Munich public transport

The best Munich public transport tickets and routes

The S-Bahn from the airport, the U-Bahn, trams and buses, day tickets and fare zones, the hop-on hop-off bus and day trips by train. Here is how Munich public transport works, with honest advice on which ticket to buy, what the airport ride costs and when you really need a car.

By the Best Travel Destinations editorial team 4 tours compared Prices checked 28 October 2026

A Munich U-Bahn platform with curved orange walls

Short answer

From Munich Airport, the S1 or S8 train reaches the main station in about 40 minutes for €15.10. In the city, a single ride costs from €4.20. A day ticket costs from €10.10. Uber and Bolt both work in Munich.

The 4 rides we would book

An airport bus, two hop-on hop-off buses and a private ski shuttle. All four show free cancellation on GetYourGuide.

Every 20 minutes

Airport bus

from €14 per person Our top pick

About 45 min ride 4.3 (1,828) reviews on GetYourGuide

Airport bus to the main station

The Lufthansa Express Bus, booked ahead. It leaves every 20 minutes and stops at Arnulfstraße 12 by the main station. Any bus works, and the return part is valid for a year. The bus company’s own site sells a single for €12.50 online.

Best for Arrivals with bags
Check availability: Airport bus to the main station on GetYourGuide
from €25 per person

24 or 48 hours 4.3 (4,838) reviews on GetYourGuide

Hop-on hop-off bus, 1 or 2 days

A 24- or 48-hour ticket for 3 routes, with audio commentary. All routes start at Luisenstraße 4 by the main station. The listing says 13 stops; the operator’s own site says 15.

Best for Sightseeing with the ride built in
Check availability: Hop-on hop-off bus, 1 or 2 days on GetYourGuide
from €24 per person

24 or 48 hours 4.1 (1,248) reviews on GetYourGuide

Big Bus open-top hop-on hop-off

An open-top double-decker with audio in 9 languages, from Karlsplatz 21. Its Orange Line goes to the Olympiapark and BMW Welt. A full loop without getting off takes about 2.5 hours.

Best for A loop from the center
Check availability: Big Bus open-top hop-on hop-off on GetYourGuide
from €495 per group up to 6

2–3 hours New, no reviews yet

Private ski shuttle to the Alps

A private van with a driver picks you up and takes you to the Alps, with room for skis and bags. The price is for a group of up to 6. It does not suit babies under 1 or wheelchair users.

Best for Ski groups with gear
Check availability: Private ski shuttle to the Alps on GetYourGuide

Munich rides and bus tickets compared

Munich rides and bus tickets compared
Tour	From	Duration	Pickup	Who it suits	Why we picked it
Airport bus to the main station 4.3 (1,828)	€14 per person	About 45 min ride	Meeting point	Arrivals with bags	It runs nonstop to the main station, with no change of train.
Hop-on hop-off bus, 1 or 2 days 4.3 (4,838)	€25 per person	24 or 48 hours	Meeting point	Sightseeing with the ride built in	The more-reviewed of the two hop-on hop-off buses here.
Big Bus open-top hop-on hop-off 4.1 (1,248)	€24 per person	24 or 48 hours	Meeting point	A loop from the center	It starts at Karlsplatz in the center, and the Orange Line covers BMW Welt.
Private ski shuttle to the AlpsNew, no reviews yet	€495 per group up to 6	2–3 hours	Pickup included	Ski groups with gear	New on GetYourGuide with no reviews yet, so it comes last.

Airport bus to the main station
€14 per personAbout 45 min ride 4.3 (1,828)
Details
Pickup
Meeting point
Who it suits
Arrivals with bags
Why we picked it
It runs nonstop to the main station, with no change of train.
Hop-on hop-off bus, 1 or 2 days
€25 per person24 or 48 hours 4.3 (4,838)
Details
Pickup
Meeting point
Who it suits
Sightseeing with the ride built in
Why we picked it
The more-reviewed of the two hop-on hop-off buses here.
Big Bus open-top hop-on hop-off
€24 per person24 or 48 hours 4.1 (1,248)
Details
Pickup
Meeting point
Who it suits
A loop from the center
Why we picked it
It starts at Karlsplatz in the center, and the Orange Line covers BMW Welt.
Private ski shuttle to the Alps
€495 per group up to 62–3 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
Pickup
Pickup included
Who it suits
Ski groups with gear
Why we picked it
New on GetYourGuide with no reviews yet, so it comes last.

