Your First 60 Minutes:
There’s more information on the next pages about the S-Bahn in general (like how to get a ticket), but here is what you need to know for your first few minutes once you get off of the plane…
If you’re coming in directly from the US or outside the Schengen zone (most of the EU, Iceland, Switzerland), the first thing that you’ll have to do is go through border control. If you’ve already passed into the Schengen zone, then congrats, you can head directly to baggage claim.
Once you collect your bags, there are two paths heading towards the exit: a large green path for “nothing to declare” and a smaller red one for declarations. Take the green path unless you have something you need to declare. Remember, no meats or vegetables.
You’re now in the arrivals terminal. Follow the signs to the S-Bahn. It’s a white S in a green circle. It will take about 5 minutes to get there from baggage claim.
When you get to the S-Bahn, you will take the S1 or S8 (it’s the final stop for both trains, so they only go towards town – one clockwise, one counterclockwise). All of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines connect to these two trains in the downtown area (HAUPTBAHNHOF, MARIENPLATZ, KARLSPLATZ).
Or, you can just get in a taxi at the airport. It will cost probably 60-75€ based on traffic.
The Alphabet
When you see the letter ß, that is pronounced as “ss” – so Straße isn’t “strabe” it’s “strasse”. An umlaut ¨ is the equivalent of the letter “e” – so “Löwenbräu” and “Loewenbraeu” are the same thing.
Getting Around Munich
Munich has one of the most substantial public transit systems in the world. It’s pretty damned easy to get around with it as well. There are four modes available and many run 24 hours a day. All systems are integrated into a single payment system.
S-Bahn, or Stadtbahn – think of this like BART. It handles the suburbs, the airport, but also downtown. All S-Bahn trains are red. Trains are identified by the last stop in the direction you are going. So, if you wanted to take the S4 from Karlsplatz S-Bahn Station) to Marienplatz (where the Viktualienmarkt is), you would go in the direction of EBERSBERG. To return from Marienplatz to your hotel, you would take the S4 towards GELTENDORF.
Signs inside the station will also show which track is heading towards “Hauptbahnhof”, which is the main train station, one of the places where you can find fast food and groceries 24/7. So, if you know where you are going is towards or going away from Hauptbahnhof, you can always find your way.
By the way, as you will see in the map (https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/fileadmin/mediapool/03-Plaene_Bahnhoefe/Netzplaene/MVV_Netzplan_S_U_T.pdf) above, the S-Bahn and U-Bahn have similar numbering. If you want S4, make sure you don’t get on U4.
U-Bahn (literally, underground rail), this is like MUNI. It handles mostly downtown. The trains are BLUE. Same as the S-Bahn, you need to know your line and last stop on the line in the direction you are going.
The tram system is very convenient. Just know which line and what the last stop is in the direction you are going.
How to get a ticket
Let’s just make it really simple – the best way to get tickets is to use the MVV app. Android and iPhone link is here: https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/journey-planer/mobile-services/mvv-app/index.html
From there, not only can you download the maps for offline use, but you can also purchase tickets… and it’s in German and English.
You have two choices for tickets – if you are planning on traveling only as a group, it’s cheaper to purchase a Group Ticket, which allows up to 5 people to travel together. Otherwise, purchase single tickets. Also, you can get a single ticket (for one trip), a day ticket (good all day) or a three day ticket (cheaper). When it says area of validity, select “Inner District” – that’s all of Munich aside from the suburbs.
To get downtown from the airport, just purchase an Airport-City-Day-Ticket (group or single). That will take care of you for your first whole day.
Getting on and off the S-Bahn/U-Bahn/Tram
You won’t have to validate your ticket if you’re using a mobile ticket on your phone, so we can skip that. One thing that may confuse you is that to open the train doors, you may have to press the glowing disc or turn the handle to activate the door.
Walking
Munich is an extremely walkable city and even at night during Oktoberfest, it’s extremely safe. The worst thing that I’ve ever had to deal with was a horribly drunken German who after falling asleep inside the hotel’s bar was brought outside and then woke up and launched into a heated discussion about the hotel’s business practice, and bumping into two lost fishermen Northern Sweden who were looking for a specific bar and then talked about living near the arctic circle and showed pictures of the Northern Lights on their phones (they were just amped up from a great day and wanted to talk to people from all around the world – and were actually more than worth spending a half hour chatting with).
