Question about S-bahn (S8) from Munich airport to hotel

To the best of my knowledge some of the ticket vending machines take credit cards. You can buy either just a one-way or a day ticket that's also good for all intra-Munich travel that day. There are two lines from the airport to downtown: S1 and S8. One is east-bound, the other is west-bound. I assume you've already figured out that S8 is more suitable for you. Traveling by S-Bahn is totally easy. You'll find the blue vending machines right after you've left the security area in the arrivals hall. The machines do "speak" English once you've found the "select language" button.

There is also a ticket desk with a "real" person if you can't figure out how to use the ticket machines (like me). The train was unbelieveably easy, clean, quick and efficient. We took it all the way to Marienplatz where our hotel was located.

The only time I had difficulty using the s-bahn was going from Munich to the airport. It was very late, the manned booth was closed, and I had to use a machine. What we finally figured out was you have to know how many zones you cross and put that into the machine. I believe it was 4 zones and cost 18 euros for 2 people. Arriving from the airport, we used the manned kiosk. As far as euros, I would look for an ATM at the airport and get some money. Just be sure it is an ATM tied to a bank...not a travelex "money changer" machine. (There was a recent thread on the site about this...I've never had any problem finding a "bancomat" at an airport.)

I photographed an MVV-DB ticket automat in an S-Bahn station in Munich last year. It clearly shows a card slot, but I don't know if it takes all cards including U.S. ones.

I'm not sure what make Andreas think the S-8 is the best one from the airport to the city. Time? For the Hauptbahnhof, the S-8 makes the trip in 4 minutes less time than the S-1, but the S-8 leaves 11 minutes after the S-1, so if you wait for the S-8 you will get there later. Just take whichever S-Bahn is leaving first.

For Marienplatz the times are almost equal, but the S-1 gets to Marienplatz 1 minute sooner than waiting for the S-8. To anywhere east of Marienplatz (Isartor, Rosenheimerplatz, Ostbahnhof) it would be worth waiting for the S-8.

Coming from the airport, the S-1 adds cars in Neufahrn; that's no problem, but going to the airport, it drops cars there. Make sure you are actually on a car going to the airport, not to Freising.

As for buying a ticket from the MVV automat, as long as you now know that between the airport and downtown (either direction) it is a 4 zone Einzelfahrkarte (single trip ticket) or a Gesamtnetz Tageskarte (entire network day pass) you should be able to find a button for that near the top of the two columns of buttons on the RH side of the automat. A Single Tageskarte is for one person; a Partner Tageskarte is for 2-5 people.

Lee, I didn't think S8 was the better choice, I said that Pam obviously had chosen S8 over S1 as her stop might be on that line... The title of this thread says S8, I was only repeating it.

OK.

But, as I said, unless she is headed for a stop on the S8 line before it gets to Marienplatz, I would just get on the first train (S1 or S8) leaving the airport.

You can find the MVV S-/U-Bahn network map here. Note, both the S1 and S8 go through the center of Munich. S1 comes into town from the west, Laim, while S8 comes in from the east, Leuchtenbergring

I have not had much luck with US credit cards in the train ticket vending machines . . . they seem to do best with Euro credit cards or euros.