Skip to content

Munich Airport Guide (MUC)

No reviews yet Airport Munich
Terminal 1 modules, Terminal 2 and the satellite, S-Bahn and bus fares, the airport brewery and the hotels you can walk to. Ask a question
Claim Flag
In short

Munich Airport lies north-east of the city, with Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 plus its satellite. Plan 2 hours for Schengen flights and up to 3 for long-haul. The S1 and S8 S-Bahn reach the Hauptbahnhof in 40 to 45 minutes for €15.10, or €17.50 with a day ticket. It is open 24 hours with free Wi-Fi.

By the bookingMentor Travel Desk · Updated · How we research

Munich is compact, well signed and easy to leave by train. This guide covers both terminals, the ways into the city and where to eat, rest and sleep.

Please note: Flights, hotels near the airport and car hire with driver on this page can be booked directly on bookingMentor. We list places on merit, and bookings never affect what we say about them.

What to expect

Munich Airport (MUC), officially Flughafen München Franz Josef Strauß, is Germany's second-busiest airport and Lufthansa's second hub after Frankfurt. It opened in May 1992 on the Erdinger Moos, about 28 km north-east of the city centre as the crow flies and around 40 km by road.

There are two terminals joined by the Munich Airport Center (MAC). Terminal 1 is split into modules A to E, plus Hall F for high-security flights and a new Pier that opened in April 2026; it serves SkyTeam, Oneworld and most non-aligned airlines, including Emirates, Condor and Turkish Airlines. Terminal 2, run jointly by the airport and Lufthansa, serves Lufthansa, Eurowings and Star Alliance partners, with a satellite building reached by an automated train.

S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 run from the station under the MAC to Munich's central stations in about 40 to 45 minutes, and the Lufthansa Express Bus runs to the Hauptbahnhof. Between the terminals sits Airbräu, a working brewery and beer garden, and the Hilton hotel stands right next to Terminal 2.

A new airport on the Erdinger Moos

Munich-Riem, the old airport in the east of the city, closed on 16 May 1992, and the new airport on the Erdinger Moos opened the next morning, 17 May 1992, taking over the codes MUC and EDDM. The site was planned with room to grow, and it has two parallel concrete runways, each 4,000 m long and 60 m wide.

Terminal 2 opened on 29 June 2003, built at first for about 25 million passengers a year. It is run by a joint company owned 60 per cent by Flughafen München GmbH and 40 per cent by Lufthansa. The Terminal 2 satellite, which cost €650 million and was paid for in the same 60:40 split, opened on 26 April 2016 and added 52 gates. In March 2026 the airport announced a further pier east of the satellite, scheduled for 2035, to add capacity for up to 10 million more passengers a year.

In 2025 Munich handled 43,394,442 passengers, up 4.4 per cent on 2024. That keeps it second in Germany behind Frankfurt.

Landside and airside

Landside at Munich means the check-in halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, the Munich Airport Center (MAC) between them with the S-Bahn station on level 03, Airbräu and the supermarkets. Airside begins after security and covers the Terminal 1 module gates, the Terminal 2 piers (G for Schengen, H for non-Schengen) and the satellite (gates J, K and L).

–/5 No reviews yet
Travelled through Munich Airport? Your review helps other travellers.

Good to know

  • IATA / ICAOMUC / EDDM
  • Terminals in useTerminal 1 (A – E · F · Pier) · Terminal 2 with satellite
  • Open24 hours
  • To city centre~28.5 km
  • Fastest to the cityS-Bahn S1 and S8 · About 40 – 45 min
  • Free WiFiYes
  • Lounges5
  • Left luggageAvailable
About this guide

How we research this airport guide

This guide is written and maintained by the bookingMentor Travel Desk. We check terminal, transport and facility details against Munich Airport, MVV and airline sources, and update the page when something changes.

Last updated . Lounge, hotel and transport prices are typical and can change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Munich Airport official websiteMVV fares and timetablesAirline websites and lounge operators

See all 4 sources
  1. Munich Airport official website
  2. MVV fares and timetables
  3. Airline websites and lounge operators
  4. Munich Airport: bus and train connections

Flight board

Departures and arrivals listed on bookingMentor for Munich Airport.

