Hi All,
I've never traveled internationally before. En route to Budapest, we have a 5 hour layover in Munich. Is that enough time to leave and maybe just take a cab ride around town or so something real quick? I'm not sure what it will be like taking into account customs and anything else that could be a hassle. Your experience/recommendations are much appreciated. Thanks.
Well since its takes about 40 minutes travel time each way to and from the airport, I would say there isn't enough time. Providing everything is running on time and traffic is good, you would have to leave your bags at the airport and run to catch a subway into the city. Once in the city you would have about an hour or less to see anything before having to come back to the airport and go through security again. As inconvenient and boring as it is to sit for five hours, it would be significantly less stressful than doing a whirlwind of Munich in such a short time period. I hope this helps some.
Thanks Abe. I've heard there are towns only 15-20 minutes from the Airport. Is this doable?
I am very curious as to if this worked for you or not?! We have the same plan for late August (heading to Budapest and have a 5 hour layover in Munich)...how was it going through customs and were you able to make it to the actual city (if so, how long were you there?) and back, or did you go to a smaller city?? Every forum I see says either 4 hours or 6, not 5! Thanks!
It's a 20 minute bus ride to the station (Bahnhof) in Freising. After that you can walk (I believe there is also a bus) to Weihenstephen, a monastery with the worlds oldest brewery and a nice beer garten.
Other than that, going into town will take 40 minutes each way to Marienplatz. If you have luggage checked through to Budapest, getting back an hour before plane time should be sufficient. The dwell time in Munich still won't be very long, but you might have two hours in Marienplatz.
There are 6 S-Bahn/hour into Marienplatz, S1 from the west via the Hbf, S8 from the east via Ostbahnhof. Whichever train is leaving the airport next will get you to Marienplatz first. But be careful on returning. The S1 and S8 leave for the airport from different levels at Marienplatz. Wrong level and you will end up somewhere in the suburbs, far from the airport.
Take a cab to the town center of Erding. It's only about a 20 minutes drive and the ride should be in the area of €25 one-way. Erding is the picture-postcard-perfect Bavarian small town with Dirndl and Lederhosen shops, great restaurants, beer gardens, old but beautiful houses, a traditional Bavarian market square, left-overs of an old city wall etc.
