Is there a direct train from Salzburg to the airport in Munich or must you change trains in Munich? How much hassle is involved?

I'd be checking www.bahn.de to see for myself if there are any direct trains. I flew into Munich a few years ago, took an S-Bahn train into Munich, stopped in town for a few hours, then took a train on to Salzburg. I don't remember it being much of a hassle, but I didn't have much luggage.

Yes check the website Andrew suggests. However, from my recollection there is no direct service from two years ago, unless I was wrong.

I went reverse from Munich airport to Salzburg with a switch just outside of Munich. Very simple, just follow the station signs on the ticket from Salzburg.

At the DB site you'll find you can change trains either at Munich Hbf (main station) or Munich Ost (east station.) Changing at the smaller Munich Ost station should be easier for you.

You cannot get any direct service from the airport. As was mentioned above, you either change at the main station in Munich or at Munich East. You can take one of two S-Bahn trains from the airport into the city. S-1 or the S-8; they usually alternate.

Here is a system map:

http://www.s-bahn-muenchen.de/s_muen..._bahn_2015.pdf

You can see that taking the S-8 will get you to Munich East faster than taking the S-1

My apologies for looking at your proposed itinerary in the incorrect order. Obviously, you would have to change trains at either Munich East or at the main rail station for an S-bahn service to the airport. Your tail ticket should be good for the entire journey since those S-Bahn trains are run by the German Railways.

If you plan to travel with the cheap day pass for regional transport (Bayern Ticket, which is also valid for trips to/from Salzburg, not valid before 9am on workdays), you should change at München Ostbahnhof / Munich East.
It is much easier and convenient (and faster) to change there than at Munich main station where the regional trains from Salzburg terminate at platforms outside the main hall - which means a long treck to the S-Bahn platforms.
At Munich East the regional trains from Salzburg usually call at the same platform where also the S-Bahn 8 to the airport will stop.
The Bayern Ticket is also valid for any S-Bahn service.

Thanks so much for the advice. However, now we have decided to take a shuttle from Salzburg to the Munich Airport. We're getting older. Any advice on that topic would be appreciated.

I have traveled this route many times, but never by shuttle. If you google "Salzburg to Munich airport transfer", you get several options. It seems they go for about 61EU per person.

A private transfer, seems to be running well over 200EU per car load.

Have you asked your hotel about non-train options?

I have always done this by train (which you don't want to do for whatever the reason.) This is a trivial route. Even the transfer is a fraction of complexity of airport transfers.

Exercise! Exercise!!!!

Were you looking for comments on taking the shuttle or getting older. I have experience with both.