In Sept. I plan to take a train from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Munich on a Tuesday. The train arrives at Muenchen HBF at 3:41 p.m.
The following morning I will be flying from the Munich airport to Manchester, U.K., on a 9 am flight.
I’m assuming it would be best to find a place to stay near the airport. Would you take a train to the airport and then a shuttle or taxi to the hotel? Also looking for recommendations for a hotel with a restaurant and an airport shuttle.
Unless a flight is at 6 am or so, I would not opt to stay near an airport (no matter where). Why not enjoy your (only) evening in the city, even at the expense of having to get up earlier? It's pretty easy to get to the airport by public transport from the central station (https://www.munich-airport.com/public-transport-26082). Also, I imagine you'd want to drop off your stuff before sightseeing, which also makes the airport option not as attractive (time wasted going to airport hotel, then back into the city, then back to airport hotel for the night).
I would pick a hotel easily accessible from the München Hauptbahnhof and make the most of your short time in the city.
You will likely find high hotel prices in Munich in September. Normally I would recommend to spend evening in Munich and travel in the morning to the airport (if you are not a late bird). But in case of high prices just be close to the airport, also Neufahrn or Freising.
https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/service/mobility-services/air-travellers/index.html
I've done both - stayed in Munich and took the S-Bahn to the airport and stayed in Freising, near the airport, and took the bus to the airport. Depending on where in Munich you stay, you don't really save much time staying at the airport or nearby. The S-Bahn takes about 40 minutes, the bus from Freising about 20.
However, Freising is a little closer. I stayed near the Weihenstephan monastery and brewery and had a nice traditional German dinner in the biergarten there.
But in case of high prices just be close to the airport, also Neufahrn or Freising.
You can be sure that if the prices in the city are high, so they are in Freising. I still think Freising is a good choice (e.g. Hotel Bayerischer Hof), or Erding (Best Western Plus - offers an airport transfer), which has a good spa. Relatively cheap is usually the Regent Park Hotel in Hallbergmoos. It can only be reached by a combination of S-Bahn and bus, but it has an reliable all time airport transfer.
If you prefer to stay in the city, you could stay near the Munich East station (e.g. at Motel One), where the S8 stops; there is much less crowding in the morning than at the main station.
What is a high price? As long as you are not arriving after the start of Oktoberfest on September 21, prices in Munich are not that high.
I just checked the Holiday Inn Munich City Center, prices for a single room with 2 people are $112 to $146 on the 3 Tuesdays before Oktoberfest. Despite the name, it is actually on the other side of the Isar from the city center. Very nice modern hotel with a great breakfast, but its best feature is direct access to the Rosenheimerplatz S-Bahn station in the lower level. Get the S-Bahn to the airport right there.
If I were flying out of Munich with the flight the next morning or early afternoon, I would stay in Munich near the Hbf area, numerous small hotels and Pensionen, all within a few minutes to the Hbf...super convenient. I did that in 2013, took the S-Bahn from the Hbf to MUC.
For a short stay we prefer Freising to Munich. It is a nice small town to walk about with restaurants and cafes. We like the Hotel Bayerischer Hof mentioned above. A nice German meal can be had at Wirthaus Weißbräu Huber.
https://weissbraeu-huber.de/en/
A taxi to the airport is usually our one taxi splurge of the trip. It gives us just enough time to include the early breakfast at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof
We stayed at the hotel Sam mentions last April (it was in the process of being converted to the Holiday Inn). Very comfortable and nice breakfast. Sbahn access was fantastic and felt very safe to walk to & from the hotel with our kids, even after dark. We got to the airport no problem on our way out.
I have one night in Munich before I flight out at 9 AM. I just booked LetoMotel Moosach for 64 Euros. Right by the S1 Bahn and 15 minutes from HBF if you want to head there for a bit. Then an easy 30 minute ride (so I've read) on the S1 Bahn to the airport.
Thanks for all the helpful advice. Good info to consider (and I will be traveling through Munich during Oktoberfest).
Your train will stop at Ostbahnhof (the east train station) before it gets to the Hauptbahnhof. I always prefer to stay near Ostbahnhof when catching a flight out of Munich. Its a bit easier to navigate than the Haptbahnhof and just as convenient for the city center and Airport. You will have a better chance at finding accommodations near here during Oktoberfest, although this late in the year it will be difficult to find something reasonable. The new Motel One in Haidhausen (near Ostbahnhof) opens Sept 21 and thus still have rooms available for that Tuesday Sept 24th for 194€/night. https://www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/munich/hotel-munich-haidhausen/?city=120000%2F0000%2F0004&checkin=2019-09-24&checkout=2019-09-25&rooms=2
As for an option near the airport, all the above are good suggestions so I'll add in Erding as well. Most of the hotels there offer shuttle service to the airport and the hotels should be a little cheaper than in Munich (but not much during Oktoberfest). My brother usually stays at Hotel zum Erdinger Weissbräu before a flight out of Munich.
DJ
