Munich's main station: Location map
Munich has just one main station, a large modern station known as Munich Hauptbahnhof and used by almost all trains serving the city. Hauptbahnhof simply means main station and it's often abbreviated to Hbf. Some trains call at Munich Ost or Munich Pasing on their way into or out of Munich Hbf and these secondary stations are also shown on the map below. Munich Hbf is a major rail hub and you'll often find yourself changing trains here, whether travelling from London to Budapest, Amsterdam to Zagreb or Berlin to Rome.
Station overview
Munich Hbf is a modernist post-war station built in the 1950s, but it's light and airy and a pleasant place to be with lots of shops and kiosks. It's a terminus for mainline trains, so as you can see in the photo below there is easy level access from street to concourse to platforms without any steps or stairs, so no problem at all changing trains with luggage. It's a safe place to be at any time of day or night. The office block that used to sit in front of the station, through which the main station entrance ran, has been demolished, so as I write this access between concourse and street is through the side exits.
There's more about the station's history & layout at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchen_Hauptbahnhof.
For an excellent 3D plan of the station go to www.bahnhof.de and search for München Hbf.
The main hall at Munich Hbf showing the DB information desk (with the awning) under the main departure boards.
Another view of the main hall, where platforms 11-26 are lined up (platforms 11-23 visible here).
The main hall again, with platforms 19-26 visible. The exit to Arnulfstrasse is just out of shot to the right.
Looking across the main hall, platforms 11-26 on the left, food court on the right, exit to Arnulfstrasse visible on the far side.
Which platform for your train?
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You can check which platform your train is due to arrive at or go from using reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/bhftafel.exe/en and entering Munich Hbf. You'll also see the planned platform numbers when you book or enquire at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Once at the station, the station departure screens will confirm which platform your train will use.
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Platforms 1 & 2 (underground): These are the underground S-bahn suburban platforms, also known as Munich Hbf tief (tief means deep in German). Unlike all the other platforms, they're through platforms not a terminus. Although numbered 1 & 2, they are located to the north of the main station and you'll find escalators from the main concourse down to these S-bahn platforms near platform 26. The frequent S-bahn trains to & from Munich Airport use these platforms.
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Platforms 5-10, (Holzkirchen wing): These terminus platforms are south of the main platforms, outside the main trainshed, reached by walking 150m along platform 11. They're mainly used by local trains with two notable exceptions: The hourly BRB regional trains from Munich to Salzburg use platforms 5-10, as do open-access operator Westbahn's trains from Munich to Vienna.
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Platforms 11-26 (in the main hall): These are the main platforms in the main hall and they're the only ones most international travellers will use. If you stand on the main concourse, platforms 11-26 are lined up in front of you, numbered from left to right (south to north). Most international express trains use these platforms including trains to/from Paris, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Zurich, Rome, Florence, Verona & Venice. If your train is an IC, ICE, Railjet, Nightjet or EuroNight it will almost certainly use platforms 11-26.
It's quick & easy to change trains: There is free, open & level access between all these platforms (11-26) and the concourse, station building and street outside, with no ticket barriers, steps or gates to negotiate. Wheeled luggage or a wheelchair no problem. If you are changing trains, you can walk between any two of these platforms in just 2 or 3 minutes, that's all it takes to physically change trains.
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Platforms 27-36 (Starnberger wing): These terminus platforms are north of the main platforms, outside the main trainshed, accessed by walking 150m down platform 26. Few international travellers need these as they are mainly used by local trains, but the EuroCity trains to Zurich often use these platforms and the regional trains to Garmisch, Mittenwald & Innsbruck via the slower more scenic regional route also use them.
Platforms 11-26 are the main platforms, in the main hall. There are no ticket gates or checks, you just freely walk off the concourse onto the platforms.
Platforms 5-10 (Holzkirchen wing), south of the main platforms, outside the main trainshed. You reach these by walking down platform 11 (that's 11 on the right). The BRB regional trains to Salzburg usually leave from these platforms, as do private operator Westbahn's trains to Vienna.
Platforms 27-36 (Starnberger wing), north of the main platforms, outside the main trainshed. You reach these by walking down platform 26. The EuroCity trains to Zurich often leave from platform 27 in this wing. It has its own exit onto Arnulfstrasse.
DB first class lounge
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In the unlikely event that you have an expensive 1st class Flexpreis ticket for an IC, ICE, EC or railjet train, you can use the excellent DB first class lounge. It offers free WiFi, tea, coffee, beer, wine and snacks. You'll find similar lounges at other major German stations. You cannot use the lounge with advance-purchase Sparpreis or Supersparpreis tickets even if they're 1st class, or with an Interrail or Eurail pass, or with tickets for Nightjet sleeper trains or regional trains. Or with a 1st class ticket to Prague as these trains aren't run by DB.
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The entrance is on the main concourse near the northeast corner and the lounge is on the first floor, follow signs to DB Lounge - if you look at the photograph of the concourse in the station overview section above, I took that photo through the windows of the DB Lounge which overlook the concourse.
