How do I get from Munich airport to the city?
The best way to get from Munich airport to Munich city center is to take the train. These trains are called S Bahns are numbered 1 to 8. People do not refer to them as “the number 8” or the “8 train” but instead simply as the S1, S2, S3 and so on.
The two trains that connect the airport with the city center are the S1 and the S8. They both take about 45 minutes to get from the airport to Munich (the S8 is slightly faster but just by 4 minutes).
Keep following this sign to reach the S Bahn
Once you are through passport control and have collected your luggage you follow the green and white signs for the S Bahn. It may take about 10 to 20 minutes walking through the airport but just keep following the signs. There are plenty of elevators and escalators so don’t worry about your luggage.
If you want to stop for a coffee or food you can as the trains depart every ten minutes or so. There’s no rush.
Just before you finally get to the train platform you will see plenty of red and white ticket machines and a ticket counter.
If you are on your own select the Airport City Day Ticket Single (€13).
If you are a group of 2 to 5 adults then select the Airport City Day Ticket Group (€24.30) - this way you can save some Euros. If you are a larger group, lets say 9 adults, then you need two group tickets.
Tip - two children aged 6 - 14 count as one adult. Under 6 year olds travel for free.
Not only will these tickets get you to the city center (stops like Marienplatz or the Central Train Station - Hauptbahnhof), they will actually be valid for unlimited use of all public transport in Munich until 6am the next day! That includes the S Bahn, the U Bahn (subway trains), trams and buses. So if you have a quick layover and want to see the city and get back to the airport on the same day, this ticket will get you there and back.
Now you have your ticket head down to the platform and jump on the first S Bahn that you see - if you need to get to central Munich it doesn't matter if it's the S1 or the S8 (it’s just that the S8 is slightly faster). They leave every 10 to 20 minutes. There’s plenty of space for luggage.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the quick journey to central Munich.
Here’s a typical S Bahn station platform.
How do I get to Munich airport from the city?
This is a little trickier than coming from the airport. To get from central Munich to the airport you can take the S Bahn. The S Bahn trains S1 and S8 both go to the airport and take about 45 minutes. The airport is the last stop. The stop is underground in the airport.
Firstly get to an S Bahn station near you like Hauptbahnhof (Central Train Station) or Marienplatz, buy a ticket at a ticket machine if you don’t already have one, and then follow the green and white S Bahn signs. You can take the S1 or S8 from any S Bahn station in central Munich. Ask your hotel staff where the nearest station is.
The S Bahn trains go in two directions.
For example the S8 could say on it “Flughafen / Airport” - this is going to the airport. Alternatively it could say “Herrsching” - this is not going to the airport, it is going in the opposite direction to a wonderful lake near an amazing brewery/monastery called Andechs (you can drown your sorrows here now that you have missed your flight - joke!). Don’t worry though - if you get on a train going in the wrong direction just get off and wait for the train heading in the opposite direction (i.e. to the airport). You can hit up the brewery next time.
If you are worried about getting the train in the wrong direction here’s a tip: look around at others waiting for the train, if you see many people with big bags - you’re heading in the right direction. If you are still uncertain, ask someone for help. People in Munich are very friendly.
My advice: take the S8 to the airport, not the S1.
The issue with the S1 is that halfway to the airport the train will stop and split into two trains! One train will go to the airport, the other will go to a town called Freising. Before the train splits, announcements will be made over the intercom in English and in German. You will have ten minutes to change to the correct carriage.
Imagine you are tired or you have headphones on - you could easily miss the announcement. Exactly this happened to me once even though I have lived here for over ten years. A stranger noticed my bags and kindly tapped me on the shoulder to tell me I should change carriages: I thanked him and then never moved as fast in my life.
Take the S8 if you can or the S1 if you must. Either way they both leave every twenty minutes.
The airport is the final stop
You will know the airport stop as it is the last stop, it is underground and everyone will get off.
Have a good flight!