10 hour layover Munich airport

I think she could do this. The trains run about every 20 minutes in each direction (coming into Munich from the east or west), so there is one leaving the S-Bahn station approximately every 10 minutes - and they are reliable.

Note that the Glockenspiel performs at 11:00 AM. In addition to the Glockenspiel, she could tour the Frauenkirche (the church with the green cupolas) in Marienplatz. She could have lunch in the Ratskeller in the city hall building (which houses the Glockenspiel) or walk a few blocks to the Hofbräuhaus.

The S-Bahn leaves from either of two tracks at the airport station. Take whichever train is leaving next; it will get to Marienplatz first. When returning, take the train, S8, from track (Gleis) 1. It leaves one minute before the S1 from Gleis 2 and takes less time to get to the airport. Tracks 1 and 2 are on different levels in the underground Marienplatz station. Track 1 is above track 2, two levels down from the street level.

A single trip ticket (Einzelfahrkarte) will cover the trip to or from Marienplatz for 10,80€. Or she can get a Gesamtnetz Tageskarte (all day pass for all of Munich) for 23,20€, which will cover any other use of public transport in Munich should she want to.

10 hours is more than enough time. She can easily take her time and see quite a bit.

Alternatively, if you wants to refresh after her flight, one of Europe's best bathing resorts, Therme Erding, is only about a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport.

The Munich train station and major ubahn stations are designed for travelers...there are showering facilities in some of the stations in case you want that. There are "pods" for sleeping a few hours in the Munich airport.

Thank you so much- Ken, Tom, Tim-
Excellent info- I feel confident now that she can do this with missing her flight!
Pretty sure she will want to have lunch at Hofbrauhaus.

What time should she be back in airport? Wondering if she can check in for her 3:30 flight (or at least check bags) before she heads to the city?

Is she flying on a single air booking. If so, her bags should be checked through to IAD and she will not have to retrieve them in Munich. If not, there are lots of luggage lockers in the Munich Hbf, which both the S1 and the S8 go through, just off the end of track 26 (of course, then she will need euro coins). However, if she leaves the airport, she will have to go through passport control as she will be entering the Schengen zone.

It appears you can check your luggage at the airport. However, the information in the link doesn't say where you can leave it. The only place I can see on the map to leave it is in the lobby of Terminal 2, ground level, outside customs and security, so she would have to go through customs and then recheck it at a check-in counter.

I've flown out of MUC multiple times. I usually allow myself 2-2½ hours and that has always been enough time.

Thanks Lee- yes I believe she will be checked thru to IAD. This is a business "sort of" trip- the arrangements have all been made for her- I will have her verify the type of flight booking.
That should make this little diversion into Munich center much simpler for her.
Have to remind her to bring along some Euros- she probably has some leftover from previous travel- as do I.