Arriving in Munich: Airport Transit Logistics, Top Plazas, and Our First Night Guide
We left Vancouver for Munich on a rainy Monday morning, kicking off our journey with a quick flight to Calgary. The flight was short, just about an hour and a half, and passed by without any drama. Originally, we had a tight layover, but a delay on our Calgary flight gave us some extra breathing room to catch our next one. Our next leg was with a new airline for us—Discover. We were seated in 4A and 4C, and honestly, we were pretty impressed. The meals were top-notch: a fresh salad to start, followed by a juicy steak with mashed potatoes. Plus, there was an endless supply of wines and liquors. I almost caved in and ordered an Espresso Martini, mostly just to see how the flight attendants made it, but I ended up sticking with a refreshing German Riesling instead.
The beds were comfy too—not quite the pod-style ones we’re had previously, but we were able to catch up on some much-needed sleep. The next flight took us from Frankfurt to Munich, and it was our first time at that airport, so we were excited to see what it was like.
Munich Airport is about an hour outside the city, so we decided to go for the more budget-friendly option—public transit. A quick Google search guided us to the right platforms, and for just €16 each, we hopped on the S line to the main station, Hauptbahnhof, then transferred to the U line, which dropped us off just a block from our AirBNB. Super easy!
Our host Sarah had messaged us the self-check-in details, and we were able to get into our place without a hitch. The apartment is in a gated community in a quiet neighbourhood, on the ground floor, and has everything we need for our stay. The decor is modern and cozy, and it feels like a home away from home. With a king-sized bed, a TV in the bedroom, a spacious bathroom with a shower, a little kitchen, and even a washing machine, it’s the perfect spot to unwind. It’s a bit on the pricier side at $352 CDN per night after taxes and fees, but it’s worth it for the extra space and comfort, especially when staying more than one night.
We were pretty wiped from the long travel day, but since it was still early, we decided to take a walk and explore the area. We strolled down our street to Ludwigstrasse, the main road, and wandered all the way to Odeonsplatz, where we saw the iconic Feldherrnhalle (unfortunately currently under some reconstruction), Theatiner Church, Hofgarten, and the Munich Residences. We kept walking and ended up in Marienplatz, home to the Old Townhall (Altes Rathaus), New Townhall (Neue Rathaus), and the famous Glockenspiel clock tower with it’s jousting horses, and dancing men.
By now, the jetlag was really starting to hit, so we made our way to the Hofbräuhaus for a beer and some people-watching. This place is legendary, and for good reason. It’s steeped in history, both light and dark, and is always buzzing with people. You’re sitting elbow to elbow with strangers, enjoying good beer, tasty food, and lively Bavarian oompah music. That said, I think the exhaustion was getting to me—everything felt a little chaotic, especially with the servers juggling both tourists and locals. Still, the beer was great— I went for the Dunkel, and Ron had a litre of the classic Original. We weren’t super hungry yet, so we passed on the food and decided to wander back to our apartment.
On the way, we stumbled upon a cozy little pub called Die Kneipe 80. We popped in for a pint of Hellas beer and soaked in the chill vibe. The pub had this eclectic feel to it, and lots of folks were hanging out on the outdoor wooden bleachers enjoying their drinks. European pubs always seem to play 80s and early 90s rock, which I’m all about, so we stuck around for a while. Eventually, we made our way back to the apartment, collapsed into bed, and, of course, woke up at 3 am. Ah, jetlag—gotta love it!
🧭 Explore Munich with Viator – If you’re the kind of traveler who feels more at ease with a plan in place, Viator is a great place to start. They offer a wide range of tours that take the guesswork out of exploring a new city — from guided walks to full-day excursions and everything in between. It’s a great option if you’d rather leave the organizing to someone else and just focus on enjoying the experience. We’ve used them often and love how easy they make it to discover the highlights without the stress.