Munich Airport to city centre and central station: how to get into town

By Daniel Schulz, residir GmbH · Last updated: 13 October 2026

Getting from Munich Airport to the city centre takes around 40 minutes on the S8 or S1 suburban train, and from Munich Hauptbahnhof (central station) the S-Bahn needs just three stops to Isartor. If you are heading for Lehel, you can also take the U4 or U5 underground from the central station to Lehel station. The S8 even runs through the night, only less frequently.

In autumn 2027 we are opening a boarding house with 54 apartments at Ländstraße 6 in Lehel. Even now, the question guests ask us most before they travel is: what is the easiest way to get there from the station or the airport? This guide answers it for train, plane and long-distance coach, with journey times as guide values (as of October 2026) and the pitfalls that visitors usually only discover once they have arrived.

In this article:

• Routes into the city centre at a glance
• Arriving at Munich Hauptbahnhof
• From the central station to Lehel
• Munich Ostbahnhof as an alternative
• From Munich Airport to the city centre
• MVV tickets for your arrival
• Stammstrecke: closures and disruption
• Arriving late at night
• By coach to Munich ZOB
• Conclusion
• Frequently asked questions

Munich Airport to city centre and central station: all routes at a glance

The table shows the quickest connections to our building on Ländstraße. All times are guide values excluding waiting time. For live departures and engineering works, check the MVV, MVG and DB apps.

Arrival	Transport	To stop	Journey time (guide)
Central station (Hauptbahnhof)	S-Bahn (all lines on the Stammstrecke)	Isartor	approx. 5 min + 4 min on foot
Central station (Hauptbahnhof)	U4 or U5	Lehel	approx. 5 min + a few minutes’ walk
Ostbahnhof	S-Bahn towards the city centre or U5	Isartor or Lehel	approx. 5 to 10 min
Airport	S8	Isartor	approx. 37 min
Airport	S1	Central station, then on to Isartor	approx. 40 min to the central station
Airport	Lufthansa Express Bus	Central station	approx. 45 min
ZOB Hackerbrücke	S-Bahn from Hackerbrücke	Isartor	approx. 10 min

Arriving at Munich Hauptbahnhof: finding your way around the building site

Munich Hauptbahnhof is the city’s most important transport hub. Long-distance trains from Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Zurich terminate here, and beneath the station run the S-Bahn and four underground lines (U1, U2, U4, U5). The address is Bayerstraße 10a, 80335 München; in timetables and apps the station is simply called “München Hbf”. If you are arriving for the first time, allow about five minutes from the platform to the S-Bahn, a little longer with luggage.

Redevelopment: what it means for travellers

The station has been a major building site since 2019. The old ticket hall at the main entrance has been demolished, the station for the second S-Bahn trunk line is being built underneath, and the main station building is being rebuilt. According to earlier statements by Deutsche Bahn, the new Hauptbahnhof will not be finished before the early 2030s. Deutsche Bahn publishes the current construction schedule at hbf-muc.de.

For you, this means that walkways and entrances keep changing, some exits are temporary and hoardings block the direct line of sight. Follow the yellow signs or the S-Bahn and U-Bahn symbols rather than relying on an old map. Deutsche Bahn shows an up-to-date plan in its app and on bahnhof.de.

Tracks and platforms at a glance

If you are looking for a platform map of Munich Hauptbahnhof, it helps to remember three areas. Long-distance trains and regional trains from Augsburg, Ingolstadt and Landshut arrive in the main hall. In the southern wing, the Holzkirchner Flügelbahnhof, regional trains towards Mühldorf and Salzburg stop. The Starnberger Flügelbahnhof in the north serves trains to Lindau, Kochel and Garmisch-Partenkirchen as well as the ALEX and BOB regional services (source: muenchen.de).

The DB information desk and travel centre are in the main hall. The S-Bahn customer centre and the MVG service centre are on the mezzanine level. The Bahnhofsmission (station welfare service) is at platform 11 and also lends out wheelchairs. Lifts are available at the north exit on Arnulfstraße, among other places.

