Munich Travel Tips: Tickets, the Airport, Cash and Sunday Closing

Buy a Zone M ticket for the city and an M-5 ticket for the airport, check whether a paper ticket needs stamping before you ride, and carry some cash. The 16 guides Roam Munich read, in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian, agree on that much and then split on the smaller things. Fares and rules below come from the MVV, the MVG and the airport’s own pages, not from the guides, and several guides print old prices. Fares change on 1 January 2027, so check the MVGO app before you buy.

The tips follow how many guides give each one. A tip given by only a few is called a less common tip. For a plan of days, see things to do in Munich, and for a base, see where to stay in Munich.

The short list

Tickets and validating

Said by 11 of 16 guides read.

The guides say to stamp a paper ticket before you board, and the MVV’s single ticket page agrees. Most miss a newer wrinkle, and it’s a useful one. The MVG’s machine page says that since 24 June 2026 station machines issue single, day and connection tickets already validated, unless you pick one marked “Noch nicht entwertet”. A strip ticket from a station machine still needs stamping.

The MVV’s price overview gives these standard fares, valid from 1 January 2026.

• Single ticket, Zone M: €4.20.
• Short trip ticket: €2.10, for up to four stops.
• Day ticket, Zone M: €10.10 for one person, valid until 6 am the next day.
• Group day ticket, Zone M: €19.70 for two to five people.
• Streifenkarte: €18.70 for ten stripes.
• Child aged 6 to 14: €2.00 single, €3.80 day ticket.

The MVG’s fare change page says the Zone M day ticket rises to €10.80 on 1 January 2027 and the paper strip ticket to €21.00, while the Zone M single stays at €4.20.

The day ticket sum

Said by 5 of 16 guides read.

They say a day ticket wins from the third ride, and the MVV page says it’s usually cheaper once you make more than two trips. Three singles cost €12.60, so the €10.10 day ticket pays off on a day across town. On a day in the old town it won’t always.

The Streifenkarte

Said by 6 of 16 guides read.

It’s cheaper, they say, but fiddly. The MVV’s strip ticket page says a ride inside Zone M takes two stripes and a short trip takes one. Two people can share a card if each person’s stripes are stamped separately, and a return trip on the same ticket isn’t allowed.

The München Card and CityTourCard

Said by 10 of 16 guides read.

Work out whether you’ll use the discounts, and one guide says to skip both. The MVG’s tourist ticket page lists the München Card from €16.90 and the CityTourCard from €18.50, each with public transport and discounts at over 100 partners. The MVV’s München Card page says each attraction can be visited once with the discount.

The airport

Said by 10 of 16 guides read for the S1 and S8, 6 of 16 for the zone.

Munich Airport sits outside Zone M. The MVV’s Airport-City-Day-Ticket page covers zones M to 5, valid until 6 am the next day, and the price overview puts it at €17.50 for one person and €32.60 for a group. A single ticket or a strip ticket also works for one trip.

The S1 runs in via the west and the S8 via the east, and both reach the Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz. The airport’s transport page says the S-Bahn takes about 40 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof, with the two lines together about every 10 minutes. Four guides name the Lufthansa Express Bus, which the same page says leaves the Hauptbahnhof every 20 minutes and takes 45. Building work near the terminals runs until about October 2027, per the airport’s directions page, so allow extra time.

The Hauptbahnhof and the lines

The 2026 timetable gives the Hauptbahnhof the U1, U2, U4 and U5, the S-Bahn and trams 16, 17 and 19. Marienplatz has the U3, U6 and the S-Bahn. The MVG’s night page names the Hauptbahnhof, Odeonsplatz and Sendlinger Tor as the main U-Bahn transfers. Tram 17 is the one to Nymphenburg, and every neighbourhood page lists its own stops. Find them on the map.

Two changes to know. The MVG’s works page says there’s no U3 or U6 between Sendlinger Tor and Implerstraße until about 27 November 2026, with buses and a shuttle train instead. From 13 December, trams 19 and 21 swap their eastern branches at Max-Weber-Platz, per the MVG.

Night lines

Said by 4 of 16 guides read.

They say night buses and trams take over late. The MVG says the U-Bahn runs all night on Friday to Saturday, Saturday to Sunday and before public holidays, and until about 1 am on other nights. Night trams and buses meet at Karlsplatz (Stachus).

Cash and machines

Said by 5 of 16 guides read.

You’ll want some. They say bakeries, market stalls and small shops can be cash only, and one puts a reserve at €50 to €100. Four also say to keep coins for machines on trams and buses. The MVG says its machines take coins, notes and cards, and the ones in vehicles take cash up to €20, so coins don’t matter as much as the guides say.

Sundays and closing

Said by 5 of 16 guides read.

Shops aren’t open on Sundays or public holidays. The Bavarian shop closing law also closes them Monday to Saturday from 8 pm. Shops at long-distance stations and the airport can sell travel needs, which is why two guides send you to the Hauptbahnhof for groceries. If you’ve rented an apartment, buy food on Saturday.

Tipping

Said by 5 of 16 guides read.

Round up, or add 5 to 10 percent for good service, and say the total you’ll pay when the bill comes.

Less common tips

Seven guides say the compact old town is best on foot. Four mention the Deutschlandticket, and the MVG’s page describes a personal monthly subscription at €63, rising to €66.80 in 2027, so it suits a long stay and not a long weekend. Four say tap water is safe to drink. Three give a €60 fine for riding without a ticket, and the MVV confirms €60, cut to €7 if you show a valid personal ticket within 14 days. Three suggest the Bayern-Ticket for day trips.

Before you go

• Download the MVGO app and buy the right zone.
• Take some euros in notes and coins.
• Check the U3 and U6 works if you’re near Goetheplatz.
• Check events for your dates and where to eat in Munich before you pick a table.
• Going for the Wiesn? Read the Oktoberfest guide first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ticket do you need in Munich?

A Zone M ticket for the city and an M-5 ticket for the airport.

How much is a single ticket in Munich?

€4.20 in Zone M and €2.10 for a short trip, per the MVV’s 2026 price overview.

Do you need to validate a Munich ticket?

A paper ticket marked “hier entwerten” does. Station machines now issue pre-validated tickets, but a strip ticket still needs stamping.

How do you get from Munich Airport to the centre?

Take the S1 or S8, about 40 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof.

Do shops open on Sundays in Munich?

No. Bavarian law keeps them shut on Sundays and holidays, with exceptions at long-distance stations and the airport.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Marstallmuseum Nymphenburg Photo: Fred Romero