Hitchhiker's Guide
to Munich's Airport

but the rides you may want to hitch can actually be very expensive. Cab rides lead the pack with a whopping DM 100 to get from the airport to Munich's train station or inner city - no wonder, the airport is almost 30 miles away from downtown.

You've landed in Munich, how do you go on from there ?

After picking up your luggage and passing through customs - open sesame - a pair of glass sliding doors open with a slashing hiss, you've made it.

Welcome to the street level, walk less than 60 feet straight ahead and you'll find yourself standing in the middle of the airport boulevard leading to all terminals, entrances and exits. A few daring meeting commitees will risk parking in the "white zone" or "red zone" and zip out of the airport in almost no time. The more expensive alternative is parking in an underground labyrinth at a min. of DM 4.00 a shot and a bit of luck finding your car in time - you have 10 minutes from the time you pay and stamp your ticket to finding the exit.

Dollars and Sense, Family and Friends

Most of us will be busy packing and preparing and forgetting to buy a few Marks for the first hours of survival in a new country. No problem - take the closest escalator one story down and follow the panels to the "Central Zone", you may wish to admire colorful "metropolis style" neon art on your way.
Head on to the branch of the C*****bank located at almost all airports and train stations in Germany. You'll be amazed but you can acually obtain cash on your credit cards, probably one of the more economic ways of changing your money into foreign currencies.
Let's not forget our loved ones that had to stay home, the very stylish post office is just 100 feet farther down the way. An english speaking clerk and operator will assign you to a transparent booth to call in all comfort and privacy.
Let's save some money on our ride to downtown

Hop on the suburban train (S-Bahn)and save close to 90 Marks compared to cab fares. The ride takes only half an hour. Right next to the glass covered escalator leading to the tracks you'll see the omnipresent ticket vending machines. Buses, subways, street cars and suburban trains use the same tickets. A ride downtown takes 8 segments of the 10 segment ticket costing DM 13 at the time of this writing. Push the blue button labeled "S", fill the machine with coins or use a DM 10, 20 bill.
Turn 180 degrees and you'll see the entrance to the train decks. Validating the ticket is easy, you don't need to stamp all 8 segments, just the 8th one will suffice. But, where to do you stamp the famous tickets ? Take a closer look at the image to the right, on the lower right hand side you'll see a little blue box with a large letter "E" on an orange square. Fold the ticket so that the 8th segment is face up and slide it into the slot until you hear a bell sound. That's it, welcome to Germany's most complicated public transportation payment system.

Why is the steel and glass palace where it is ? A very long time ago - at least 18 years - Munich decided it needed an international airport that could meet the corporate image representation and other questionable goals. Often quoted as being the center of political corruption scandals, it took almost two decades from decision to inauguration. Many farmers that owned the surrounding fields refused to sell and organized tremendous protest against building an airport in a constantly fogged-in region and where the ground water level is just one foot below the surface. The technical feats are impressive and well documented, from subterranean fuel supplies and safety systems to the drainage system that tries to keep the fog away. Topping the whole thing off, it was named in honor of one of Bavaria's most corrupt politician and state leaders, Franz-Josef Strauss.

What happened to the old airport

Munich's former "little town" airport - the 747's had a hard time checking in and out and passengers where asked to climb 3 flights of stairs to board - has become a raver's heaven with weekend "loops" taking off all the time. The runways have recently been invaded by dozens of construction cranes, Munich is moving its well known "convention center" from the "Wies'n" to suburbia, alas.