/EC
- Destination
- Salzburg, Austria
~2h
- Train Type
- EuroCity
- Destination
- Innsbruck, Austria
~3h30 to 4 Hours
- Train Type
- EuroCity/Bullet train
- Destination
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Sample Fares
- €19
~4h30
- Train Type
- EuroCity
- Destination
- Basel, Switzerland
~6+ Hours
- Train Type
- TGV/ICE
- Destination
- Paris, France
- Sample Fares
- €50
~5h25
- Train Type
- Railjet
- Destination
- Venice, Italy
- Sample Fares
- €38
~5h25
- Train Type
- Railjet
- Destination
- Verona, Italy
- Sample Fares
- €38
~6h
- Train Type
- Railjet
- Destination
- Bologna, Italy
- Sample Fares
- €38
~6h45
- Train Type
- ICE
- Destination
- Brussels, Belgium
- Sample Fares
- €40
Day Trip Destinations
Neuschwanstein Castle
- Access
- Train to Füssen, then bus/local transport to castle
- Distance
- ~90 km southwest
- Approx Travel Time
- ~2h by train and local transport
Salzburg, Austria
- Distance
- ~130 km east
- Train Connections
- Direct regional/EC trains
- Approx Travel Time
- ~1h30 to 2h15 by train
Nuremberg
- Access
- Direct train connections
- Distance
- ~150 km north
- Approx Travel Time
- ~2h15 by train
Innsbruck, Austria
- Access
- Direct EuroCity trains
- Distance
- ~190 km south
- Approx Travel Time
- ~2h by train
Verona, Italy
- Access
- Direct Railjet trains
- Distance
- ~360 km southeast
- Approx Travel Time
- ~5h25 by train
- Notes
- Longer but accessible; scenic Brenner Pass route
Location
Bahnhofplatz, city center
Main Station
München Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
Station Type
Major international hub
Overnight Trains
Nightjet services available to Budapest, Venice, Rome, Florence, Bologna and other European cities
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this getting there & away research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Munich
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.