No departures from MUC are listed yet Search the airlines' fares for your dates instead. Search flights from MUC

Times are from the flights listed on bookingMentor, not a live departure feed. Always confirm with your airline before travelling.

Airlines at this airport

Munich is Lufthansa's second hub and a major Star Alliance gateway. These are the airlines with scheduled passenger services.

Domestic carriers

4 airlines

CHECK ALL

International carriers

45 airlines

CHECK ALL

Airport lounges

Lufthansa runs a large network of lounges in Terminal 2 and the satellite. In Terminal 1, two open-access lounges sell entry to anyone.

Airport Lounge Europe

Terminal 1, module D, level 5

Pay at the door

Access: Open to all, from €38.20

Airport Lounge World

Terminal 1, module B, level 6

Pay at the door

Access: Open to all, from €49.90

Emirates Lounge

Terminal 1, module C, level 5

Airline lounge

Access: Emirates first and business · Skywards elite members

Air France-KLM Lounge

Terminal 1, module D, level 5

Airline lounge

Access: Air France and KLM business · SkyTeam elite members

Lufthansa lounges

Terminal 2 and satellite

ShowersAirline lounge

Access: Lufthansa premium passengers · Star Alliance Gold members

Water, showers & mobile charging

Drinking water

Munich tap water is excellent and safe. Refill a bottle at drinking-water fountains after security.

Showers

Showers are available in the Lufthansa lounges and in some paid lounges. There are no free public showers.

Mobile charging

Charging points are at most gates. Germany uses type C and F sockets at 230 V.

Luggage storage & lockers

A staffed left-luggage office operates landside. Prices depend on size and time, so check at the counter.

Left luggage rates by bag size
Bag sizePer dayExtra days
Standard bag, left-luggage officePriced per itemPer extra day

WiFi & connectivity

Free WiFi
Yes
Time limit
24 hours
Registration
Browser sign-in page
SIM cards
Newsagents and shops

Free WiFi covers both terminals and the MAC for 24 hours. SIM cards from German networks are sold at some shops and newsagents; EU roaming applies for EU SIMs.

Food & drinks

Food is good but expensive by German standards. The cheapest options are the supermarkets and bakeries landside.

Airbräu
Munich Airport Center, between the terminals
Brewery, restaurant and beer garden with Bavarian dishes. A litre (Maß) of house beer was €7.40.
08:00 – 23:00
EDEKA
Terminal 2
Supermarket for snacks, sandwiches and drinks.
06:00 – 22:00
REWE
Munich Airport Center
Supermarket open even on Sundays and holidays.
05:30 – 22:00, every day
Dallmayr
Terminals
Munich's famous delicatessen, with coffee and snacks.
Daytime hours
Hans im Glück
Terminals
German burger chain.
Daytime hours

More airport information

Search for what you need: try "money", "bag", "pray" or "train".

ATMsIn both terminals and the MAC.
BreweryAirbräu in the MAC.
Currency exchangeReisebank counters in the terminals.
Free WiFiFree for 24 hours.
Left luggageStaffed office landside.
Medical centreAirportClinic M, Terminal 1 module E, level 3.
Prayer roomsMulti-faith rooms in both terminals.
Satellite trainAutomated train from Terminal 2 to the satellite.
Sleeping cabinsnapcabs airside.
SupermarketsEDEKA in Terminal 2 and REWE in the MAC.
Terminal shuttleFree airside bus between the terminals.
Visitors' hillViewing hill near the runways with a café.
Wheelchair assistanceRequest through your airline at least 48 hours before travel.

Airport hours

Terminal
Open 24 hours, night curfew on flights
Check-in opens
2 – 3 hrs before
Check-in closes
Set by airline
Overnight access
Public areas open

The terminals stay open, but flights are restricted at night and most restaurants and shops close in the evening. The S8 runs through the night at reduced frequency, and the supermarkets in the MAC and Terminal 2 keep long hours.

Arriving and departing, step by step

The order of things at Munich, from the aircraft door to the train and back.

Arriving

From the gate to Munich

  1. 1
    Passport control

    Arriving from outside the Schengen area, you pass passport control before baggage claim. Non-EU visitors are registered in the Entry/Exit System.

