Munich

Munich (or München in German) is the capital of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the Isar river, north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city of Germany just after Hamburg with Berlin leading in population. Approximately 1.5 million people live within the city limits.

Originally settled by Benedictine monks, Munich offically became a city in 1158 by rule of the Imperial Diet in Augsburg. It's first ruler being that of Heinrich der Löwe, or Henry the Lion.

Meetings & Events
CS Meetings:

The community in Munich is growing and there is always something happening:


 * Weekly Meeting: Every tuesday Munich's CouchSurfers meet up in a bar, a cafe or a beergarden to mingle and have fun. Check the Meeting Page or the Munich Place Page for more info on the next meeting.


 * Munich Group: In late 2012, CouchSurfing replaced the Munich Group by the Munich Place Page, widening its area coverage to include neighbouring cities like Augsburg. Due to initial handling issues with the "Place", a new old-style Munich City Group was founded. It remains to be seen whether this group will develop enough dynamic to draw discussion from the place page. At the moment (January 2013), announcements of meetings will be posted in both.

By Plane
Munich Airport (MUC) is one of Germany's biggest airports, second only to Frankfurt. It is also a major hub for Lufthansa. There are non-stop flights to/from Munich from/to almost anywhere in the world.

Airlines flying to/from Munich include Air France, British Airways, Delta Airlines, easyJet, Germanwings, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines.

Other "nearby" airports are Frankfurt am Main (FRA), the other major hub in Germany, approx. 300 km; Nuremberg (Nürnberg) (NUE), approx. 170 km; Stuttgart (STR), approx. 200 km; Allgäu Airport Memmingen (FMM) sometimes called "Munich West" by budget airlines, approx. 110 km; and Salzburg, Austria (SZG), approx. 130 km.

From Airport to City
Munich Airport is located about 30km North-North-East from Munich, between Erding and Freising.

There are two S-Bahn lines connecting the airport with the city: S1 and S8. They depart every 20 minutes each and both go to the city center but on different routes, so depending on your destination within Munich it may be quicker to let one train from the "wrong" line pass and take the next. E.g. travelling to Ostbahnhof (Munich East) station, skip S1 and wait for the S8. For the central destinations Marienplatz and Hauptbahnhof (Munich Central station), whichever departs first is the best.

A day ticket for the whole MVV network is usually the best option to use, it costs 11,20 EUR for one person ("Single-Tageskarte Gesamtnetz" also sold as "Airport-City Day Ticket 1 person"), or 20,40 EUR for up to 5 people ("Partner-Tageskarte Gesamtnetz" also sold as "Airport-City Day Ticket 5 persons"). It also allows you to travel on to destinations in the Munich region and use the different types of public transport as described below.

There are also Airport Shuttle Buses (Coaches) into different places in the city, typically they are more expensive than the S-Bahn trains.

By Train
Munich's Main Train Station (Hauptbahnhof) is easily reachable through the extensive ICE and Regional bahn trains. There are also sleeper trains from and to a number of German and European destinations, e.g. Hannover/Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna/Budapest, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam

Other major stations in Munich are the Munich East Station (Ostbahnhof) and Munich Pasing.

Timetables and Ticket Prices can be found at the Deutsche Bahn website.

Rail travel in Germany has additional information, also on special offers.

The S-Bahn is operated by Deutsche Bahn, so regular (non-MVV) train tickets are valid for the S-Bahn but not for other public transport. If the ticket is marked out to "München" this gives you the choice of train station within Munich where you are going, so e.g. to go to Ostbahnhof (Munich East) by S-Bahn having arrived at Hauptbahnhof (Munich central station), you need not get an additional ticket. When headed to a regional S-Bahn destination from elsewhere, it will usually be cheaper to buy your (non-MVV) train ticket to your final S-Bahn destination, instead of e.g. to Hauptbahnhof and buying an MVV ticket for the S-Bahn part of your journey.

The tickets "Bayernticket" (for off-peak travel of 1-5 persons in local trains all over Bavaria) and "Schönes Wochenend Ticket" (for travel of 1-5 persons on a weekend day with local trains nationwide) are also valid on all MVV transport.

If you have a BahnCard, your ticket may be marked with "München+City", this allows you to continue your journey with all MVV transport inside the "Innenraum".

Getting Around
Getting around in Munich is as extremely simple and as easy using any of the public Buses, Trams, S-Bahns (fast suburban trains) or U-Bahns (underground). It is nearly impossible to find a place in Munich where there is no public transport nearby.

The public transport carriers in the Munich area operate a joint fare system, called MVV (Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund, Munich transport and ticketing alliance). It does not matter if you buy your MVV ticket at a train station, underground, or in a bus or tram vehicle, they are all valid based on geographic zones and maximum travel time for all vehicles: S-Bahn, underground, tram, city buses and regional buses, as well as regional trains within the MVV area. You are allowed to change between vehicles as much as you need for your complete journey using one ticket.

