When in Munich…A Business Traveler’s Guide to Bavaria’s Capital

Heading to Munich? Here is some advice on getting the best out of a visit to this beautiful city.

 Arriving in Munich

Munich International Airport has flights to 266 destinations — the most in the world from a single airport. Terminal 2 handles Star Alliance members and partners (except Turkish Airlines), plus Lufthansa, while Terminal 1 handles everybody else. Getting through the airport is easy and efficient, and most passengers from within Europe can speed up immigration by using EasyPASS self-service kiosks if they hold an electronic passport.

Traveling to the city

The airport is 18 miles (28.5 kilometers) northeast of Munich. The S1 (via the west) and S8 (via the east) S-Bahn train services to the city center leave every 10 minutes and take 35 minutes. The Lufthansa Express Bus departs from both terminals every 15 minutes and it’s a 45-minute trip to reach München Hauptbahnhof (Munich Central Station). Car rental is available via Sixt and Avis Budget, and carshare services car2go and DriveNow also have bases here. Taxis are plentiful at the airport.

Getting around

Munich’s extensive, integrated public transport system consists of a subway (U-Bahn), trams, buses, and commuter trains (S-Bahn). If you plan on making several trips, purchase a Streifenkarte (“Stripe Ticket”). This is a cost-effective way to make up to 10 individual trips across the network, depending on which zones you travel through. You can buy tickets at the stations or while on board trams and buses, but make sure to validate them at the stamping machines or risk being fined. Munich is very bike-friendly, with rental points at many U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations. The city is also very walkable, with parts of the central area around Marienplatz being pedestrian-only. Taxis can prove expensive and driving is best avoided, especially during rush hour.

Where to stay

• The Hilton Hotel Munich Park, next to the English Garden, has great views, large rooms, and a health club and spa.
• Deutsche Hospitality’s new Steigenberger Hotel combines modern living with a traditional Bavarian culture and is minutes from Munich’s art, culture, and shopping hub.
• With its central location and 12 function rooms, the NH Collection München Bavaria proves a popular business hotel.
• The Flushing Meadows Hotel and Bar is a contemporary boutique hotel with 16 studios, individually designed by prominent creatives.
• Close to excellent transport links, The Park Inn by Radisson Munich Frankfurter Ring is perfect for exploring the vibrant Schwabing district.

Best places to eat

• Restaurant 181 is the ideal destination for a quiet but impressive business dinner. It has two Michelin stars and great city views.
• For delicious Italian food, head to Osteria Italiana. The oldest Italian restaurant in Germany, it dates back to 1890.
• Hearty Bavarian classics, such as pork knuckles and apple strudel, dominate the menu at Augustiner am Dom.
• For a celebratory meal, try the eight-course gourmet tasting menu at Tantris, Germany’s longest-standing Michelin star holder.
• Preysinggarten serves up glorious Mediterranean dishes and tasty vegetarian and vegan options in a cozy 19^th-century building.

 Where to meet friends and colleagues for drinks

• For the quintessential Bavarian beer hall experience, visit the famous Hofbräuhaus.
• Named after Charles Schumann, Germany’s most famous bartender, Schumann’s Bar is an institution in the city.
• Step back in time at the Die Goldene Bar, stylishly decorated with gilded wall maps from the 1930s.
• Located in a former royal residence, Pfälzer Residenz Weinstube, with its neoclassical columns and arched ceilings, is more relaxed than it first appears.
• If you’re not sure where to go, try the Bayerischer Hotel. It has several incredible bars, including the Hof Roof Terrace, Blue Spa Bar, opulent Falk’s Bar, a piano bar, and an outpost of Trader Vics.

 Free time? Five things to do

• Marvel at the Asam Church, a tiny, late baroque chapel full of ornate marble work and statues.
• Take the wheel of a performance model BMW and speed around the track at the BMW Driving Academy.
• Enjoy a concert in Freiheiz, an old power and heat supply station with amazing acoustics.
• Mike’s Bike Tours, the city’s much-loved bicycle tours, are a relaxing, enlightening way to see the city
• Take a day trip to the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, supposedly the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

Where to get fit and feel good

• Müller′sches Volksbad is a fantastic public swimming pool with steam baths and a sauna in a beautifully restored Art Nouveau building.
• Olympiapark, home of the 1972 Olympics, is now a massive activity center offering everything from watersports to skiing.
• For drop-in meditation, mindfulness, and yoga options, check out Meditation-in-muenchen.de. Some classes are in English.
• Blackbike.club offers pay-as-you-go spin classes. Simply sign up online to book your bike.