Quick question about train from Munich hotel to airport

for some reason the S8 train is 5 minutes quicker.

That's because they take different routes. The S1 goes west, then around the west side of Munich to the airport, the S8 goes east and around the east side of Munich to the airport.

However, both S-Bahns don't leave the Hbf at the same time. The S8 leaves 12 minutes after the S1, so if you don't take the S1 and wait for the S8, you'll get to the airport later. If you take the next one leaving the Hbf for the airport, you'll get to the airport soonest.

The S-Bahn station at the Hbf is a two track station with the platform in the center and the two tracks, going opposite directions, are on either side of the platform. It's easy to stand on the platform and just take the next one going to the airport, as indicated by the sign on the front of the trains. There are also signs above each track showing the next few trains, when they are coming, and where they are going.

Take a little care when leaving from the Hbf. There are S1s and S8s in both directions. The S1 leaving from Platform (Gleis) 2 goes to the airport. The S1 leaving from Platform 1 goes to the east side of town (Leuchtenbergring). The S8 going to the airport leaves from Platform 1; the S8 leaving from Platform 2 goes to Herrsching, way to the SW of town.

The S8 is a little better because the S1 splits in Neufahrn, with the front end, I believe, going to Freising. You need to be on the back end (as I remember) to go to the airport. The entire S8 goes to the airport. If you don't take the S1 but wait for the S8, you'll get to the airport 7 minutes later, but you won't have to worry about the split in Neufahrn.

We used the app to purchase a day ticket for the day we arrived, but we just used a ticket machine for our departure. We had a little trouble getting a ticket from M1 to Munchen Flughafen to show up as a choice. You'll probably have to use the word flughafen and not airport. It showed up the third time I tried typing it in, and I think the price was around 8 Euros. Then be sure to validate your ticket. I also pulled up the app to possibly purchase though the app, but as I was doing so, we got the right tickets to show up on the machine, so we just purchased the paper tickets. I don't know what the age requirement is for a "senior" discount. The options were all there as we purchased the tickets. We don't qualify for any discount, so I didn't pay attention.

Also be aware that if you use the S1, the front part of it detaches at a stop before the airport and does not go all the way to the airport. So be sure to get on the back part of the train. Although if you do get on the front, you have time to get off the front and get on the back. But you have to know to do so! We ended up taking an S8 train back to the airport --they were much more frequent than the S1. I'm not sure if that's normal or just what happened on the day we were leaving.

The Munich metro system is the MVV at https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/index.html/. Go to their Journey Planner and plan your route. You do not have to start your journey at the HBF as you will be riding on the city-wide metro system. You can imput your hotel as the starting point and you will get the nearest metro stop. If you are going to be using the metro system while in Munich, I suggest you add the MVV app to your phone and use it for planning trips and purchasing tickets.

You can buy your tickets on the MVV app or at a ticket machine at the station. Current price for HBF to airport is 13.60 Euros.

Have a great trip.

Those are local trains, there is no need to buy the tickets in advance. Just buy them when you get to the station. You don't mention where your hotel is, but the train stops at other stations as well that might be better suited for you.

Yes, where is your hotel?

BTW, all of the S-bahn stations under Munich, except Marienplatz, are like the Hbf. They are two track stations with the platform in the middle. You just take the next train going to the airport, regardless of direction.

Marienplatz is the exception. The eastbound track, Gleis (platform) 1 is the highest level in the station. Gleis 2 is below it. Gleis 1 is for trains headed to Ostbahnhof (and the airport for the S8).

Because the Marienplatz station is farther east in town than the Hbf, it takes 12 minutes less for the S8 to get to the airport (38 min) than for the S1 to get to the airport (50 min). The S1 leaves for the airport one minute after the S8. There is exactly one minute out of twenty when the S1 will get you to the airport sooner, and the trains leave on different levels, with different escalators to the track level from the mezzanine 1 level below the street. You can't just stand on a single platform and take the next train. So I tell people, don't play Russian roulette with the schedule and try to hit that one minute out of 20. Just go to the upper level, Gleis 1, and take the S8 to the airport.