If you are found to travel without a valid ticket, this costs 40 Euro, so please make sure you have a ticket that is valid for travel. This includes validating the ticket by stamping it unless it was already sold validated (sold in the vehicle with tram and bus, or sold by a DB machine that asked you for the date of travel before printing it). For S-Bahn and U-Bahn, the stamping machines are at the platform, or in underground stations in the intermediate underground level. In tram (streetcar) and bus, the stamping machines are inside the vehicle near each door. Ticket inspections are usually inside the vehicle but can also be above the stairs when you leave an underground station, so please keep your ticket until leaving the station.

A oneway ticket for one Zone (Einzelfahrt, 1 Zonen) is 2,60 Euro'
 * The inner district is one zone and covers the Munich city area entirely plus some neighbouring locations - see "Inner District"/"Innenraum" for the range
 * you are allowed to change between lines and break your journey and continue, as long as you continue away from your starting point - up to 3 hours from the stamped date&time
 * ! you have to validate the ticket, unless the vending machine asked you for the date !

A Daily ticket is available for one person (single Tageskarte - 5,80 Euro) or up to 5 people (Partner Tageskarte - 10,60)
 * ! you have to validate the ticket, unless the vending machine asked you for the date !
 * The ticket is valid from the date printed/moment of validation until 6 a.m. the following day
 * you can use S-Bahn, regional trains, U-Bahn (underground trains), buses and trams within the "Inner District"/"Innenraum"

A three day ticket is available for one person (single 3-Tageskarte - 14,30 Euro) or up to 5 people (Partner 3-Tageskarte - 24,60)
 * ! you have to validate the ticket, unless the vending machine asked you for the date !
 * The ticket is valid from the moment of validation until 6 a.m. the fourth day
 * you can use S-Bahn, regional trains, U-Bahn (underground trains), buses and trams, as long as you stay in the "Innenraum"

There is also a combination between day or multiday tickets and discounts for sightseeing venues, called the CityTourCard
 * whether this is a better deal for you, depends on how many sights you are planning to visit quickly. Check http://www.citytourcard-muenchen.com/ and compare for yourself.

If you stay for a longer period of time, consider getting a weekly or monthly ticket ("IsarCard"). They are only available at calendar week (Monday to Sunday, still valid until 12:00 on the next Monday) or calendar month (1st of month to 12:00 on first weekday of next month) boundaries unfortunately. The area of validity can be chosen more specifically by means of "rings". For monthly tickets, if you need not travel before 09:00 on weekdays, the "IsarCard 9Uhr" (off-peak monthly travelcard, there is no evening restriction) is a particularly good deal.
 * Example: a weekly ticket for "Innenraum" rings 1-4 costs 18,90 Euro.
 * Example: IsarCard 9Uhr for a month off-peak for Innenraum costs 51,50 Euro, for the whole MVV region 69,90 Euro.

Current timetables and prices can be found at the transportation network's website.

If you're arriving by plane and are staying for three days, the best deal is a 3-day ticket for "Innenraum" and two day tickets outer district (Außenraum) - this currently adds up to 25,90€.

If you're a group of two or more, one or more Partner Tickets is ideal.

Orientation
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Necessities
Please note that in Bavaria, by law shops must close at 20:00 Monday to Saturday and stay closed Sunday. Exceptions apply for bakeries and for travel suppliers, e.g. shops at petrol stations, in railway stations and at the airport.

Maps
Free maps of the city are avaliable from the Starbucks inside the Main Train Station (Hauptbahnhof) and in most hostels and hotels attached to a tour flyer. For more detailed maps check the Hugendubel bookstore at Marienplatz or the Tourist Information office at the front of the Town Hall (Rathaus).

Another option: Go to the MVG ticket offices/counter at subway-station basement "Marienplatz" or "Sendlinger Tor". They sell excellent city maps for 3 Euros, including all public transportation.

Shops
There is a reputable internet and call shop located directly across the street from the Burger King attached to the Main Train Station (Hauptbahnhof).

WIFI
Free WIFI hotspots can be found by going to this website. Since autumn 2013, "M-WLAN Free Wi-Fi" is a public service provided by the city in the locations Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz, Karlsplatz and Sendlinger Tor. In addition, there are many businesses providing free WiFi which are also listed on that website.

Help
See Emergency Contacts.

Food
Some of the best food in the world can be found in Munich. Be sure to check Viktualienmarkt for fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Spices, etc. The butcher shops between Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt carry some of the tastiest meat around.

Organic
Viktualienmarkt / Map
 * The best place in town to go for the freshest ingredients. Huge selection of exotic fruits with a wide variety.  Be sure to 'shop around' a bit before buying to find the best deals.