Lockers and left luggage

The Hauptbahnhof has automatic lockers in three sizes: small, large and a ski locker for bulky items. The price depends on the size (source: muenchen.de). Because of the building work, we deliberately do not give a fixed location. If in doubt, ask at the DB information desk, where staff know the current spot.

If you arrive in the morning and cannot check in until the afternoon, you can often skip the station locker altogether. Our building has its own luggage lockers. That also helps tradespeople who travel by train with their tool cases and are looking for workers’ accommodation in Munich with their own kitchen instead of a hotel.

Taxis, shops and walking routes

There are taxi ranks at the main, south and north exits. A taxi to Lehel is mainly worth it with heavy luggage or late at night; during the day the U-Bahn is usually quicker. Inside the station, the supermarket, chemist and pharmacy are open on Sundays too, which is rare in Munich. If you arrive in the evening, you can still pick up breakfast for the next morning there.

The Hauptbahnhof is in Ludwigsvorstadt, immediately west of the old town. On foot, via Stachus and the pedestrian zone, it is around 25 to 30 minutes to Lehel, rather longer with a suitcase. How the districts around the old town differ is explained in our guide to Munich neighbourhoods.

From the central station to Lehel: S-Bahn to Isartor or U4/U5 to Lehel

There are two ways to get from the central station to Lehel, both without changing. Which is better depends on where your train arrives and how much luggage you have.

1. S-Bahn to Isartor: All eastbound S-Bahn trains on the Stammstrecke run via Karlsplatz and Marienplatz to Isartor. The journey takes about five minutes, and from there it is roughly a four-minute walk to Ländstraße.
2. U4 or U5 to Lehel: The underground runs via Karlsplatz and Odeonsplatz to Lehel station, also in around five minutes. The station is a few minutes’ walk from our building.
3. Taxi: a short ride through the city centre, but in traffic no faster than the train.

We usually recommend the S-Bahn, because it runs frequently and the Isartor exit is close to Ländstraße. If the Stammstrecke is closed, the U4/U5 is the reliable alternative. With a wheeled suitcase, allow 15 to 20 minutes in total from platform to front door (guide value, as of October 2026).

Many of our enquiries come from companies sending staff to Munich for several months. If you are staying that long, you need more than a hotel room by the station: for projects like these, temporary housing in Munich with a kitchen and a washing machine in the building is usually the more relaxed solution.

Munich Ostbahnhof as an alternative to the central station

Not every train has to go all the way to the Hauptbahnhof. Some long-distance and regional trains from the direction of Rosenheim, Salzburg and Innsbruck stop at Ostbahnhof (Munich East) first. For Lehel this is actually more convenient, as it is only two S-Bahn stops from there via Rosenheimer Platz to Isartor.

Alternatively, the U5 runs from Ostbahnhof via Max-Weber-Platz to Lehel. Ostbahnhof also has automatic lockers in several sizes. Around the station lies the Werksviertel, a former factory site with bars and clubs, in case you are still hungry after you arrive.

When booking, check whether your train stops at Ostbahnhof. In the DB journey planner it is listed as “München Ost”. If the Stammstrecke is closed, Ostbahnhof is often where you switch from the S-Bahn to the U-Bahn.

From Munich Airport to the city centre by S-Bahn

Munich Airport lies just under 30 kilometres north-east of the city in the Erdinger Moos. The S-Bahn station, listed in the journey planner as “München Flughafen Terminal”, is beneath the central area between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Two lines run from there into the city, the S1 and the S8. Because they alternate, an S-Bahn leaves Munich Airport for the city centre roughly every ten minutes, according to Munich Airport.

S8 or S1: which S-Bahn to take from Munich Airport?

The S8 enters the city from the east via Ismaning and Unterföhring. It stops first at Ostbahnhof (after about 31 minutes), then at Rosenheimer Platz and, after around 37 minutes, at Isartor. It reaches the Hauptbahnhof after about 41 minutes. For Lehel, the S8 is therefore the first choice.

The S1 comes in from the west via Neufahrn and Moosach and stops at the Hauptbahnhof first, after about 40 minutes according to the airport. From there it is a few more minutes to Isartor. If you are changing to a long-distance train at the Hauptbahnhof, both lines are roughly equally fast.