It is the Unsold's Factory hotel on Unsoldstrasse. Thanks everybody for the help.

BTW, that's Unsöldstrasse, or Unsoeldstrasse, not Unsold. Unsold Factory Hotel, hmm.

Unsöld's Factory Hotel is a 2.6km, 37 min walk to the Hbf. I think you might want to us public transit in Munich to get there.

From your hotel it's a 5 minute walk to the tram stop at the National Museum, then a 4 minute tram ride to Isartor S-Bahn station where you can catch the S8 to the airport. If you're not using a D-Ticket, buy a central (M) zone ticket to the airport group tageskarte for 5 people (that is your party?) for 29,10€, it will cover all you transportation in Munich to get to an S-Bahn station as well as the trip from Isartor to the airport.

Your easiest way is to walk 2 blocks around the corner to the Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst southbound tram stop and take that to Isartor S-Bahn station 4 stops away and get the S-8 there to the airport. No need to go all the way to Hauptbahnhof. The tram is included in the ticket to the airport.
PS, typing while Lee posted identical reply. I will add the the Hauptbahnhof is a giant construction site while it gets rebuilt. Avoid it if you can if coming from the street.

Sam, I see that option, thanks, that should work. Dumb question, where do I buy the ticket? At the National Museum tram stop?

If we weren't dragging rolling suitcases, I'd love to just walk to the Isartor station. It's just the 2 of us. We only have 2 full days in Munich, I plan on doing lots of walking, but we are going to Nymphenburg Palace, I haven't quite figured out that journey yet...

going to Nymphenburg Palace

From your hotel you walk 4 minutes to National Museum tram stop for Tram #16 to Roman Platz, then a 13 minute walk to Nymphenburg Palace. Total trip is 49 minutes. You can plan all your trips on Google Maps. I like riding the tram rather than the metro as there is more to see.

Nowadays, most people buy tickets with an app on their phone, in this case the MVV app. Supposedly there are ticket machines on the trams, but I am not sure about what kind is installed (some only take coins). If you are at one of the stations in your travels, you can buy it then, being careful to get the validity date correct.

I see you are getting Bayern Tickets. Where are you buying them?

I don't think there are ticket automats at the tram stops. I think the ticket machines are on the trams. If you are not familiar with the ticket machines, you might not want to rely on buying your tickets on the trams - too much pressure, figuring out the unfamiliar machine with people behind you waiting to buy their tickets. But you can buy a Tageskarte the day before at any S/U-Bahn station. Just make sure you select the correct date, as those tickets are valid for one day only, on the date printed on the ticket.

Thanks! I am so happy for the National Museum tram stop, that looks very convenient.

I don't do well with phone apps, can't see the screen well enough. I will buy the tix the day before. Thanks jkh, the journey to Nymphenburg looks easy.

For the Bayern tickets, I know my days, so I may get them online before we leave home on Sept. 1. As soon as we arrive at MUC on Sept. 2, we will take the train to Salzburg. I think I have that figured out: The S8 train leaves the airport every 20 mins., we arrive at Munchen Ost then transfer to the train (BRB RES79029) to Salzburg Hbf, it leaves at 4 minutes past every hour. We'll get a rental car in Freilassing after Salzburg and drive around Austria and Slovenia. Then, on Sept. 14 we drop the car, take the train (BRBRES79022) from Freilassing Hbf to Munchen Ost, where we'll take a taxi the 2.9 km to our hotel.

Am I barking up the correct tree? I really appreciate all this help. The older I get the harder it is to plan stuff...

You can use a Bayern Ticket on Sept 14 to get from Freilassing to your hotel. Get off the train at Munich Ost and change to the S-Bahn to Isartor, then the tram to Nationalmuseum/Haus der Kunst, all included with the Bayern Ticket, as well as any travel in Munich the rest of the day. You could buy your ticket to the airport from the ticket machine at Isartor for your departure day while you are there.