None of the four states a group size. The ski shuttle price covers up to 6 people.
All 4 offer free cancellation.
Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

From Munich Airport to the city: S-Bahn, bus, taxi or transfer

€15.10: S-Bahn single, airport to city
€12.50: airport bus, single online
€96: taxi, fixed price to the main station

The easiest way from Munich Airport is the S-Bahn. The S1 and S8 take turns, so a train leaves about every 10 minutes. The ride to the main station (Hauptbahnhof) takes about 40 minutes.

A single ticket costs €15.10, because the airport is in zone 5. The Airport-City-Day-Ticket, from €17.50, also covers all rides in the city until 6 a.m. the next day.

The S8 runs all night, every 40 minutes from about 1 to 4 a.m. The S1 runs from about 3:30 a.m. to midnight, and all night on weekends.

The Lufthansa Express Bus runs every 20 minutes to Arnulfstraße 12 by the main station. The ride takes about 45 minutes. A single costs €12.50 online or €13.50 from the driver.

A taxi costs a fixed €96 to the main station area, on the direct way. Uber and Bolt also work in Munich. We found no official ride-app price, so we print none.

Landing late? See where to stay in Munich near the airport trains.

Munich Airport station: the S1 and S8

The S1 runs via Moosach in the west. The S8 runs via Ostbahnhof in the east. Both reach the main station and Marienplatz.

The airport warns that times can change during works. Check the timetable on the day you fly.

The airport for Munich: MUC to the city

Munich Airport (MUC) serves the city. The ride in takes about 40 minutes by S-Bahn and about 45 minutes by bus.

Landing late, or with kids and bags? A ride booked ahead takes you straight to your hotel.

Book an airport transfer

Munich routes at a glance: airport, city and day trips

The table below shows each main route with the time, cost and hassle the operator states. Where the operator gives no figure, we say so.

Tours show the GetYourGuide price. Train fares to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden are sample fares on bahn.de, and they change by date.

