I'm planning a trip for May and airfares look pretty good into Munich (from ATL) and out of Stuttgart. I am assuming transportation from the airports to the main train stations is pretty easy. Am I right? Or is a bus better? Would appreciate any suggestions.

The websites for both airports give info on transport options, both trains and buses. Whether trains or buses are better, I leave to someone else to answer.

I can help you with Munich because I have flown in and out of there several times.

If you search around the this part of Travel Talk you will see where there is an on-going debate about which is better for traveling from the Munich airport to the city center: The bus or the train? The train is the suburban rail line known as the S-Bahn. The bus is operated under the auspices of Lufthansa Airlines.

The S-Bahn station is located below the main concourse level. There is a bus stop at each of the 2 main terminal buildings at ground level.

It takes about 45 minutes for the S-Bahn train to reach the main train station in Munich. It is a typical commuter-suburban type of train. Once you have reached your destination station you have the usual chore of transporting your own luggage up and out of the station.

Many of the Munich S and U-Bahn stations do have escalators and, in some cases, such as the Muenchener Freiheit U-Bahn station, there is an elevator.

I personally prefer to take the Lufthansa bus, which runs about every 20 minutes. Once it leaves the airport, the bus makes two stops; one at a place called Nordfriedhof and the final one at the main train station.

The bus takes about the same length of time as the S-Bahn to reach the main train station

If your destination is somewhere in the northern part of Munich, there is a U-bahn stop at Nordfriedhof or you can have the bus driver call ahead for a taxi to meet you.

I prefer the bus because it is a comfortable ride and my luggage is locked in a luggage compartment under the bus. The driver is the only who opens the luggage compartment.

There are of course taxis but they are the most expensive way for getting into the city center. I have not ever taken a cab in Munich that far, but my guess is that a journey to the central downtown area would cost about €70.

Of course if 4 people are traveling together, the cost per person would be only a little more than if all 4 took the bus or the S-Bahn and bought separate tickets.

As the old saying goes, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

I can also help with the Munich part. I was just there 10/19- 10/21/07. We flew into Munich from Stockholm. I can only comment on the train (S-Bahn). Follow the "S" signs to the main counter to purchase the ticket to Munich city center station. It is around 45 minutes and does stop a good # of times. The closer we got to the city, the more people got on the train, which makes sense. Being it was my first time in Munich, I didn't mind. Once we got into city center, we walked up a set of steps and we were in the main terminal. So, what I'm saying is the train was very easy. I'm sure the bus is the same.

On the 21st, we took a train from the main station to Venice. Again, that was very easy.

jkve2

Stuttgart is similar to Munich: S-Bahn running from airport to city center and main train station.
I would not take the bus in Stuttgart. The airport is much closer to the city center as Munich, but the roads leading to the city center get lots of traffic jams. No fun crawling down the road in a bus..

Cowboy1968 beat me to it. Definitely take the S-Bahn from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof to the airport.

Bob, cow and haus have given good advice.

Thank you all for your replies. It sounds like best would be S-bahn in Stuttgart and bus in Munich. I may now fly out of Hamburg real early in the morning, so will post separately about hotel at or near airport in Hamburg. Thanks again.