Those exploring Munich are always on the move – and naturally immerse themselves in the city's way of life.
Most people plan the route to their destination in advance. Particularly keen travellers may even research the route from the train station or airport to their accommodation. However, very few consider in advance how to getaround at their destination. Yet this is just as important to the quality of the stay as the food and cultural offerings. Anyone who has ever unwittingly jumped into a taxi in a foreign city, only to spend the next few hours in a slow-moving traffic jam, knows this. Or have assumed they would be able to explore a place on foot, only to realise the necessary footpaths don’t even exist.
As far as Munich is concerned, there is good news and (seemingly) bad news in this respect. The good news is: You don't have to worry about how to get from A to B. But the question of how best to get to your destination in Munich is still not easy to answer. Should you hop on the subway or take a shortcut through the Englischer Garten (park) on foot? Should you travel swiftly on the subway or cycle along the Isar river? When it comes to transport, you really are spoilt for choice in this city and the routes are often worthwhile destinations in themselves. So how do you deal with the issue of mobility in Munich? Perhaps in the same way that many guests intuitively do: first from a distance, then over the medium distances on arrival, until finally, having arrived and familiarised yourself with the city, you discover the shortcuts, panoramic detours and hidden paths.
Thanks to a sophisticated high-speed rail network, Munich has excellent connections to major German and European metropolises. If you get on the train in Paris, for example, you will arrive in Munich almost five and a half hours later.
Many guests arrive in Munich via its gateway to the world – Munich Airport. As one of the busiest airports in Europe and one of the few “5-star airports“ globally, it offers 219 destinations across 64 countries, including 47 intercontinental routes. Munich Airport has set itself the ambitious goal of becoming Germany's first CO2-neutral airport by 2035 and has invested €150 million to achieve this.
An even more sustainable way of travelling to Munich, of course, is by train. Thanks to a sophisticated high-speed rail network, Munich has excellent connections to major German and European metropolises. For instance, you can reach Munich from Paris in just under five and a half hours, from Berlin or Vienna in four hours and from Frankfurt in three hours. But it's not just the long distance destinations that are excellently connected; Munich's picturesque surroundings can also be reached quickly via numerous regional trains. This means that in Munich you are in the enviable position of having more time for your day trips and spending less time on public transport. In fact, many of the well-known lakes surrounding the city can be reached by train in less than an hour, while Salzburg or Innsbruck are only about 90 minutes away.
Those who have to cover longer distances within Munich, usually opt for the railway. It has a long tradition in the city, with the first electric trams running as early as 1900. The subway, on the other hand, took its time. The first suburban and subway lines were planned in the 1960s, and a further major expansion took place on the occasion of the 1972 Olympic Games, after they were awarded to Munich in 1966. Since then, Munich's ‘subway’ has been characterised by its own unique sound. The famous Bavarian grumbling of the subway drivers can be heard from the loudspeakers of the carriages, especially during rush hour. Usually when some ‘Schwammerlkopf’ (scatterbrain) blocks a door when boarding. The tone becomes particularly iconic during the Oktoberfest. When visitors get off the packed subway at Theresienwiese, they are regularly greeted by a Bavarian symphony: “Schön, dass da seid's!“ – “Great to have you here”! Announcements in a melodious dialect make walking easier and prevent the station from becoming congested.
Munich's transport strategy aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2035. In order to reach this goal, local public transport is continuously expanding and new lines are added regularly. But some “lucky“ numbers already exist in Munich: 16, 19, 54 and 100. These are the bus and tram lines that you can hop on and just let yourself drift along, as they include sights and beautiful routes. Bus 100: known as the museum line, connects art destinations like the Lenbachhaus, Pinakotheken, Museum Brandhorst, Haus der Kunst and Villa Stuck. Tram 19: is rightly known as the city's sightseeing tram, as it passes landmarks such as the Justizpalast, Promenadeplatz, Residenz (city palace), Nationaltheater (opera house), and the Maximilianeum.