How to reach each place from Munich, from the operators’ own pages
Route	Option	Time	Cost	How often	Hassle	Source
MUC airport to Hauptbahnhof / Marienplatz	S-Bahn/U-Bahn	about 40 min to Hauptbahnhof (Marienplatz time not stated by the airport)	€15.10 single (zone M-5 fare list); Airport-City-Day-Ticket from €17.50	S1 and S8 alternate, about every 10 min; S8 runs all night, S1 from about 3:30 to midnight (all night on weekends)	S1 via Moosach, S8 via Ostbahnhof; the airport warns times change with works	Munich Airport: public transport
	Bus	about 45 min to Hauptbahnhof; about 25 min to Schwabing (Nordfriedhof)	€12.50 single online (€13.50 at the driver); return €20.30	every 20 min, 7 days a week	Stops at Hauptbahnhof (Arnulfstraße 12, north side), not at Marienplatz	Lufthansa Express Bus (Flughafen Shuttle München)
	Taxi/ride-hailing	not stated by Taxi-München eG	€96.00 fixed price airport to Hauptbahnhof zone on the direct way; metered tariff €5.90 minimum, €2.70/km up to 7 km, €2.50/km above	on demand	Uber and Bolt list Munich service on their own pages; ride-app prices not stated	Taxi-München eG: prices
	Tour	not stated by GetYourGuide	from €14 per person (GetYourGuide, 28 October 2026)	every 20 min (listing)	The same airport bus, booked ahead; any departure; the return part is valid for 1 year	GetYourGuide: Munich: Airport Transfer by Bus
Hauptbahnhof to Marienplatz / old town	S-Bahn/U-Bahn	not stated by MVV	€4.20 single in zone M; short trip €2.10 or 1 stripe (whether this ride qualifies is not stated by MVV)	not stated by MVV	One of several S-Bahn and U-Bahn links in zone M; the Hauptbahnhof building is to be replaced, and the city page states no traveller restrictions	MVV fare list 2026
Munich to Neuschwanstein (Füssen)	Train	not stated by the Schlösserverwaltung	not stated by the Schlösserverwaltung	not stated by the Schlösserverwaltung	Train to Füssen (nearest station), then a bus to the stop "Hohenschwangau Neuschwanstein Castles, Schwangau"; timetables at rvo-bus.de	Neuschwanstein Castle: how to get there
	Bus	about 15 min shuttle ride from Hohenschwangau (waiting not included)	€3.50 uphill, €3.50 downhill, €5.00 return	about every 20 min, no fixed times	Shuttle stops at Mary’s Bridge, then a steep 15-min downhill walk to the entrance; Deutschland-Ticket and Bayern-Ticket not valid on it	Hohenschwangau ticket centre: how to reach the castles
	Car	not stated by the ticket centre	cars €12.00 up to 6 hours, then €1.00 per hour (max €16.00)	not applicable	Cars cannot drive up to the castles; use paid car parks P1 to P4 in Hohenschwangau	Hohenschwangau ticket centre: local map and parking
	Tour	10–10.5 hours	from €76 per person (GetYourGuide, 28 October 2026)	not stated by GetYourGuide	Full-day trip that also visits Linderhof; castle tickets only if you pick that option	GetYourGuide: From Munich: Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castle Full-Day Trip
Munich to Zugspitze (Garmisch)	Train	not stated by zugspitze.de	MVV Garmischer Sommerticket Zugspitze €94.50 adult, €12.50 child (return train from Munich Hbf plus one Zugspitze ticket; valid 4 May to 8 November 2026); Zugspitze ticket alone €78.00 adult	not stated by zugspitze.de	Cog railway and cable cars continue from Garmisch; Deutschland-Ticket valid only Garmisch–Grainau. Zugspitze fully closed 9–13, 16–20 and 23–26 November 2026	zugspitze.de: train and mountain railways ticket
	Car	not stated by zugspitze.de	parking fee not readable on zugspitze.de	not applicable	Eibsee and cable car car parks fill up quickly in summer; zugspitze.de advises arriving before 10 a.m. on fair days	zugspitze.de: getting here and parking
	Tour	9 hours	from €125 per person (GetYourGuide, 28 October 2026); cable car ticket extra (€72, listing)	not stated by GetYourGuide	Van tour from Munich with hotel pickup, including Garmisch town; check the November closures	GetYourGuide: From Munich: Zugspitze Mountain Van Tour with Garmisch Town
Munich to Dachau memorial	S-Bahn/U-Bahn	S2 about 25 min from Hauptbahnhof to Dachau station, then bus 726 (bus time not stated by the memorial)	day ticket M-1 €11.70 (one person) or €21.20 (group), as the memorial advises	not stated by the memorial	S2 towards Dachau/Petershausen, then bus 726 towards Saubachsiedlung to the stop "KZ-Gedenkstätte"	KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau: directions
	Car	not stated by the memorial	parking €3.00 per car	not applicable	Car park at Alte Römerstraße 73 is occasionally overcrowded; the memorial asks visitors to use public transport if possible	KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau: directions
	Tour	5 hours	from €47 per person (GetYourGuide, 28 October 2026)	not stated by GetYourGuide	Guided tour from Marienplatz; the public transport ticket is included	GetYourGuide: From Munich: Dachau Memorial Site Day Tour
Munich to Salzburg	Train	1 h 43 min fastest (EC); RJX 1 h 54 min	from €17.98 (EC) / €6.99 (RJX): sample fares on bahn.de, date dependent	about 49 connections per day, up to 42 direct	Direct; price depends on date and booking; times change at weekends and holidays; the Bayern-Ticket is valid to Salzburg	bahn.de: Munich to Salzburg
Munich to Berchtesgaden / Eagle’s Nest	Train	3 h 02 min fastest, 1 change	from €49.50: sample fare on bahn.de	about 19 connections per day	No direct train; BRB lists schedule changes Freilassing to Berchtesgaden from 28 October to 12 November 2026. Eagle’s Nest closed until further notice after the fire of October 2026	bahn.de: Munich to Berchtesgaden
	Bus	not stated by Berchtesgaden tourist office	not stated by Berchtesgaden tourist office	not stated by Berchtesgaden tourist office	RVO line 838 links Berchtesgaden to the Dokumentation (Kehlstein bus stop); the Eagle’s Nest itself is closed until further notice after a fire on 23 October 2026	Berchtesgaden: bus routes
	Car	not stated by kehlsteinhaus.de	not stated by kehlsteinhaus.de	not applicable	A8 to Bad Reichenhall or Salzburg Süd, then the Obersalzberg road to the Hintereck car park, where the Kehlstein bus starts; closed until further notice after the fire of 23 October 2026	Kehlsteinhaus: getting there
	Tour	3 hours	from €69.90 per person (GetYourGuide, 28 October 2026)	not stated by GetYourGuide	Starts in Berchtesgaden. Closed until further notice after the fire of October 2026: check before you book	GetYourGuide: Expert-Led WWII Eagle’s Nest Tour, Berchtesgaden

Read from the operators' own pages on 28 October 2026. Fares and timetables change; check before you travel.

