Travel time from Munich Airport to Main Munich Train Station

We recently took this route from the airport to the Munich Train Station. Our flight arrived around 7:30 a.m. and we were at the train station by 9:15. We had to wait for the 10:00 for the train to Salzburg. We arrived on the final day of Oktoberfest which didn't cause any delay. The train to Salzburg was packed (not sure if that was related to Oktoberfest) and we didn't find a seat on the train until several stops had passed. Two hours should a good amount of time.

Daniel, It's difficult to estimate a specific time, as there will be a number of variables. If a number of flights arrive at the same time, it will take longer to get through Passport control, and with crowded conditions the whole process will take longer. Even on a Saturday morning, I'd probably allow at least two hours. As I recall, the trip from the airport to the Munich HBf is about half an hour on the S1 or S8. Happy travels!

Immigration is always an uncontrolled variable. If it's just your plane's passengers at immigration, it can go pretty fast. If a big plane just arrived before you, it can take longer. If I had to generalize, I'd say 10 min at best, maybe as much as 25. Customs is normally a formality, a walk through unless you have something to d_clare. But, unless you do pure carryon, waiting for your bag can take some time. I have only a carryon bag, so I don't have to wait. There is an ATM in the room with the carrousel; I usually stop there for cash, and I am leaving customs before anyone has their checked bags. There are two S-Bahn routes into Munich Hbf, S8 to the east, S1 to the west. The MVV schedule shows they take 42-46 min. to the Hbf. There is one train on each line every 20 min. Take whichever train is leaving next. It will get you to the Hbf first. "the morning of Oktoberfest"? Oktoberfest is not just one day, but runs for three weekends and the weekdays in between. I arrived on a Thursday morning before the last weekend of Oktoberfest and did not experience any delay. Other days could have delays. So, how long? I've never timed it, but I would say that, knowing where to go, without checked luggage, and also knowing how to buy my train ticket quickly, I've gotten to the Hbf in just over an hour, maybe an hour and 15 min. A first timer, with checked luggage, should probably figure 1½-2 hours to be safe. But, of course, that's from the time of plane arrival. How can you account for that variable? (A week after I bought my ticket in 2007, the same USAir flight from Philly arrived in Munich 10 hours late. I've been an hour late into Germany twice in eight times). I would never recommend someone buying a non-refundable ticket for use the day you arrive from the US.

I would assume you will arrive at Terminal 2. When you get off the plane, you will be herded to immigration and then to baggage retrieval and customs. When you walk out of customs, you will be in the lobby of the terminal building (and outside security). Walk out the front door into an open patio covered with a tent-like awning. On the other side of the patio is a large green circle with a white 'S'. That's the symbol for the S-Bahn in Germany and the station is down stairs below it. The station will have two tracks, one for S8 (left) and one for S1 (right) with a platform in between. There will be ticket automats on the platform. If you need help purchasing tickets, the counters are upstairs in the MAC. Are you going somewhere else after your arrival at Munich Hb?. If it is Salzburg, you might want to take the S8 to Ostbahnhof, instead. Find schedules on the German Rail website.