Supermarkets
The main supermarkets you will find throughout the city are ALDI Süd, Lidl, Penny Markt, Netto, Norma, REWE, Tengelmann and EDEKA, a cooperative of independent supermarket owners. Locations closest to the city centre are listed below. Visit each market's website for a list of more locations.

ALDI Süd
 * Schwanthalerstraße 14 80336 München / Mon - Sat, 8am - 8pm / Map

Lidl
 * Westendstr. 100 80339 München / Mon - Sat, 8am - 8pm / Map

Penny Markt
 * Pfeuferstr. 33 81373 München / Mon - Sat, 7am - 8pm / Map

REWE
 * Tal 13 80331 München / Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm, Sat 7:30am - 8pm/ Map
 * Theatinerstraße 14 80333 München / Mon - Sat, 8am - 8pm / Map

Tengelmann
 * Reichenbachstr. 19 80469 München / Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm, Sat 9am - 8pm / Map

Restaurants
Augustiner Bräustuben / Landsbergerstrasse 19 80339 München / Map
 * Tradional Bavarian food and beer restaurant located in the Augustiner brewery. Excellent prices and delicous food.

Hofbräuhaus / Platzl 9 80331 München / Map
 * World Famous. Tradional Bavarian food and beer in the royal brewery.  Can be a bit touristy but is always a good time.

Accomodation
There is a wide variety of accomodation avaliable (in case you don't find a couch) in Munich.

Hostels
In addition to DJH Youth Hostels (affiliated with the German Youth Hostel Association), there is a large number of independent hostels. Google for "Munich Hostel" and you find many results. Some are listed in hostel booking portals, but others can only be booked individually, so don't rely on a booking portal alone.

Wombat's / Senefelderstraße 1 80336 Munich / Map
 * Fall Rates: 10 Bed Dorm €14 / 6 - 8 Bed Dorm €21 / Double €34 / Breakfast €3,50

A&O Hostel Arnulfstr. 102, 80639 Munich
 * 6 and 8 bed dorms, claimed rate "from 9 Euro" is hard to find, rates differ from day to day based on demand

The Tent
 * Cheapest place to stay during the summer. Open from June 6th to October 12th.  Bunk €10,50

Hotels
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Permanent Accommodation
For apartment/room/house listings check the English speaking ToyTownGermany's Accommodation Offered forum.

Other Sources

Kurz & Fündig
 * Classifieds newspaper avaliable in most grocery stores and booksellers.

Süddeutsche Zeitung
 * German newspaper with apartments/house listings in Thursday's paper. Buy it Wednesday night and start calling asap.

Nightlife
Munich is a city that never sleeps; even on weekdays. There are hundreds of Bars, Clubs and Movie Theatres spread throughout the city. Add to that the Concerts, Operas and Football games and your certain to find something to suit your tastes on any day of the week.

Bars
Klenze 17 / Klenzestr. 17 80469 München / Map
 * Local's bar with excellent prices and Augustiner beer. They even serve American style Nachos.

Concerts
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Cinema
now in cinemas: cinema programm (engl.)

The "Cinema" is a program cinema (showing many different titles only a few times) which shows a lot of movies in their original (mostly English) version.

Clubbing


The most condensed area to go out clubbing is near the East Train Station (Ostbahnhof). Here you can find two clubbing "villages" totaling 40 or so clubs in one area. The main village Kultfabrik caters to a younger crowd, while the smaller village Optimolwerke caters mostly to the 30+.

For a really great time, take the Club and Line bus from the city centre out to the club district. A double length bus with a full bar and DJ on board will escort you from the main areas of the city to some of the hottest clubs in the area. Cover for the bus is €3.

Popular Clubs
The Atomic Cafe / Neuturmstr. 5 80331 München / Map
 * Live club and cocktail bar playing independent and vintage music.



Muffatwerk / Zellstr. 4 / Map
 * Nice club for live music, disco + beergarden.

Backstage / Reitknechtstr. 6 / Map
 * Nice area with clubs and live venues for alternative music.


 * Americanos
 * Apartment 11
 * Kord
 * P1
 * Q Club

Sights and Activities
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Monuments
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Shopping
The main shopping area of the city centre is located on Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauserstrasse. For upscale and luxury shopping try Maximillianstrasse. There are also shopping malls:
 * in the North, located at the U-Bahn stop OEZ: Olympia Einkaufs-Zentrum
 * in the South-East, located at the U-Bahn stop Neuperlach Zentrum: PEP (Perlach Einkaufs-Passagen)
 * in the West, located at Munich Pasing station: Pasing-Arcaden
 * in the East, located at the U-Bahn stop Messestadt West: Riem-Arcaden
 * the airport also has a large shopping area, including luxury goods

Electronics
Saturn
 * Sells everything electronic from Apple Computers to Zenith vacuum cleaners. Don't miss the wide selection of DVDs  and CDs in the basement.

