Another airport/train question
 

Please bear with me...I am asking on behalf of my son, an exchange student in Europe. His computer is currently dead and I'm trying to help him find info for travel next month. He will be arriving at the Munich airport at 12:30 and departing on a train to Salzburg at 17:30. Is there a train from the airport to the main station? Should he take the Lufthansa bus to town and then to the station? What is in the vicinity to see in that short period of time? He may be returning to Munich, but he still has 4+ hours...

Thanks for your advice!

There is an S-bahn station in the basement of the central area between the two terminal at MUC. The S-bahn to the main train station leaves about every 10 minutes, takes about 40 minutes, and a ticket costs €8,80 (€8,40 if you buy it from a machine with a credit card).

The "Lufthansa" bus also goes from MUC to the main station. It leaves every 20 minutes, takes slightly longer (45 min) and costs €10, but the seats are more comfortable and you don't have to carry your luggage.

On the other hand, if he is going to use public transportation in town before he leaves for Salzburg, he will need a day transit ticket. These are €4,80 for the inner zone, if he came in on the bus, or he can purchase the all zones day ticket at the airport for €9,60 and it will not only cover the S-bahn into town, but also rides on any other means of tranport while he is in town.

He can store his luggage at the main railway station after arrival. The Marienplatz is within walking distance; ditto the Residenze museum; he can take a tram from the front of the RR station to the Nymphenburg Palace.

Is he purposely waiting to take that 17:30 train so he can explore Munich? Trains to Salzburg run frequently.

Thanks for the replies! I don't know why he booked the 17:30 train to Salzburg. He'll be traveling with just a small backpack and it sounds like there is enough to see near the train station for a few hours (Marienplatz).

He'll have the same situation in Berlin (5 hours between train and plane). Any advice?

If he has a small packpack and doesn't need to check it, he doesn't need to go all the way to the Hbf at first. Tell him to come in on the S8 and get off at Marienplatz (it is the stop after Isartor). If he got the day ticket, he can get back on the S-bahn at Marienplatz and ride to the Hbf.

There is quite a lot to see at Marienplatz. Besides the Rathaus and the Residenz, there is the Frauenkirche. To the southeast of Marienplatz is St. Peters church. You can see the tower from Marienplatz. For a few Euro you can climb the steps to the top and get a really good view of Munich and, on a clear day, to the Alps. Nearby is the Viktualienmarkt - the open market. Depending on his age, he could go to the Hofbräuhaus. If he has time to walk to the Hbf, the pedestrian mall from Marienplatz to Karlstor can be interesting.

Both the S-1 and the S-8 will get him to the Marienplatz but the S-8 may get him there a bit sooner since it stops at the Marienplatz before it gets to the main RR station; the S-1 does the reverse.

>€8,40 if you buy it from a machine with a credit card).
Don't ever put your card in an MVG ticket machine!!! Bad idea. Pay cash or get a strip ticket. Yes, I know what I'm takling about! :-(

The S1 will get him to Marienplatz one minute sooner than if he waits for the S8, but he has the stop in Neufahrn that could be confusing. I figured it was worth the minute to avoid the confusion.

Thank you!

I don't understand about the train booking. Usually one does not book a train in Germany other than to have a seat reservation.

It is not like an airplane trip.

Both the S-Bahn and the Lufthansa Bus will get a passenger to the main station.

I prefer the bus, but my needs are different than in this case.

I agree. Unless the objective is to see a little of downtown Munich before continuing on to Salzburg, there is no reason to wait until 17:30.

Perhaps he is giving himself some buffer time in case the plane is late.
But there is a fast train at 15:26, at 16:22 and at 17:23. There is not one at precisely 17:30 to Salzburg.

Figuring out the motivations of a college student is often a challenge, but I suspect he made reservations to guarantee that he will have transport to Salzburg by the evening of that day. Since he has never been to Germany before, he is unaware of how full/empty trains are and whether reservations are necessary. I wouldn't know either. However, that's why advice from more seasoned travelers is so valuable, and I appreciate everyone's response! Thank you!

By the way, the exact time of the train IS 17:23. Seems like a few hours in Munich can be well spent.

He will have a wonderful time and I am sure will feel comfortable once he gets into the city and realizes he can get around and do tyhings without too many language barrier issues.

The railroad station in Munich is the typical swirl of humanity but is easy to figure out, train departure platforms are well-marked, there's all kinds of food available, etc., to include a Burger King!!!!

I'm jealous 'cause I wish I were back there right now!