Munich area guide · by local hosts
For a first visit, stay in or close to the Old Town. Marienplatz itself is the most central; Maxvorstadt, the Glockenbachviertel and the Ludwigsvorstadt between the main station and the Theresienwiese are a short walk or two U-Bahn stops away. Arriving by plane or travelling on by train? Stay within walking distance of the main station – in the station quarter itself or the calmer streets a few blocks south.
We host the Mozart Apartment in the Ludwigsvorstadt and have marked it below. Walking times were measured with OpenStreetMap foot routing from a central point in each area (November 2026) and rounded.
At a glance
A first visit with everything on foot
Marienplatz: on the doorstep · Main station: about 20 min walk or 2 S-Bahn stops
A quiet, upscale base by the English Garden
Marienplatz: about 20 min walk · Main station: U4/U5, 3 stops
Museums and the university quarter
Marienplatz: about 20 min walk · Main station: about 15 min walk
Restaurants, bars and walks along the Isar
Marienplatz: about 10 min walk · Main station: U1/U2, 2 stops
Cafés, nightlife and the English Garden
Marienplatz: U3/U6 direct · Main station: U-Bahn, 1 change
A village feel across the river
Marienplatz: about 25 min walk · Main station: S-Bahn direct
Train arrivals and day trips
Marienplatz: about 20 min walk or 2 S-Bahn stops · Main station: up to 5 min
Oktoberfest, Tollwood and a calmer base near the centre
Marienplatz: U3/U6, 2 stops · Main station: about 15 min walk
Nymphenburg Palace and a quiet residential stay
Marienplatz: U-Bahn, 1 change · Main station: U1 direct
Area by area
Best for: a first visit with everything on foot
The pedestrian zone along Kaufingerstraße and Neuhauser Straße, the Viktualienmarkt, the town hall on Marienplatz, the Residenz palace and the old city gates. Marienplatz is served by the S-Bahn trunk line and the U3/U6, so the airport is a single S-Bahn ride away.
Good to know: The city’s own district guide calls housing here scarce and expensive.
Best for: a quiet, upscale base by the English Garden
One of Munich’s most sought-after residential areas, between the Old Town and the Englischer Garten. Haus der Kunst and the Archaeological State Collection sit at the edge of the park, and the Praterinsel is an island in the Isar. The U4/U5 stops at Lehel.
Good to know: munich.travel notes it is not a nightlife area, so evenings are calm.
Best for: museums and the university quarter
Königsplatz, the Pinakothek art museums and the Siegestor, plus both of Munich’s big universities (LMU and TU). The Kunstareal museum quarter alone has 18 museums and exhibition venues. U-Bahn stations include Königsplatz (U2), Theresienstraße (U2) and Universität (U3/U6).
Good to know: Walkable to the main station, which makes it a good compromise for train travellers.
Best for: restaurants, bars and walks along the Isar
Gärtnerplatz and the Glockenbach are known across the city as trendy areas and as the centre of Munich’s LGBTQ scene. The Deutsches Museum and the Isar riverbanks are close by; U1/U2 stop at Fraunhoferstraße and U3/U6 at Sendlinger Tor.
Good to know: munich.travel calls it a nightlife neighbourhood – lively in the evening.
Best for: cafés, nightlife and the English Garden
Munich’s former artists’ and bohemian quarter, today one of its most popular residential and nightlife areas, bordering the Englischer Garten and the Isar. Leopoldstraße and Münchner Freiheit are its centre, with the U3/U6 running beneath.
Good to know: Further out than the other city areas on this list – plan on the U-Bahn for the Old Town and the station.
Best for: a village feel across the river
Narrow streets and a near-village feel across the Isar, with the “French Quarter” of streets named after French places, the Gasteig cultural centre and the Maximilianeum, seat of the Bavarian parliament. In the neighbouring Au, the Auer Dult fair fills Mariahilfplatz three times a year. S-Bahn at Rosenheimer Platz and Ostbahnhof, U4/U5 at Max-Weber-Platz.
Good to know: The S-Bahn from Rosenheimer Platz or Ostbahnhof runs straight through Marienplatz to the main station.