Operating hours: the S8 runs around the clock, every 20 minutes during the day and every 40 minutes between about 1 am and 4 am. The S1 runs daily from about 3.30 am to midnight every 20 minutes, and continuously at weekends and on public holidays (as of October 2026, source: Munich Airport). The current S8 timetable from Munich Airport is shown in the DB and MVV apps.

For business travellers who land in the morning and have to go straight to their first meeting, a city-centre location pays off: after just over half an hour on the S-Bahn you are at Isartor. If you are working in the city for several weeks, serviced apartments in Munich give you more space than a hotel room.

Lufthansa Express Bus to the central station

According to Munich Airport, the Lufthansa Express Bus runs every 20 minutes, 365 days a year, between the airport and the Hauptbahnhof. The journey takes about 45 minutes, with a stop at München Nord in Schwabing. At the airport it departs from Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and the Munich Airport Center.

The bus is an option if you are travelling with a lot of luggage or the S-Bahn is disrupted. For Lehel it is slower than the S8, because you have to change again at the Hauptbahnhof. The bus has its own fares; the operator lists prices and tickets on its website.

Taxi from the airport into the city

A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs many times the price of an S-Bahn ticket. The applicable fare is set by the City of Munich in its taxi tariff regulations. In rush-hour traffic on the A9, the journey can also take longer than the S-Bahn. For families with a lot of luggage or after a night-time landing, a taxi can still be worth it.

MVV tickets for your arrival: Airport-City-Day-Ticket, day ticket and Deutschlandticket

For the journey from the airport into the city you need a ticket that covers the airport. A short-hop ticket (Kurzstrecke) or a ticket for the city centre only is not enough. You can buy tickets from the machines at the airport, in the MVV app or in the DB app.

• Airport-City-Day-Ticket: valid for the airport and the city centre in zones M to 5, from purchase until 6 am the following morning. The single version covers one adult and up to three children aged 6 to 14, the group version two to five people.
• MVV day ticket: according to the MVV, a day ticket for zones M to 5 is equivalent to the Airport-City-Day-Ticket in price and coverage.
• Single ticket: worthwhile if you only make one journey on the day you arrive.
• Deutschlandticket: valid across the entire MVV network, including the S-Bahn to the airport.

If you plan to head into town again on the day you arrive, for example for dinner in the old town, the day ticket is the better choice. We do not quote current prices here because the MVV adjusts them regularly. You will find them at mvv-muenchen.de (information above as of October 2026).

If you are moving to Munich and landing at the airport with several suitcases, it pays to plan the first few weeks carefully. Our guide to the Anmeldung in Munich (registering your address) explains what you need to do at the Bürgerbüro (citizens’ office) after you arrive.

Munich Stammstrecke: check for closures and disruption before you travel

Almost all of the city’s S-Bahn trains run through the same tunnel between Pasing and Ostbahnhof, known as the Stammstrecke (trunk line). If it is closed, this affects both the route from the Hauptbahnhof to Lehel and the journey from the airport. Closures for engineering works are usually at weekends or during school holidays and are announced weeks in advance.

The line to the airport is not always open either. From 12 October 2026, 11.30 am, to 16 October 2026, 5 am, for example, there is no direct rail connection according to Munich Airport, and replacement buses run instead. You will find notices like this on the websites of S-Bahn München, the MVV and muenchen.de.

What to do if the line is closed? From the Hauptbahnhof, take the U4 or U5 to Lehel, which runs independently of the S-Bahn. From the airport, take the S8 to Ostbahnhof, change to the U5 and allow about half an hour extra. If there is disruption at Munich Hauptbahnhof itself, check the DB app before you head to the platform.

This is particularly important for trade fair visitors, because the whole city is busier during fair weeks. You can find out when the major fairs take place in our calendar of Messe Munich 2027 dates.

Arriving late at night: what still runs after 11 pm

Many trains from northern Germany do not reach the Hauptbahnhof until around midnight, and flights still land at the airport in the evening too. Getting on to Lehel is no problem. The S8 runs all night, although from about 1 am only every 40 minutes. So check the app briefly before you land, so you do not end up waiting 35 minutes on the platform.

