Munich airport time through passport control

How long will it take to get from the airport via train to the Munich HBF main train station?

The S-Bahns from the airport station leave about every 10 minutes. The trip by S-Bahn to the Hbf will take from 42 to 47 minutes depending on which S-Bahn you take, but if you take the next S-Bahn leaving, you'll get to the Hbf the soonest. (The S8 is the fastest, but if you wait to take it, you'll spend more time waiting than you'll save.) The S1 and the S8 leave from opposite sides of the single platform at the airport station. Just get on the next one leaving. Warning: there is now a regional train to Regensburg that also leaves from one of those platforms. Don't get on it.

I'm not a good one to advise you as to time to get through immigration now, as I haven't arrived in Munich in 12 years. I imagine thing might have changed due to changes in traffic now and the new, satellite T2, but last time I arrived, I was off the plane and at the S-Bahn station in less than an hour.

In April we arrived in Munich around 9:30 am. We were through passport control in under 20 minutes. Took far longer to wait for baggage....

Are you planning a train from Munich Hbf? If so, where to?

We are headed to Zurich

So why aren't you flying directly to Zürich?

Assuming you got a deal on points, the EC trains to Zurich depart Munich Hbf at 51 to 54 past the even hours. You can buy flexpreis tickets from Munich airport to Zurich HB, and take any S-Bahn to Munich Hbf for your train. With a flexpreis ticket, you can take any of the EC trains to Zurich.

Zurich is a last minute side trip. Air fare to Munich has been booked for weeks. It’s cheaper to take the train from Munich than change and fly direct to Zurich and should be more interesting. It’s about the journey…

Thanks for all the advice.