Getting from Munich Airport to your destination

Munich Airport (MUC) is northeast of the city centre. The trip takes about 40 minutes by S-Bahn train. The S-Bahn is the standard choice, and a good-value ticket is the Airport-City-Day-Ticket at €17.50 for one adult or €32.60 for up to five. Taxis run on the meter, but the city's tariff ordinance sets a fixed fare of €96 between the airport and the Hauptbahnhof zone (surcharges listed in § 3 of the ordinance apply on top). A pre-booked transfer has a fixed price quoted at booking (see the live From price on this page).

Munich Airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Check your ticket or the airport's flight information for the terminal your airline uses.

After baggage claim, follow the signs to your chosen transport. The Lufthansa Express Bus stops at Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and the Munich Airport Center (MAC).

S-Bahn (S1 or S8) — Two S-Bahn lines connect the airport to Munich's main station (Hauptbahnhof). According to the airport, both take about 40 minutes to the main station, and because the S1 and S8 alternate there is a train every 10 minutes between the airport and the city centre. The airport sits in MVV zone 5 and the city is zone M, so you need a ticket covering zones M-5. Rather than a single, many arrivals will want the Airport-City-Day-Ticket, valid in zones M-5 until 6 AM the next day: €17.50 for one adult (children aged 6-14 travel free with you), or €32.60 for a group of up to five adults (two children aged 6-14 count as one adult). Check the current price of an ordinary single in the MVV app or at the machine.

Lufthansa Express Bus — Runs every 20 minutes between the airport and Munich Hauptbahnhof. Takes about 45 minutes. €12.50 booked online, €13.50 on board (return €20.30 / €21.50; children 6-14 €7.50 / €8.00). The catch: the last bus leaves the airport at 22:25, so it is no use for late arrivals. The S-Bahn is more frequent and runs later.

Taxi — Munich taxis are metered under the city's taxi tariff ordinance: a €5.90 minimum fare, €2.70 per km for the first 7 km and €2.50 per km after that, with waiting time at €39 an hour. The ordinance also sets fixed fares for this exact trip: €96 between the airport and the Hauptbahnhof zone, in either direction, and €90 between the airport and the Messe München, with the ordinance's § 3 surcharges added on top. The city revises the tariff periodically, so check the current one before you travel.

Pre-booked transfer — Driver meets you in arrivals, if meet-and-greet is included in your booking. Fixed price quoted at booking for the city center (see the live From price on this page). Makes sense for groups, families, or business travelers.

Rental car — Only worth it if you are heading to the Alps, the Bavarian countryside, or Austria; for the city centre the S-Bahn is simpler.

According to the airport, the S8 runs nonstop, 24 hours a day (every 20 minutes, and every 40 minutes between about 1 AM and 4 AM), while the S1 runs until about midnight — check the MVV app for your date. The Lufthansa Express Bus is long gone by then: its last departure from the airport is 22:25. The city's taxi ordinance lists no night surcharge. A pre-booked transfer is quoted at a fixed price before you book; ask whether a night supplement applies.

For large families or heavy luggage, a taxi or transfer is more comfortable; request a minivan for groups.

Child car seats: German law requires an approved restraint for children under 12 who are shorter than 150 cm, with only a limited rear-seat exception for taxis. Seats can be requested when you book a transfer.

S-Bahn: Follow the signs to the S-Bahn. Buy a ticket BEFORE boarding.

Bus: The Lufthansa Express Bus stops at Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and the Munich Airport Center (MAC).

Pre-booked transfer: Driver meets you in the arrivals hall with your name on a sign, if meet-and-greet is included in your booking.

• Going to city center: S-Bahn (about 40 min) — the standard choice
• Arriving for the day: Airport-City-Day-Ticket (€17.50 single) — covers S-Bahn + all zones M-5 transport
• Family with lots of luggage: Taxi or transfer
• Group of 2-5: The €32.60 group Airport-City-Day-Ticket is usually the lowest-cost ticket; a €96 fixed-rate taxi to the Hauptbahnhof splits well only at 4-5 people with luggage
• Very late arrival: The S8 runs nonstop; otherwise a taxi or pre-booked transfer
• Going to the Alps or Austria: Pre-booked transfer or rental car
• Business/trade fair: Transfer (professional, direct)
• Budget priority: S-Bahn or Lufthansa Express Bus