We are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids 17 and 15) that will be flying into Munich (arriving early afternoon). We want to take public transportation from the airport to our hotel via the Hauptbahnhof. And we are planning on using public transportation to get around Munich for three days, including trips to Dachau and BMW-Welt. I have read a couple posts about the 3-day zone 1 ticket and the purchasing single tickets for the places outside zone 1 (https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/munich-mvv-3-day-zone-1-ticket). Rick Steves book mentions a partner pass for small groups and a Gesamtnetz version that includes an airport trip. We will all be traveling together, so the partner pass seems like a good deal. Can someone help me figure out what to buy and what to do once we land in Munich. Can the passes be purchased at the airport? Thanks.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
First, Tageskarten, or day tickets, are available for the Innenraum (inner zone), XXL, inner two zones, or Gesamtnetz (entire MVV, including airport) as either single or partner (up to 5 people) versions, and, as you mention, there is a three day, inner zone version. Everything people normally want to see, except for Dachau, which is in the second zone, is in the inner zone.
If your three days include the day you come in from the airport, you would be better off to buy the Gesamtnetz ticket from the airport, then an Innenraum ticket for the day within the inner zone, then an XXL ticket for the day you go out to Dachau.
You can purchase all of these at an automat in the S-Bahn station or at a ticket counter upstairs in the Munich Airport Center.
Posted by
OP
Boulder, CO
11 posts
Great. Thank you Lee.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Consider carefully how much you'll actually need a transit pass within Munich. I've found that most of the stuff that tourists come to Munich to see are located within a relatively compact area, easily accessible by foot. The only major attractions where it would be much more convenient to use a bus or train are Dachau, Nymphenburg, the zoo, and maybe Allianz Arena for soccer fans.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
You could easily spend most of a day exploring the shops along the pedestrian mall, seeing Marienplatz, the Residenz, and Frauenkirche, eating a meal at Augustiner or Hofbräu, so if those are the only things you want to do one day, you can skip the inner zone pass, but the Pinokotheke, Deutsches Museum, and Englischer Garten are each about a mile from the town center, in different directions.
We stayed near Karlstor and felt the 11,20 for a Partner Innenraum Tageskarte to take the streetcar to Deutsches Museum (2 mile RT) was worth it, but we spent another day on the mall and at Hofbräu and didn't use a pass that day.
So yes. Plan your stay in Munich and consider the need for a transit pass. But, note, a round trip for 2 to almost anywhere in the inner zone is almost as much (10,40€) as an all-day pass for up to 5 (11,20€).
Posted by
3 posts
I agree with Tom. I just returned form a two week trip that included two days in Munich and didn't need tickets other than to Dachau and Nymphenburg. There is so much to see and do on foot. Be sure to take Rick's Germany book with you because his walking tours are top notch.