Taxis wait at the exits of the Hauptbahnhof at night as well. It is a short ride to Lehel. If you are out at night with luggage, stick to the well-lit main routes around the station. According to the Munich Police Headquarters’ 2025 security report, Munich is the safest major city in Germany, but the usual caution still applies at the station.

Our building has no reception, but it does have a 24-hour safe check-in. So you do not need anyone to wait for you, and you do not have to commit to an arrival time. If you often arrive late for work, a boarding house with its own entrance is usually more relaxed than a hotel with nothing but a doorbell at night.

The same goes for trade fair teams who arrive in the evening and need to be at their stand at eight the next morning: the shorter the route from platform to bed, the better. Find out more on our page about accommodation near Messe Munich.

By coach: Munich ZOB at Hackerbrücke

Long-distance coaches in Munich arrive at the ZOB, the central bus station at Hackerbrücke 4. It lies between the Hauptbahnhof and Hackerbrücke beneath a shopping centre, and its 29 bus bays are covered (source: muenchen.de). It is about a ten-minute walk to the Hauptbahnhof.

The quicker way to Lehel is via Hackerbrücke S-Bahn station right next to the ZOB. From there, every eastbound S-Bahn runs via the Hauptbahnhof, Karlsplatz and Marienplatz to Isartor, around ten minutes in total. If the Stammstrecke is closed, walk to the Hauptbahnhof and take the U4 or U5.

Coach passengers are often students, interns and young professionals looking for their first place to stay. If you need to bridge a few months until a tenancy agreement is in place, you will find details on our page about furnished apartments in Munich.

Conclusion: the S-Bahn to Isartor is usually the quickest route

From Munich Hauptbahnhof, the S-Bahn to Isartor or the U4/U5 to Lehel gets you to Ländstraße within a quarter of an hour, and from the airport the S8 takes you there in around 40 minutes without changing. Before you travel, it is worth checking for Stammstrecke closures and, at night, bearing in mind the S8’s 40-minute frequency. How we welcome guests with a 24-hour check-in is described on our page about our boarding house in Munich.

Frequently asked questions about arriving in Munich

How do I get from Munich Airport to the city centre?

The quickest way is the S-Bahn: the S8 and S1 alternate roughly every ten minutes and take around 40 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof. The S8 stops at Ostbahnhof and Isartor on the way. Alternatively, the Lufthansa Express Bus runs every 20 minutes and takes about 45 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof.

Which S-Bahn runs from Munich Airport to the central station?

Both the S1 and the S8 run from Munich Airport to the Hauptbahnhof. The S1 comes from the west and reaches the Hauptbahnhof first; the S8 comes from the east via Ostbahnhof, Isartor and Marienplatz.

How long does the S8 take from the airport to the central station?

The S8 takes about 41 minutes from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof and about 37 minutes to Isartor (guide values, as of October 2026). At night, between about 1 am and 4 am, it only runs every 40 minutes.

Are there lockers at Munich central station?

Yes, Munich Hauptbahnhof has automatic lockers in three sizes, including a ski locker. Because of the building work the location may change; the DB information desk in the main hall can tell you where they currently are.

Is the Deutschlandticket valid to Munich Airport?

Yes, the Deutschlandticket is valid across the entire MVV network and therefore also on the S1 and S8 to the airport. The Lufthansa Express Bus has its own fares.

What should I do if the Stammstrecke is closed?

From the Hauptbahnhof, take the U4 or U5 to Lehel. From the airport, take the S8 to Ostbahnhof and change to the U5; allow about half an hour extra.

Where do long-distance coaches arrive in Munich?

Long-distance coaches stop at Munich ZOB at Hackerbrücke 4, between the Hauptbahnhof and Hackerbrücke S-Bahn station. All S-Bahn trains on the Stammstrecke run from Hackerbrücke into the city centre.

What is the address of Munich central station?

Munich Hauptbahnhof is at Bayerstraße 10a, 80335 München, in Ludwigsvorstadt west of the old town. There are taxi ranks at the main, south and north exits.