The best ways to get to Munich from Munich International Airport

The best ways to get to Munich from Munich Intl. Airport

Munich is a quite huge, international airport and the hub of Germany’s south. While Frankfurt ist the most important airport in Germany, but Munich comes in the second place. Its location in Europe makes it a hub airport with over 200 destinations in 70 countries. Munich International Airport is also called “Franz Josef Strauss Airport”, named after the former Bavarian minister-president and not be confused with Johann Strauss, music composer known for the waltz.

How to get from Munich airport to the city?

There are a few options to get from the airport to Munich. You have to know that Munich International Airport (“Franz Josef Strauss Airport”, IATA-Code: MUC) is outside of the city. It’s located about 40 kilometres (ca. 25 miles) northeast of the city centre. So many travellers arriving at Munich Airport ask questions like “What is the easiest, most convenient or cheapest way to get from the airport to the city?” Actually there are five options to get to the city. It is possible to

Take a Taxi
Use the Urban rail system (S-Bahn)
Use the Express Bus
Use a rental car
Prebook a transfer

I will now show you the advantages, disadvantages and costs for each transport option.

Using a taxi to get to Munich

Using a taxi to get from Munich International Airport to Munich City is the most convenient, but also most expensive transfer possibility. The taxis wait directly outside of the arrivals hall and usually there are also Taxi-Vans to transfer more than three people with their luggage. There is no specific service staff outside the arrivals hall or specific line you have to wait for the taxis. You just go out and choose your taxi. There is just one unwritten rule you should know. Always choose the first taxi in line. If you need a Taxi-Van, just go to the first Van in line. Of course this is not an official law, but i’ve seen taxi drivers showing verbally their displeasure when people are not taking the first taxi in line.

Understanding the German railway system – a comprehensive guide

Understanding the German railways system - a comprehensive guide

Until the early 1990s the “Deutsche Bundesbahn” (German Federal Railways) a state owned enterprise held a monopoly on the railroad traffic in Germany. Then the traffic was privatised and the “Deutsche Bundesbahn” became a regular enterprise and called itself “Deutsche Bahn” (German Railways) with the same abbreviation it also used before “DB”. But nowadays you’ll also find private railway companies throughout Germany. Usually they serve lines that were abandoned by the DB after the privatisation. Especially in Munich you will also see trains from other countries, operated by the specific state railways. All this can be somehow confusing as a non-european tourist, especially when you have to buy tickets. So here is a comprehensive guide to the German railway system.

The different railway companies

Today there are many different railway companies

Natural hazards you can encounter in Munich and southern Bavaria

Natural Hazards you can encounter in Munich and southern bavaria

Every place you travel to, has specific natural hazards you can encounter during your visit. Some places on earth are safer than others and some natural hazards can really be a pain as they occur often. Here you will find out what to expect in Munich and southern Bavaria and what to do if you’re affected during your stay. But don’t worry. Munich and southern Bavaria are very safe regions concerning natural hazards like floodings, thunderstorms and severe downpour.

Storms

Germany can encounter storms with wind speeds up to 64 knots (12 bft, 120 km/h, 75 mph). Fortunately, severe storms only occur every 5-10 years. The last severe storms that hit southern Germany were in 1990 (storms “Vivian” and “Wiebke”), 1999 (storms “Lothar” and “Martin”) and 2007 (storm “Kyrill”).

Like Hurricanes, the European windstorms get names. The European windstorms usually appear during late winter (January – April) or autumn (September-November). An interesting fact is, that the different European weather services name the same storms differently. So if you travel across Europe and you watch the media in different countries while there is a storm going on, you’ll notice that the name changes from country to country. For example the 1999 December storm was called “Anatol” in German speaking countries, but got the name “Adam” in Denmark, “Carola” in Sweden and “December hurricane” in Great Britain.

In contrast to Hurricanes in the USA, European windstorms (German: “Orkan”) usually appear without rain or thunderstorms. It is actually just extremely windy. Sometimes there can even be a clear sky.

Fortunately, severe European windstorms are rare, but there can still be mediocre storms that affect for example air or rail traffic.

There is actually not much you can do as a tourists when it’s stormy. Try to check the local media before travelling. If possible, try to rebook your flight to another destination near Munich like Milan or Zurich and take the train from there (if these airports are not affected).

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms can be encountered in Munich and southern Bavaria from late April until late October. They appear mostly during hot summer days, especially in the late afternoon when the air gets humid.

Thunderstorms in southern Bavaria and Munich can get severe, but a really heavy thunderstorm is rare. Anyway it’s quite frightening and annoying, getting caught by a thunderstorm while sitting in a beer garden or while doing sightseeing. My tip here is to use the official German Weather Centre warning app on your smartphone or use the website www.meteoalarm.eu. The App allows you to set warning options for your location and before things get serious, it will warn you via a push message.

When in a thunderstorm, try to seek shelter in a coffeeshop, restaurant or shop. Usually thunderstorms in Munich only last up to one hour. During a heavy thunderstorm, avoid being outside, especially on flat fields or in woods. Lightnings can strike and harm you. Sometimes (usually during summer) a thunderstorm in Munich can come with hail. Often the hail doesnt get bigger than small marbles, but sometimes it can get severe (see: severe hail)

More to come soon.

Monat: Juli 2019