What about Uber or Taxis?
There’s definitely Uber in Munich, but there’s less Ubers out there than taxis, so they can take 10 minutes to arrive during busy or low availability hours. However, taxis are great and they are everywhere… and even better, they have an app called FreeNow (https://www.free-now.com) where you can select a ride share (like Uber) or a Taxi. That way you don’t have to worry about having cash or having to tell the cab where you are going. Nice and easy! If you need to catch a taxi and your phone is dead, there are taxi stands where they congregate in every neighborhood. You typically cannot flag down a taxi on the street.
Escalators
Escalators stop when nobody is on them. Just walk up (as long as it has a glowing arrow) and they will start moving.
Beerhalls and Biergartens
In Munich, there are beerhalls for all six of the big breweries. You can visit Augustiner which has been brewing or serving since 1328. The Alter Hackerhaus has been serving since the 1400s. Paulaner, Höfbräu and Löwenbräu have opened up their historical breweries as pubs. Spaten even operates a Michelin 1* restaurant as their home pub! In addition, each of the breweries partner up with scores of traditional Bavarian restaurants (“Wirtshaus”), ensuring the quality of the beer they serve.
In addition to the big 6, there’s Giesinger brewery that also has a brewpub – they’re expected to be serving at Oktoberfest within the next few years. Schneider Brewery (Schneider Weisse, Aventinus), Ayinger (Celebrator), and Tegernseer also have beerhalls in town.
If the weather isn’t rainy, the biergartens will be open. It’s a perfect way to spend the afternoon relaxing. Augustinerkeller (approx 8000 seats) still serves all their beer from wooden casks! Remember, if there is a tablecloth, it’s table service. Picnic tables? Self service.
Watch out for the Stammtisch!
See a table that’s strangely unoccupied at an otherwise busy beerhall, wirtshaus or biergarten? Check to see if there’s a Stammtisch sign on it or above it. Stammtisches are tables reserved for regulars. There’s no sort of ID card or anything – you just know when you’re a regular at a place for long enough that you feel like you can sit at the Stammtisch.
Paying and Tipping
When you’re ready for the check, say “Zahlen, bitte” – you may have to raise your hand to get their attention and if that’s the case and you get a look like “what do you want?” – use your index finger and draw a letter “Z”. I mean a small Z, don’t act like you’re waving off a plane that’s about to land.The word for tipping in German is trinkgeld which literally means “drink money”. At everything aside from a nice restaurant, tipping is between 5-10%. At a nice restaurant with amazing service, 10% or even a little more.
When you pay, you may hear the server say “zusammen oder getrennt”. That means “together or separate” – unlike in the US, they don’t care about splitting a check… as long as you’re all paying cash (or one in the party max is paying on a card). Otherwise, you will get lots of eye rolls.
Let’s say that a bill is 17.20 Euros and you wanted to give a nice tip. Instead of giving the server a 20 Euro bill, getting change, and then leaving the tip on the table – you would simply give the 20 and say “Nineteen (neunzehn)” – as in take 19 and give me back the rest.
If it’s 18.20 Euros and you want to give a good tip, just give the 20 Euro bill and say “stimmt” – which means they should keep the change.
If you’re paying with a card, hold up the card. They will most likely sigh, disappear, and return with the credit card machine. They’ll typically show you the amount you owe and then you respond when you give them the card with the total amount you want to pay. So, they show you 21.50 Euros, you say “23” (drei und zwanzig). Most card receipts don’t have a place to write in a tip, so you have to tell them ahead of time. If not, that’s why you should always have some change in your pocket.
Bathrooms
Men’s Room: H Herr Mann Buam
Women’s Room: M Frau Madchen Mad’l Diand’l (deep Bavarian)
There may be a cleaning man or woman working on the urinal next to you. Just ignore them. Germans stare – don’t read anything into it.
You may see the cleaning person sitting with a plate. It’s common to leave 20-50 cents on your way out. Or just walk fast and don’t make eye contact if you don’t have any change, though that’s bad form.
Credit Cards and Cash
Mastercard and Visa are taken at pretty much every big retailer or restaurant. American Express and Diners Club/Discover are taken less often – more at hotels and major department stores. Many smaller restaurants, pubs, beerhalls and snack places are cash only. Cash is still king in Germany. Oktoberfest is cash only, but every tent has ATMs. One big warning, if the ATM says that you can convert the transaction to dollars, REJECT IT – their exchange rate will be absolute crap. Just accept the transaction in Euros and your bank will apply a much, much better rate.
