Munich has a truly excellent public transport network, allowing passengers to get virtually anywhere within the city limits without cars, including the city’s main attractions. The system works 24 hours a day, although some of the commuter trains do not run for several hours late at night.
Fortunately, Munich is also a very bike-friendly city, which is why many locals prefer to bike everywhere (you can also participate; bikes can be easily rented). The city has many types of transit vehicles represented: subway system, commuter rain, trams, and buses. Tickets are purchased on an honor system and the drivers do random patrols, so make sure your ticket is validated. There is also a wide variety of ticket options, including group tickets, and yes, your dog needs a ticket to travel. A tip for pregnant women: don’t necessarily expect people to offer you a seat; you may have to ask, but once you do, people will generally cooperate voluntarily.
1. Subway
The Munich subway (“U-Bahn”) has eight lines, including two lines that only operate during peak hours. Subway stations are clean and safe, and ticket vending machines are easy to find and operate in multiple languages. You must validate tickets (unless it is a weekly or monthly pass) at a stamp machine before boarding. Trains run frequently, especially during the busiest hours of the day. Virtually all metro stations are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Transit buffs may appreciate that many of the original early 1970s trains are still in use.
2. Streetcar
Possibly Munich’s most romantic transportation option (especially when the city occasionally deploys the old tram for public use), trams have slightly more space than buses and include special night routes for night owls who miss the last subway of the city. night. Please note that there are a couple of spaces reserved for strollers and / or wheelchairs and be prepared to give up spaces to those in need. Tickets can be purchased directly on the tram.
3. Bus
Munich’s bus network is extensive, encompassing suburban areas and the city center (unlike trams and the metro, which are only found in the city center). Buses are usually the smallest vehicles in the transit network, but they are clean and efficient, and have special spaces for disabled passengers, the elderly and walkers. The buses are built to be energy efficient and green.
4. Commuter train
Commuter trains in Munich, known as the “S-Bahn” lines, cross the center of Munich and reach its suburbs. They are extremely practical for getting to the outskirts of Munich without a car, and are generally the most direct routes to some of the outer suburbs. However, commuter trains are the most likely to experience delays as they all pass through a single central line, so downloading the transit app can be helpful in keeping track of what’s working and what to avoid.