Guides on getting around Munich

Getting around the city: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus

Munich’s metro is the U-Bahn. It runs with the S-Bahn, trams and buses on MVV tickets, priced by zone.

Marienplatz, the heart of the Old Town, is on the U3 and U6 and on every S-Bahn line from S1 to S8. In Advent, it is also the stop for the Christmas markets in Munich.

For a Munich Oktoberfest tent, take the U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese. The station has lifts.

MVG says many U-Bahn stations, such as Theresienwiese and the main station, have lifts and no steps.

The Munich metro (U-Bahn) at night

From Monday to Thursday, the U-Bahn runs until about 1 a.m. On Friday and Saturday nights, and before public holidays, it runs all night. Each line then comes every 30 minutes.

Night buses and night trams run all night too. They meet at Karlsplatz (Stachus) between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m.

Munich metro map and apps

MVV’s page says you can buy tickets in the MVV app or in MVGO, the app of the city’s transport company MVG. MVGO also shows if lifts and escalators work.

Check your line in the app before you ride. The journey search on mvg.de can show lift status along your route.

Tickets and passes: what to buy, and when a day ticket pays off

€4.20: single ride, zone M
€10.10: day ticket, zone M
€19.70: group day ticket, 2–5 people

For a day of sightseeing, buy a day ticket. In zone M, the city, it costs €10.10 and lasts until 6 a.m. the next day.

In the 2026 Munich Travel Cost Study, MVV’s fare page (read 27 October 2026) listed zone M single rides from €4.20 and day tickets from €10.10, so a day ticket pays off from your third ride.

From the airport, the Airport-City-Day-Ticket (from €17.50) can cost less than two single tickets.

Fares grow with each zone you cross. The city is zone M, and the airport is zone 5.

Single ticket: €4.20 in zone M, €6.40 into zone 1, €15.10 to the airport.
Short trip (Kurzstrecke): €2.10.
Stripe ticket: €18.70 for 10 stripes. A ride in zone M uses 2 stripes.
Day ticket: €10.10 in zone M, until 6 a.m. the next day.
Group day ticket for 2 to 5 people: €19.70 in zone M.
Children 6 to 14: €2.00 a ride, or €3.80 for a children’s day ticket for the whole area. Under-6s ride free with someone aged 6 or over.
Deutschland-Ticket: €63 a month (€66.80 from 1 January 2027). It covers local and regional transport across Germany, but not ICE, IC or EC trains.

Stamp your ticket before you ride

A paper ticket that is not already stamped must be stamped before you ride. For the S-Bahn, U-Bahn and regional trains, the stampers stand at the platform entrance. On buses and trams, you stamp it when you get on.

MVV’s rules cover stamping only for paper tickets, so a ticket in the MVV app needs no stamp. Keep your phone charged: MVV’s app FAQ says a flat battery counts as no ticket.

Without a valid ticket, you can be charged up to €60.

Walking and bikes

The Old Town is best seen on foot. A free Munich walking tour, where you pay what you wish, is an easy first hour.

The city bikes are now called MyRadl, MVG says. You book them in the MVGO app and pick them up at marked stations. Leave one outside a marked area, and you pay a €20 fee.

A bike on the train needs a bike day ticket, from €3.70. On weekdays, bikes are not allowed on the U-Bahn from 6 to 9 a.m. or from 4 to 6 p.m. Folding bikes go free as luggage.

Hop-on hop-off bus: sightseeing with the ride built in

A hop-on hop-off bus is the simplest way to see the outer sights without planning trains. Two companies sell one on GetYourGuide.

CitySightseeing runs 3 routes from Luisenstraße 4 by the main station, from €25. Its own site sells the 24-hour adult ticket for €28.90 online and €32 on the bus.