Left luggage, ATMs & WiFi
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There are plenty of left luggage lockers if you need to leave your bags, see the luggage lockers page for details.
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There are ATMs in various locations.
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The station has WiFi, but only the first 30 minutes are free. The network to select is Telekom.
Luggage lockers, located in the passageway behind the main concourse.
Somewhere to eat between trains
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Augustiner-Keller: If you have time for lunch or dinner while changing trains in Munich, I highly recommend the Augustiner-Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de) for Bavarian food & beer. It's a local institution with a great atmosphere, set in its own leafy grounds surrounded by normal urban city blocks. There's an indoor beer hall and outdoor beer garden. Some local people go there wearing traditional Bavarian dress, I almost felt I'd gate-crashed a local Bavarian party...
The Augustiner-keller is an 8-minute 600m walk from the station's main north side exit, at Arnulfstrasse 52. Leave Munich station by the north exit next to platform 26, turn left along Arnulfstrasse and walk for 9 minutes, crossing to the other side of the road at the pedestrian crossing. See walking map.
Reservation is advised, you can book a table online at www.augustinerkeller.de.
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Rechthaler Hof: The Augustiner is worth the 8 minute walk, but if you really want somewhere closer, the Rechthaler Hof restaurant (rechthaler-hof.de) is across the road and to the left from the station's north-side exit, with large helpings of good food and decent Ayinger beer.
The Augustiner-Keller, set in its own grounds an 8 minute 600m walk from the station.
Walking to the city centre
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You can easily walk from the station to Munich's cathedral or the Marienplatz, the main pedestrian square in the heart of Munich. It's just a 15-minute 1.3 km walk from Munich Hbf to the Marienplatz, much of it down a pleasant pedestrianised shopping street, see map of Munich.
Local transport: Taxis, U-bahn, S-bahn
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Taxis: For a taxi fare calculator see www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Munich-Germany&lang=en. Taxis are plentiful outside the station, walk off the train, turn left and walk out of the main exit onto Arnulfstrasse.
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U-Bahn & S-bahn: Munich Hbf served by U-bahn (underground metro) and S-bahn (suburban train) networks, see www.mvv-muenchen.de for network maps and journey planner.
Hotels near Munich Hbf
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Affordable hotels right next to Munich Hbf with good or great reviews include the reliable Eden Hotel Wolff or the NH Collection München, both directly across the road from the station's north side exit, ideal for an overnight stop between trains. I've used the Hotel Wolff myself.
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Also consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel or Mercure München City Center, all a stone's throw from the station with great reviews.
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If you want to push the boat out, the luxurious 5-star Sofitel Munich Beyerpost is right outside the station's south side exit, located in the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building dating from 1896-1900. It comes complete with a spa with massage service and sauna.
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If you're on a budget, the Wombat's Hostel Munich is close to the station's south side exit with private rooms & dorm beds, with good reviews.
Hotels in Munich old town
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The Hotel Bayerischer Hof is the historic grande dame of Munich hotels, a luxury hotel in the old town built as a private residence in 1813 but opened as a hotel in 1841.
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Hotels in the old town don't come cheap, but try the Cortina Hotel or Mercure Hotel München Altstadt or Hotel an der Oper or search for more hotels in Munich's old town.
Munich Ost: Location map
Munich Ost (Munich East) is a through station on the eastern edge of the city centre with 14 platforms. Trains which by-pass Munich Hbf (to avoid having to change direction in Munich's main terminus) often serve Munich Ost instead, including the sleeper between Stuttgart and Venice, Budapest & Zagreb and the Paris-Vienna Nightjet. Very occasionally, you may find trains diverted to Munich Ost due to trackwork, and you may need to transfer between stations.
How to transfer between Munich Hbf & Munich Ost: It's easy to transfer between Munich Ost & Munich Hbf by frequent S-Bahn suburban train, journey time 8 minutes, trains leave every few minutes, you can check times & platforms at int.bahn.de. S-Bahn routes S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8 all link Munich Ost with Munich Hbf. At Munich Hbf, go to platforms 1 & 2 for the S-Bahn, these are underground and also known as Munich Hbf (tief). At Munich Ost, go to platforms 1, 2 or 3.
If you are buying a ticket to or from Munich at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, you can buy it to/from Munich Ost so that it includes this transfer. The Munich Hbf-Munich Ost portion of your ticket can be used on any S-Bahn train between Hbf and Ost that day, not just the one that happens to be shown on your ticket. If you have an Interrail or Eurail pass, these cover the S-Bahn trains.
Dinner before your sleeper? If you are catching a late-night sleeper at Munich Ost, for Bavarian food & beer try the Haidhauser-Augustiner Bavarian restaurant, (www.haidhauser-augustiner.de) 5 minutes walk from the main station exit on the north side, see walking route. Feedback appreciated! Alternatively, there's a Burger King on the south side of the station open late every day except Sundays.
Munich Ost. On the right, the sleeper from Venice/Zagreb/Budapest has terminated here due to trackwork. On the left is an S-Bahn train. You'll need an S-Bahn train from platform 1, 2 or 3 to get to Munich Hbf, journey time 8 minutes.