Shopping
Stores are open M-Sa until 8pm. No stores are open on Sunday (though restaurants, bars and bakeries are).
If you need something on Sunday or after hours, head to the Hauptbahnhof as they have a ton of stores, restaurants and even a few grocery stores open 7×24.
If you want a bag, ask for “ein tute bitte (eye-n too-teh bi-teh)” as there’s a good chance that you will have to pay a few cents for it.
Pharmacies
At the Hauptbahnhof, there is a pharmacy where they speak English. Most big pharmacies have someone who speaks at least a little English.
One thing to note, for anything, you’re going to have to ask the pharmacist. Even Ibuprofen is behind the counter.
Oktoberfest Stuff
Download the app!
https://www.muenchen.de/int/en/meta/oktoberfest-app-EN.html – Seriously, download it now. Maps, news, prices, tent status…. it’s all there.
Oktoberfest isn’t just for the beer – the different tents all have other things that they specialize in. Fischer Vroni serves whole fish roasted on spits over a coal fire. Oschenbraterei has a full ox on a rotisserie. There’s dozens of small food tents (as in seating 1500 people) serving every Bavarian specialty out there ranging from sausages to schnitzel and rotisserie chicken. Then there’s the rides as there’s a full carnival. Oh, and the old Wiesn, which replicates the Oktoberfest of the 1800s. Don’t forget the carousel bars dotting the grounds as well where you can get schnapps and long drinks!
Inside the tent
It’s cash only inside the tents, but there’s an ATM if you get caught short. Once we get into the tent, we’re in the tent until the night is over. If you walk out, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to get back in as once the tents are at capacity, they lock the doors. The great thing is that you will only have to make one decision: Helles (golden lager) or Radler (a blend of lager and lemon soda) – the Radler is a nice way to maintain your alcohol level. I usually alternate between the two. There’s a full menu of great traditional food, and there are pretzel vendors always making the rounds. The biggest challenge? The bathroom lines!
Can we visit tents from all six breweries?
If you head to Oktoberfest during the day, you can easily find a space at someone’s table – if you see free space at a table, just ask “Noch frei?” (knock fry). Or you can find space outside in one of the biergartens attached to the tents. There’s six breweries represented at Oktoberfest: Augustiner, Hofbräu, Spaten, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr and each serve a special Festbier for Oktoberfest. Can we sample all six this year?
Lederhosen and Dirndl
So, what’s the deal with Lederhosen and dirndls? Lederhosen and Dirndls are considered tracht, part of the traditional Bavarian costume. In the business world, it’s considered the same thing as business casual – you’ll find people from the older generations wearing it to work. However, in the past 20 years or so, it’s become local fashion – so at any fests, on the weekend (especially during the summer), you’ll see people in traditional dress from head to toe – or at least wearing a traditional top along with jeans.
Do you need to wear lederhosen to enjoy Oktoberfest? Nope. Will you want a pair of lederhosen? Probably. Once you get a pair, will you want to wear anything else? Probably not.
The great thing is that once you get into Munich, there are tons of places that sell lederhosen and dirndl packages at affordable prices. You can get a set of deerskin lederhosen, a traditional shirt and socks for 99-159 Euros. Dirndl sets run from the less expensive sets around 159 and nicer sets run less than 300 at the department stores. Of course, you can spend hundreds on lederhosen and dirndls…
For example, here’s a good set at a slightly more pricey shop that includes a shirt, socks, shoes and lederhosen for 199 Euros:
https://www.trachten-angermaier.de/Sets/Herren/Set-Maxi-mit-Karo-Hemd/
A similar dirndl set with the dress, apron and half-shirt runs 139 Euros:
https://www.trachten-angermaier.de/Sets/Damen/Damen-Set-Hanna/
Power
Check your plugs. If it says 100/110/120 to 220/230/240 volts and 50/60 Hertz, then the most you need is a plug adapter. Cell phones, most laptops, smart watches, tablets, 99.9% chance you will be fine. Hair dryers/straighteners/curlers, double check as many are 110/120v ONLY and even with a plug adapter, they will short out. You will need an appropriate voltage converter.