Big Bus leaves from Karlsplatz 21, from €24. Its Orange Line goes to the Olympiapark and BMW Welt.

The CitySightseeing listing says to redeem your ticket at a stop between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., or until 4:30 p.m. in winter.

Day trips on your own: train, bus or car

Most day trips from Munich work by train, but some need a bus at the end. You can also compare guided day trips that handle the travel.

Neuschwanstein Castle means a train to Füssen and then a bus, so many visitors book a day trip that handles both. From Hohenschwangau, a shuttle bus goes up toward Mary’s Bridge for €3.50. The Deutschland-Ticket and Bayern-Ticket do not cover it.

For the Zugspitze, DB’s regional page says trains run every hour to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Until 8 November 2026, the Garmischer Sommerticket covers the return train and one Zugspitze ticket for €94.50. The Zugspitze is fully closed on 9–13, 16–20 and 23–26 November 2026.

For the Dachau memorial, take the S2 to Dachau, about 25 minutes from the main station. Then take bus 726 to the stop “KZ-Gedenkstätte”. The memorial suggests a day ticket for zones M–1: €11.70 for one person.

Salzburg is the easiest trip by train. bahn.de lists the fastest train at 1 hour 43 minutes, with up to 42 direct trains a day.

Berchtesgaden takes about 3 hours by train, with one change. The Eagle’s Nest is closed until further notice after the fire of October 2026.

Taking the train from Munich

For regional trains, the Bayern-Ticket covers a whole day in Bavaria, from 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. the next day. It is also valid to Salzburg.

It costs €34 for one person, plus €10 for each extra person, up to five. It is not valid on ICE or IC trains.

Do you need a rental car in Munich?

You do not need a car in the city: the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses cover it. A car helps for the castles, the lakes and the Alps on your own schedule.

The whole area inside the Mittlerer Ring, the ring road, is a low-emission zone. You need a green sticker to drive there, and foreign cars do too. Since 1 October 2026, electric cars with an E plate need none.

At Neuschwanstein, cars cannot drive up to the castle. Park in P1 to P4 in Hohenschwangau: €12 for up to 6 hours. At the Zugspitze, zugspitze.de says the Eibsee car parks fill up fast in summer, so arrive before 10 a.m. on fair days.

Car rental at Munich Airport

If your plan is mostly day trips, pick up the car when you land and drive straight out to the Alps or the castles.

Should you rent a car at the airport in Munich?

Only if you will drive out of the city on most days. For a city stay with one or two day trips, a train or a tour is simpler.

For Neuschwanstein, the lakes and the Alps on your own schedule, a car from the airport is the simplest way to go.

Compare rental cars at Munich Airport

Does Uber work in Munich? And other quick answers

Yes, Uber works in Munich. You can request a ride any time, or book up to 30 days ahead. Bolt also lists rides and taxis in Munich.

Taxis use a meter: €5.90 to start, then €2.70 per km up to 7 km and €2.50 per km after that.

We found no official ride-app prices, so we print none. Check the price in the app before you book.

Tips for Munich public transport

Buy a day ticket for busy days
A zone M day ticket costs €10.10 and lasts until 6 a.m. the next day. Two single rides already cost €8.40.
Stamp paper tickets first
Stamp a paper ticket before you board a train, or as you get on a bus or tram. An app ticket needs no stamp.
If your plans change
All four picks show free cancellation on GetYourGuide. Read each ride’s own cancellation terms before you book.
Weekend nights are easy
On Friday and Saturday nights, the U-Bahn runs all night. On other nights, night buses and trams meet at Karlsplatz.

Munich public transport: questions and answers

How do I get from Munich Airport to the city center?

Take the S1 or S8. A train leaves about every 10 minutes, and the ride to the main station takes about 40 minutes. A single costs €15.10. The Lufthansa Express Bus also runs every 20 minutes, for €12.50 online.

How far is Munich Airport from the city center?

About 40 minutes by S-Bahn, or about 45 minutes by the airport bus, to the main station. We found no official distance, so we give travel times.

Does Uber work in Munich?

Yes. Uber works in Munich, and you can book up to 30 days ahead. Bolt also lists rides and taxis in Munich.

More Munich transfers and tours, live

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.

Browse all on GetYourGuide

Browse all of them on GetYourGuide

Sources (35), facts checked on 28 October 2026

Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.