Conrad Electronics
 * Sells electronic and computer components, electrical devices, model aircraft etc.

Clothes
H&M
 * Sells a wide selection of fashionable clothes which are a little more flashier than those avaliable at C&A. Expect the prices to reflect that, but it's still not that expensive.

C&A
 * Sells a wide selection of clothes at resonable prices. Check the basement level for the best deals and be on the lookout for red mark-down signs.

Hirmer
 * one of Munich's traditional men's outfitters.

'''Konen
 * another traditional Munich clothing store, with 140 years of history.

Books
Hugendubel
 * With a huge location right on Marienplatz this bookstore sells books on every subject in the German language. There is a fair selection of English books to be found at the English Hugendubel near Odeonsplatz.  Coming from Odeonsplatz turn right on the street in front of the entrance to the indoor shopping area.  The English store is on the right hand side of the next corner.

GEOBUCH
 * The best travel bookstore in town with every guidebook and map imaginable. Be sure to check the tables outside for marked-down guidebooks.  English titles avaliable.

Museums
Residenz / 9am - 6pm Apr - Mid Oct, 9am - 8pm Thu, 10am - 4pm Mid Oct - Mar; Adult €7 / Concession €6 for museum OR treasury, Adult €11 / Concession €9 for both
 * There are two museums in one: the treasury exhibiting various crowns and religious insignia, and the Residence Museum, a reconstruction of the Wittelsbach Palace with over hundred richly decorated rooms. This often overlooked palace and now museum dates back to 1385, and was home to the ruling Wittelbach's Family until 1918. Well worth the entry fee which includes a free audio tour.  Don't forget to check out the holy relics room which includes mummies of babies dating back to the time of christ. Allow at least one hour for the treasury and two hours for the palace museum.

Nymphenburg Palace
 * While the surrounding park is beautiful and extensive, the palace itself is rather small and can be seen in around 30mins without the audio guide. If you have seen or plan to see the Residenz, then skip the palace and see King Ludwig's golden horse carriage at the Marstall next door.


 * Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum): 10am - 5:30pm; Adult €3 / Concession €1
 * City Museum (Stadtmuseum): 10am - 6pm, closed Mon; Adult €4 / Concession €2
 * Munich Jewish Museum (Münchner Jüdisches Museum): 10am - 6pm, closed Mon; Adult €6 / Concession €3
 * Bier & Oktoberfestmuseum: 1pm - 5pm, Tue - Sat; Adult €4 / Concession €2.50
 * Residency Treasury: 9am - 6pm, 9am - 8pm Thu; Adult €6 / Concession €5 / Under 18 w/ parents Free
 * Eqyptian Art Museum: 9am - 5pm Tue - Fri, 7 - 9pm Tue, 10am - 5pm Sat & Sun; Adult €5 / Concession €4
 * Alte Pinakotehk: 10am - 5pm, ext 8pm Tue, closed Mon; Adult €5 / Child €3.50 / Sun €1

Aquatics
Munich maintains a number of well-equipped public indoor swimming pools with extensive opening hours and separate sauna areas. In summer, there are also several outdoor pools.

Müller´sches Volksbad / Rosenheimer Straße 1 81667 München / Map
 * This unique bathing temple built in Art Nouveau style opened in 1901 as a bath for the common people (who at that time didn't have a bathroom at home), and is one of Europe's most beautiful swimming pools.
 * Swimming: Daily 7:30am - 11pm, Sauna: Daily 9am - 11pm, Swiss Baths: Mon 5:30pm - 8:30pm / Wed - Fri 8am - 1:30pm
 * Admission for Pool: €4.00 (no time limit), Swiss Bath w/ Sauna: €14.90 (4 Hrs)

Therme Erding / S2 to Erding, then Bus 550 or 560
 * Europe's biggest thermal spa.
 * Water Park: 2hrs €12, 4hrs €16, Day €22 w/ Thermal Bath: 2hrs €15, 4hrs €19, Day €25 w/ Sauna: 3hrs €22.50, 5hrs €26.50, Day €31

Bowling
Isar Bowling / Martin Luther Strasse 22 81539 München / Map
 * Disco and Moonlight bowling nights. Daily Special 11:00 - 14:00, €1.60 per game(each person).

Background
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History

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Industrialisation

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Modernism and post-modernism

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Future

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Work & Employment
Websites


 * Jobs in Munich


 * ToyTownGermany's Employment Offered forum

Emergency Contacts
Ambulance: Call 112

Emergency Doctor: Call 112

Fire: Call 112

Police: Call 110

Ärztlicher Notdienst (Doctor on call): Call 01805 191212

trash:Munich hitch:Munich