Best for: train arrivals and day trips
Every S-Bahn trunk-line train and four U-Bahn lines stop at the Hauptbahnhof, and direct trains run to Innsbruck (just under 2 hours) and Salzburg (from about 1 h 40). The station quarter right by the tracks is busy, with a Turkish community since the 1960s.
Good to know: A few streets south, the Klinikviertel hospital quarter is traffic-calmed and much quieter.
Best for: oktoberfest, Tollwood and a calmer base near the centre
South of the station between the Theresienwiese and Goetheplatz. The Oktoberfest, the Spring Festival and the Tollwood Winter Festival take place on the Theresienwiese; outside big events the city’s district guide calls the area fairly quiet. U4/U5 stop at Theresienwiese, U3/U6 at Goetheplatz.
Good to know: Our Mozart Apartment is at Mozartstraße 13 – about 600 m from the Theresienwiese and 5 minutes on foot from Goetheplatz.
Best for: nymphenburg Palace and a quiet residential stay
Neuhausen centres on Rotkreuzplatz (U1, tram 12). Next door in Nymphenburg are Nymphenburg Palace, its park and the Botanical Garden – an area the city describes as comparatively quiet.
Good to know: Quieter, but further from the Old Town than the areas above.
Without a car
Prices as of November 2026; MVV fares change on 1 January 2027.
The S1 and S8 run to the main station in about 40 minutes; together they leave every 10 minutes. The Airport-City-Day-Ticket costs €17.50 (€18.50 from 1 January 2027) and covers the airport trip plus all public transport in zones M–5 for the rest of the day. The Lufthansa Express Bus runs every 20 minutes and takes about 45 minutes from the main station.
A single trip in zone M (the city) costs €4.20, a day ticket €10.10 (€10.80 from 2027). U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses all use the same MVV tickets.
Direct trains reach Innsbruck in just under 2 hours and Salzburg from about 1 h 40. If you combine Munich and Innsbruck, staying near the main station or Goetheplatz keeps the luggage walk short.
Munich and Innsbruck in one trip? We host apartments in both cities. Plan Munich + Innsbruck → Where to stay in Innsbruck →
Our apartment
Mozartstraße 13 · 600 m to the Theresienwiese · 5 min to Goetheplatz (U3/U6)
approx. 50 m² (540 sq ft) · up to 6 guests · self check-in
View the apartment →“From” guide price – the rate for your dates and group size is shown in the booking calendar.
Direct booking
Pick your dates and number of guests – the calendar shows availability and the price, booked direct with no portal fees.
Booking is handled by our partner PeakStay – you will be redirected there.
FAQ
The Old Town around Marienplatz if budget allows; otherwise Maxvorstadt, the Glockenbachviertel or the Ludwigsvorstadt between the main station and the Theresienwiese. From all of them the Old Town is a short walk or two U-Bahn or S-Bahn stops away.
For train travellers, yes: the airport S-Bahn and direct trains to Innsbruck and Salzburg leave from there. The streets right by the station are busy; a few blocks south, around the Klinikviertel and Goetheplatz, it is noticeably calmer. Our Mozart Apartment there is about 15 minutes on foot from the station.
In the Ludwigsvorstadt around the Theresienwiese, so you can walk to the Wiesn and back. Our Mozart Apartment at Mozartstraße 13 is about 600 m from the Theresienwiese, with Goetheplatz U-Bahn (U3/U6) 5 minutes away.
No. U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses cover the city on one ticket system, and the S1/S8 run from the airport to the main station in about 40 minutes. Pick a place a few minutes from a U-Bahn or S-Bahn station and you can leave the car at home.
Take the S1 or S8 to the main station (about 40 minutes, every 10 minutes between them). The Airport-City-Day-Ticket costs €17.50 (€18.50 from 2027) and covers the rest of the day on all public transport in zones M–5.
Yes – direct trains take just under 2 hours. We host the Mozart Apartment in Munich (up to 6 guests) and Apartments Maria & Joseph in Innsbruck, about 8 minutes on foot from Innsbruck main station.
Walking times via OpenStreetMap (routing.openstreetmap.de), November 2026.