  2. 2
    Baggage claim and customs

    Collect your bags and use the green channel if you have nothing to declare.

  3. 3
    Arrivals hall

    In Terminal 1, arrivals are in module E and at each module; in Terminal 2, on level 03. ATMs and MVV ticket machines are nearby.

  4. 4
    To the S-Bahn

    Follow the green S signs to the station under the Munich Airport Center. Buy and validate your ticket before boarding.

  5. 5
    Or the bus and taxis

    The Lufthansa Express Bus and taxi ranks are outside the arrivals areas of both terminals.

Departing

From the S-Bahn to your MUC gate

  1. 1
    Arrive early

    Two hours before Schengen flights, more for long-haul. Check whether your airline uses Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.

  2. 2
    Check in

    In Terminal 1, each module (A to D) has its own check-in and security. In Terminal 2, check-in is on level 04 and 05.

  3. 3
    Security

    Liquids rules apply. Queues are longest early in the morning.

  4. 4
    Passport control for non-Schengen

    For flights outside the Schengen area, you pass passport control before reaching the H gates or the satellite.

  5. 5
    Satellite gates

    For gates J, K and L, take the automated train from Terminal 2; it runs every few minutes and the ride is about one minute.

Getting to & from the airport

Munich Airport is north-east of the city on the A92. The S-Bahn is the default way in; the bus and taxis suit heavy luggage or a central hotel near the Hauptbahnhof. The S-Bahn is the standard route: lines S1 and S8 together give a train about every 10 minutes from the station under the Munich Airport Center, and the airport puts the trip to the central station at about 40 minutes. The S8 runs through the night via Ostbahnhof, every 20 minutes and every 40 minutes between about 01:00 and 04:00. The S1 runs via Moosach and Munich West from about 03:00 to midnight, and through the night at weekends and on public holidays. Check which line you need before boarding. The S8 is quicker for the east of the city and the Ostbahnhof, while the S1 suits the west and north-west. A parking ticket from the airport car parks also covers the S1, S8 and bus line 635, which is useful if someone is collecting you from the city. The Lufthansa Express Bus runs every 20 minutes, every day of the year, between the airport, Munich North in Schwabing and the central station. It takes about 25 minutes from Schwabing and about 45 minutes from the central station, and it can be easier than the train with heavy bags. Munich Airport serves much of southern Bavaria, and you do not have to go into Munich to travel on. The ÜFEX airport express train stops at the airport and serves Freising, Moosburg, Landshut, Regensburg and Nuremberg. MVV bus 635 runs to Freising, where regional trains continue to Landshut, Regensburg and Passau, and bus 512 links Erding and Schwaig. Lufthansa also runs express buses to Nuremberg and Innsbruck from Terminal 2, timed for its flights. With time to spare, the Visitors Park west of the terminals has a viewing hill over the apron and Terminal 1, a restaurant, a playground and three historic aircraft, a Lockheed Super Constellation, a Douglas DC-3 and a Junkers Ju 52. It has its own S-Bahn stop, Besucherpark, one station before the terminals.

Car hire with driver

Best for: Fixed price, door-to-door
Book on bookingMentor
PriceFixed when you book
PickupMeets you at arrivals
Book byHour, day or trip

Pre-book a car with a driver on bookingMentor before you land. Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall, the price is agreed in advance, and you skip the queues. Useful for families and trips to the Alps, Salzburg or Neuschwanstein.

Book car hire on bookingMentor

S-Bahn S1 and S8

Best for: Most travellers
Budget
Fare€15.10 single (2026)
To HauptbahnhofAbout 40 – 45 min
FrequencyAbout every 10 min

The S8 runs via Ostbahnhof and Marienplatz; the S1 via Freising-side suburbs and the west. The Airport-City-Day-Ticket (€17.50) is better value if you travel more that day.

Lufthansa Express Bus

Best for: Hauptbahnhof with luggage
Mid-range
Fare€12.50 online
Journey45 min – 1 hr
FrequencyEvery 20 min

Coach to the Hauptbahnhof with a stop at Schwabing. A return is €20.30; buying from the driver costs about €1 more.

