Getting around Munich

Public transport

Münchener Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund GmbH (MVV) (tel: +49 89 4142 4344; www.mvv-muenchen.de) runs Munich's comprehensive public transport network. This consists of an integrated system of Strassenbahn (tram) lines, bus lines, U-Bahn (underground) lines and S-Bahn (suburban train) lines.

Tickets are available from blue ticket machines marked with the MVV logo and from other ticket outlets. Unless you’ve purchased a pre-validated ticket, you must validate tickets in blue Entwerter machines, marked with the letter ‘E', upon boarding.

One-day, three-day and four-day CityTour Cards are available, which let you travel on public transport of the MVV network and which include discounts on more than 70 attractions in Munich and its surrounding. There are single day passes for one and three days and up to five adults travelling together can save money by buying a one-day group ticket (Partner-Tageskarte). The QueerCity Pass (www.queercitypass.com) is valid for one, three or four days on the MVV-network and includes discounts at more than 60 queer friendly places.

Taxis

Taxis in Munich are usually cream-coloured Mercedes and can be safely hailed on the street. Taxi-München (tel: +49 89 21610) and Isarfunk (tel: +49 89 450 540) are both good options for call-outs. A tip of 5-10% is common practice.

Driving

Traffic can be heavy, particularly during rush hour, and parking is often problematic and expensive. Drivers should note that trams always have priority in Munich, although driving on their tracks is permissible and usually unavoidable. Buses have priority when leaving stops.

The most useful car parks in Munich include Carpark am Stachus (Adolf-Kolping-Strasse 10) and Carpark Vor der Oper (Max-Joseph-Platz 4).

Car hire

Drivers need to be at least 21 years old to hire a category-one car, although small cars, such as a Smart car, can be hired at 19 years. Insurance in Germany is mandatory and drivers must hold a valid licence.

There are numerous car hire firms, both at the airport and in central Munich. Companies include Avis (tel: +49 89 9759 7600; www.avis.de), Budget (www.budget.de), Hertz (tel: +49 89 978 8614; www.hertz.de) and Sixt (www.sixt.de).

Bicycle hire

Call A Bike (tel: +49 69 4272 7722, in Germany only; www.callabike-interaktiv.de), operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB), has bikes spread over Munich. By calling the number, a credit card account is set up, which enables you to release an electronically locked bike using a pin code. You can also register online. The credit card is charged after the bike is returned to a bike rack. Once an account and pin code are set up, you can use any available bike at any time.

You can also hire bikes from Radius Tours, in Munich’s Hauptbahnhof opposite platform 32 (tel: +49 89 54348 77730; www.radiustours.com/en/), or Mike’s Bike Tours & Rentals, Thomas-Wimmer-Ring 16 (tel: +49 89 2554 3987; www.mikesbiketours.com).

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

Mercure Hotel München Altstadt

This formulaic chain hotel in Munich, located between the Marienplatz and Stachus squares, is an affordable option right in the heart of the Old Town. The 80 standard rooms provide simple accommodation but are comfortable, clean and secure. The Mercure Alstadt offers Wi-Fi access, covered parking (a rarity in central Munich) and basic catering, within a short walking distance of all the historic attractions of the city centre.

Fleming's Hotel Munich-City

Part of the Fleming’s chain of accommodation and restaurants, Hotel Munich-City is centrally located, just a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof. Its contemporary flair is pared down with straight-lined furniture, while its 112 rooms come with glass cube bathrooms. The restaurant downstairs gives the diner décor a French brassiere twist, and its spa and fitness area boasts a Finnish sauna and aroma steam bath.

Creatif Hotel Elephant

Like someone knocked an array of paint pots over, this cream-walled hotel goes crazy with the bright colours elsewhere, but it works wonderfully. Rooms are basic, but all have ensuites and TVs, and each is dotted with retro furniture. You can’t miss the place from the outside as it’s sprayed with countless colours. Breakfast is included.

Motel One Munich-City-West

Located in the western part of Munich, but with good connections to the Old Town, Motel One Munich-City-West brands itself as a ‘boutique mote’, offering functional contemporary and stylish surroundings at budget prices. Rooms are compact but modern in design, and services such as Wi-Fi internet access are available, while drinks and snacks are on offer 24 hours.

Eurostars Book Hotel

Bookworms will find much to write home about at Eurostars Book Hotel, which dedicates each of its floors to a different literary genre. So whether you’re wandering the corridors with Don Quixote or bunking up with Anna Karenina, its 201 rooms have plenty space for tucking into a good read. Modern and stylish, the hotel doesn’t have the grandiose beauty of a Jane Austen manor, plumping instead for saunas, a lobby-bar, a business centre, meeting rooms for events, free Wi-Fi and small gym.

Hotel Olympic

This unusual hotel is popular with actors and media types - partly because of its trendy, central location near Gärtnerplatz and partly because of the combination of English colonial style and traditional Bavarian architecture. Its 32 rooms are tastefully furnished and follow a unique design scheme throughout. Definitely a hotspot to be seen at in Munich, yet still kept a secret from all but the in-crowd.

Introducing Munich

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