Tram 16: a perfect mix that links museums and sightseeing stops. Bus 54: takes you out into nature, passing the English Garden, Isar river and the green spaces at Luise-Kiesselbach-Platz. Speaking of nature: While the city wants to be neutral in terms of traffic, it is anything but neutral when it comes to equality. It regularly flies the flag for a non-discriminatory Munich. During the Pride Weeks in June, buses and trams travel through the city with rainbow pendants. Munich's Transport Company, MVG explains: “We as a transport company, are colourful, the city of Munich is colourful. With the flags, we want to show that we stand for values such as tolerance, respect and human rights.“
Even if the sightseeing routes by bus and tram are attractive, many Munich residents rely on their own muscle power to get around the city. Travelling around Munich on foot or by bike is not only a quick way to get around, but is also rewarded by a unique ambience. For example, on the Isar cycle path – a route almost 300 kilometres long that starts in the Tyrolean Karwendel mountains, runs through Munich and ends in Deggendorf in Lower Bavaria. The stretch that winds its way through the greenery of the Bavarian capital, is affectionately known by locals as the “Isar Highway“.
This route meanders through the English Garden, starting at Thiemestrasse/Königinstrasse and passes the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower). There, it joins the Isar Cycle Path, where the river itself almost becomes a minor matter compared to the sights along the way. From your bike, you can wave at the Friedensengel (monument), or admire the magnificent Maximilianeum, home to the Bavarian State Parliament and residence for gifted students. At the end of the tour, your attention returns to the river, which flows through the serene Isar meadows and the Flaucher stretch, leading to the Sendling neighbourhood. Don't have your own bike? No problem! You can quickly rent one through various apps and providers.
The Isar river is a natural conveyor belt: This description applies not only to the Isar cycle path, but also to the river itself: Due to its flow direction from south to north and its very high water quality, some destinations can actually be reached by swimming. But caution is advised: The Isar is not only a city river, it is also wild and untamed. Swimming is prohibited in dangerous areas, so it is essential to check out the planned swimming area, water level and temperature beforehand.
A buoy is recommended to carry valuables and ensure personal safety. Benjamin David, co-founder of the “urbanauten“, who regularly organise the Kulturstrand event in Munich, once commuted to work this way. He got into the water at Wittelsbacher Bridge and arrived two kilometres later at his “office“ in front of the Deutsches Museum. “The Isar river is twice as wide as a motorway and I am largely alone“, he said back then. There's hardly a more natural or sustainable way to cross the city.
Munich's most popular routes are often the ones you have to discover for yourself – the ones that require a bit of insider knowledge to fully savour their special beauty and charm. In the summer of 2024, the city tested a particularly delightful service called AltstadtMobil. Passengers could enjoy free rides in electric micro-buses and rickshaws between the Marienplatz (main square), Frauenkirche (cathedral), Sendlinger Tor (gate), the Rindermarkt, Tal and Isartor (gate). There are plans to establish this model permanently. Those who find this too mundane and are looking for a touch of noblesse can take a detour to Nymphenburg Palace Park and enjoy a gondola ride on the central canal.
The Olympisches Dorf (Olympic Village) is just as historic and offers the opportunity to stroll through a unique part of the city's history. Built for athletes from all over the world, the village next to the Olympiapark (Olympic Park) was later returned to the citizens and has been preserved to this day. It features its own shopping street, a lake and winding paths. To help you find your way, colourful pipes wind through the village. In Olympic times, these were media lines. Today, each colour stands for a specific street in the village: orange for Straßbergerstrasse, green for Nadistrasse, blue for Connollystrasse and yellow for Helene-Mayer-Ring. The locals know the secret: remember the colour, and you will always find your way.
After gondola rides, cycling, and swimming through Munich, the journey will eventually come to an end. When it's time to head back to the airport, hop on the S1 or S8 suburban line as if you had never done anything else. And, now familiar with Munich like a local, you'll know it is worth visiting the viewing terrace in Terminal 2 (open 8 am to 10 pm, level 05) before departure. From there you have an unobstructed view of the aeroplanes and the Alps and can sit down comfortably. But watch out! With such an incredible view, it won't be easy to tear yourself away and head to the gate.
