I am flying back from Moscow to MUC and have a 4 hour layover. Do I have anytime to see MUC?

Is there public transportation from MUC to the city center?

Is there one or two things I could see and/or eat?

Yes, there is the "S-Bahn" (local train), which takes ~45 minutes to downtown. I think that 4 hours is cutting it a bit close though: You would probably need 20 minutes from touchdown to the train station, then possibly a wait of 15 minutes for the train and a 45 minute ride downtown. So you would be in downtown 1h 20 min after touchdown. You would probably want to plan to be at the airport 1 hour before departure, which means leaving downtown 2 hours before departure.

This just leaves half an hour, which is probably not enough to justify the hassle.

SmilingBoy.

I would take a taxi to "Erding" or "Freising" to see a typical little Bavarian town and grad some food. Taxi takes maybe 15 minutes.

If worst comes to worst and you don't have enough time (I would not try for the run all the way downtown), you can get your fix of Bavarian food and drink right at the airport. Hofbrauhaus has a restaurant in T2, and there is an Airbrau (local brewpub/restaurant) between T1 & T2, as well as in the T2 departure area past security.

Or get on the S-bahn to one of the nearby stations and hit a restaurant by the station. 4 hours to downtown is cutting it close, unless you can fast track through security on the way back. Security lines in T2 seem to move pretty quickly, but if your flight is US bound, you get the second security check as well by your gate. If you do decide to go for it, the S1 or S8 stops at all the downtown underground stops. Augustiner Brauhaus is right outside and in between the Marianplatz & Karlsplatz-Stacchus stops. They have good food and heavenly beer.

I agree with supermasterPhil:

A little tight to see Munich. Even if you were able to get into town in a timely fashion, you would only be able to see a very few places - standing around on the Marienplatz just to say you were there doesn't seem like a very effective use of your 4 hours.

I can recommend Freising - about 10km from the airport by road. It is a charming town with a decent main shopping street which you can easily walk end to end in an hour and a half. In fact, some of the best chocolates I have encountered can be found at Mittermeier Confisiorie (near the east end of Untere Hauptstrasse) on the main street.

cheers, MWAC

I second that, Freising is the best choice. Airbr�u at the airport is a very very nice place as well

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Quick question about Friesing. Can you get their by train? Also will things be open at 7 a.m?

Any suggestions for breakfast?

Thanks

Assuming you arrive on LH3197, I'd say you would probably be outside of the airport (after clearing immigration and customs) by 7:30am. Public transportation to Freising is complicated and takes too long on your layover, so you'd have to take a taxi there (cost probably like 15 Euros per way).

You should be there between 7:45 and 8:00 am - most shops open sometime between 8am and 9:30am.

To catch your flight from MUC to ORD (assuming you fly out on LH434), you would need to leave Freising by 9:45am at the latest.


If I were you, I'd just hang out at the Airbr�u right at the airport for some Bavarian food.

Well, yes and no. Freising is at the end of the S1 line (confusingly so is the Airport, but they are on different 'forks' of the S1) - so you could take the S1 toward Munchen HBhf and get off at Neufahrn and then try to take the S1 back towards Freising, but I imagine that would waste a lot of your four hours. Freising is only 10km from the airport - hop a cab and get them to drop you off on Obere Hauptstrasse - bum around for a couple of hours and then cab it back.

cheers, MWAC

i second freising.
you can reach it easily by public transport: look for the bus to the "urlauberparkplatz P41 / freising bahnhof" (long term stay parking and freising main station). i think it is nr. 635. departs regularly, from the terminal 2 arrival level (7:34, 7:54,...), takes you 15 mins to the station, from there, walk up the hill... costs you roughly 2,50€ one way...
enjoy breakfast there and take a walk...

I'm not a particular fan of the Airbrau in T1 - I find the food mediocre, and the service bad. IMO the outlet of the Hofbrauhaus, upstairs in T2 landside, is better on both counts.

Not if you want to sit outside.

SmilingBoy.

The convenience of the Airbrau inside T2 is that it is past security, passport control and everything else. No worrying about security lines since you've already passed through them. Nothing to worry about but enjoying the Fliegerquelle! The potato soup is good if you are just looking for a light snack before getting on board, and the .5 liter beer for 2 euros is unbeatable.

And not only is the beer in Airbrau cheap, it's VERY good as well (and made right there). Can also recommend the Kartoffelsuppe.

Most German shops don't open until 9am - 10am, in my experience. You may find the odd bakery opens earlier, but that's it. Stay in the airport!