Taxi

Best for: Groups and late nights
Premium
Fixed fare€96 to Hauptbahnhof zone
Messe zone€90
RankOutside arrivals

Fixed zone prices from 1 July 2026. Ranks are outside both terminals.

Regional buses

Best for: Freising and Erding
Budget
Routes635 Freising · 512 Erding
Frequency20 – 30 min by day
TicketsMVV tariff

Local MVV buses link the airport with nearby towns and their rail stations.

Airside terminal shuttle

Best for: Connections between terminals
Free
CostFree
Ride5 – 7 min
FrequencyEvery 10 – 20 min

Links Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 for transfer passengers, without leaving the secure area.

Satellite train

Best for: Gates J, K and L
Free
CostFree
RideAbout 1 min
FrequencyEvery 4 min

Automated train between Terminal 2 and its satellite.

Security & safety

Munich is a very safe, orderly airport. The usual problems are wrong-terminal mistakes and forgetting to validate a paper ticket.

1Validate paper ticketsSome tickets must be stamped in the blue machines before boarding the S-Bahn. Inspectors fine riders without a valid ticket.
2Check your terminalLufthansa and Star Alliance use Terminal 2, most others Terminal 1. Allow time to walk through the MAC.
3Plan for winterSnow can delay departures in winter; leave extra time.
4Keep valuables closeIf you rest in public areas, keep your passport and phone on you.
Pro tip: if you will use public transport again the same day, buy the Airport-City-Day-Ticket instead of a single: it costs only a little more and covers the whole network until 06:00 the next morning.
Contribute:
Be the first to review Munich Flown through recently? Tell other travellers about the queues, lounges, food and how you got into the city.

Visitors are asking

Still looking?

Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown through Munich.

Sleeping at the airport

Munich is calm at night because of the flight curfew. The public areas stay open and there are private cabins and walkable hotels.

Landside sleep spots

LandsideMunich Airport Center

Covered seating between the terminals, close to the supermarkets and the S-Bahn.

LandsideCheck-in halls

Benches in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 for a few hours before an early flight.

Airside sleep spots

Airsidenapcabs

Private sleeping cabins with a bed and desk, rented by the hour. Book ahead for an overnight connection.

AirsideQuiet gate areas

Few departures at night means quiet gate seating, though cleaning and announcements continue.

Rest & relaxation zones

There are no free sleeping pods, but quiet seating is easy to find at night thanks to the curfew.

Cots for sleeping

The airport does not hand out cots routinely. If your flight is cancelled, your airline is responsible for accommodation, so go to its service desk first.

Sleep pods, day rooms & transit hotel

Munich has a hotel joined to the airport, several more within a short walk, and private cabins airside.

Nearest hotel
Next to Terminal 2
Sleep cabins & pods
Yes
Day rooms
Yes
Free shuttles
No

Hilton Munich Airport Landside

Terminalstraße Mitte 20, next to the MAC and Terminal 2

Formerly the Kempinski, directly across the forum from the terminals. The most convenient bed at the airport.

Walk to both terminalsSpa

Novotel Munich Airport Landside

Nordallee 29, next to car park P41

Business hotel north of the terminals.

Short walk or shuttle

ibis Styles München Airport Landside

Nordallee 31

Budget option beside the Novotel.

BudgetBreakfast included

napcabs Airside

Airside, in the terminals

Small self-service sleeping cabins for passengers who stay airside.

Private cabinBedAirside

Hotels near the airport

No hotels near Munich are listed yetSearch hotels for your dates in the airport's area instead.Search hotels

Layover sightseeing

With nine hours or more and the right to enter the Schengen area, Marienplatz is under 45 minutes away on the S-Bahn.

No sights listed near Munich yetBrowse attractions on bookingMentor to plan a long layover.Browse attractions

Layover planner

Tell us how long you have and whether you can leave the secure area.

How long is your layover?

Immigration, security and Munich traffic are already factored in.

Popular car hire destinations

Explore more options to hire a car for cheap

Need help?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying through Munich.
Checked against Munich Airport, MVV and Wikivoyage, October 2026.

Getting there

About 28 km north-east as the crow flies and roughly 40 km by road. The S-Bahn takes about 40 to 45 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof; by car, allow 30 to 45 minutes in normal traffic.