My husband and I will be travelling in Germany in mid-september. We will spend a few days at Oktoberfest and then take an overnight train to Budapest for a few days. To maximize our sightseeing time, we'd like to take a night train back to Munich, arriving the morning our flight leaves. A couple of questions: How reliable are the trains in Bavaria timewise? If our train is scheduled to get in ta 6:10am and our flight back to the US leaves Munich airport at 11:40am - can we get from the train station to the airport in enough time?
Posted by
San Antonio TX, United States
2393 posts
There is an S bahn train to the airport about every 8 minutes - it takes about 40 minutes - you should be fine.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4140 posts
As a general rule , in spite of the reliability of European trains in general , attempting to coincide with a flight connection on the same day as an extended rail or road trip is ill advised . I think you will find that is the prevailing opinion . Better to arrive in Munich , the day before .
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19100 posts
Actually, the MVV runs on a 20 minute cycle. There are two S-Bahn to the airport every 20 minutes, so every 10 minutes, on average. They might be 8 and 12 minutes apart, depending on what station you are using (at Marienplatz, it's 1 and 19 minutes). From Marienplatz, there is only a 1 minute interval when the S1 will get you to the airport sooner and the platforms are on two different levels, so I just tell people to take the S8.
From the Hbf, the S-bahns come in on either side of the same platform, so just take the next one going to the airport, regardless of side. But if you take the S1, just make sure you get on the back of the train. The train splits in Neufahrn and the front cars go to Freising, not the airport.
They advise you to get to the airport 3 hours before flight time and it take about 40 minutes to get there, so plan on leaving town about 8 AM. I don't know how reliable a train from Hungary might be. 2 hours might be cutting it a little close.
Posted by
San Francisco
14540 posts
Hi,
If I am at Munich Hbf and want to go the airport (MUC), I take the S-8, a direct shot. Yes, you do have ample time after arriving from the night train and going on to MUC on the S-8
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19100 posts
Yes, you do have ample time after arriving from the night train and
going on to MUC on the S-8
If the night train arrives on time. That's a 9½ hr train trip. Plenty of time to get delayed.
If I am at Munich Hbf and want to go the airport (MUC), I take the
S-8, a direct shot.
So is the S1 (just make sure you are at the back of the train). Take whichever one comes by first. They come by on opposite sides of the same platform.
Say you get to the platform of the Hauptbahnhof S-bahn station at 7 AM. At 7:03 an S1 goes by headed for the airport. If you take it, you get to the airport at 7:46. If you wait for the S8, going the other direction, at 7:15, you don't get to the airport until 7:55.
Posted by
San Francisco
14540 posts
I have never been on a night train that arrived late regardless of the duration of the ride, 9.5 or 11 hrs, etc. . Of course, it depends how close one wants to cut it.