Travelling from Frankfurt to Munich

[Flashback]

I have a couple of issues at hand here that I've been trying to work out a solution to.

I land at FRA at 6.30am and need to get to Munich (town centre would most likely be easiest as I'm meeting a friend there) no earlier than 6pm. Keeping this in mind there's a few options.

1. Take the high speed trains, then find something to do once in Munich but will have to lug my luggage around.
2. Take a bus of some form (http://www.touring.de has been made reference to, but I don't see Munich / München as an option on it?). I've also heard of Europabus been mentioned, but not sure if this would suit. It does take 11 hours, but not sure if I'd get to where it leaves in time?
3. Fly, but presents the same problem as the first option.

Cheapest way is better, and obviously this would most likely be the one that would take the longest so a win/win situation.

Any thoughts?

Edit: I have found this, not sure if the information is still valid? I assume tickets would be the same price whether bought when you arrive VS before you arrive (which you may not be able to do anyway?).

1. Buy a normal ticket to Kahl - the first stop in Bavaria. EUR 6,60.

2. Buy a Bavaria Ticket Single which covers the part from Kahl to Munich. EUR 18,00.

You can buy both tickets from ticket machines at Frankfurt Airport.

 

[medhead]

I have a couple of issues at hand here that I've been trying to work out a solution to.

I land at FRA at 6.30am and need to get to Munich (town centre would most likely be easiest as I'm meeting a friend there) no earlier than 6pm. Keeping this in mind there's a few options.

1. Take the high speed trains, then find something to do once in Munich but will have to lug my luggage around.
2. Take a bus of some form (http://www.touring.de has been made reference to, but I don't see Munich / München as an option on it?). I've also heard of Europabus been mentioned, but not sure if this would suit. It does take 11 hours, but not sure if I'd get to where it leaves in time?
3. Fly, but presents the same problem as the first option.

Cheapest way is better, and obviously this would most likely be the one that would take the longest so a win/win situation.

Any thoughts?

Edit: I have found this, not sure if the information is still valid? I assume tickets would be the same price whether bought when you arrive VS before you arrive (which you may not be able to do anyway?).

1. Buy a normal ticket to Kahl - the first stop in Bavaria. EUR 6,60.

2. Buy a Bavaria Ticket Single which covers the part from Kahl to Munich. EUR 18,00.

You can buy both tickets from ticket machines at Frankfurt Airport.

I'd do option one myself. There are plenty of lockers available at the Munich trainstation (hauptbahnhof) for luggage. You could then take a wander around town. Augustiner beer garden is near by, my brother says it's the best in Munich. Also the English garden us an easy walk. Should be ok to kill an afternoon.

The bavaria pass might be ok. But it is a day pass so check prices. I'd expect that if you can get to Bavaria for 6 euro then you should be able to get from kahl to Munich for about the same. Does the Bavaria pass allow travel on the ICE?

Otherwise you could look around Frankfurt for a bit or say Stuttgart on the way to make a day of it.

 

[Flashback]

1. Buy a normal ticket to Kahl - the first stop in Bavaria. EUR 6,60.

2. Buy a Bavaria Ticket Single which covers the part from Kahl to Munich. EUR 18,00.

You can buy both tickets from ticket machines at Frankfurt Airport.

Just an update, the prices are 7,15 and 20,00 now (found on another site that has a more recent post with this idea of routing).

I spoke to my friend in Munich and he said this is the best option anyway, and you get to see some nice scenery.

All I need to do now is work out what buttons I need to press on the ticket machine, I remember when I arrived in FRA 8 months ago that even though you selected English it was still very German'ised and the only way I worked out I had the right ticket was due to the amount of Euro I had to pay

 

[medhead]

I'm not sure when you are doing this trip soon I guess. But I'm just checking fares frankfurt to Munich for October. I'm seeing second class for 29 euro on a savings fare and 49 euro in 1st. The other option is a good way to see the countryside. But if doing it to save money, it might not be that great a saving.

I used www.db.de and switch to the English site.

 

[Flashback]

I'm not sure when you are doing this trip soon I guess. But I'm just checking fares frankfurt to Munich for October. I'm seeing second class for 29 euro on a savings fare and 49 euro in 1st. The other option is a good way to see the countryside. But if doing it to save money, it might not be that great a saving.

I used DB-Konzern | Startseite and switch to the English site.

Travelling early September, can't bring up a price that cheap leaving from FRA-port. Mainly doing it as it takes longer and get to see a bit more of the countryside. It then gives me travel on the U-bahn/bus system till 3am the next morning which is a plus.

 

[docjames]

+1 to option 1 - there's plenty to see and do around Munich, and plenty of luggage lockers too.

 

[medhead]

The Bavaria pass is a great product. It is even good to go to Salzburg.

Say on the 4th sept the viable options are 39 or 49. Assuming you can't make the 6:54am train

I'm just googling Kahl. Is t Kahl am
Main, which is right next to Frankfurt?

 

[Flashback]

The Bavaria pass is a great product. It is even good to go to Salzburg.

Say on the 4th sept the viable options are 39 or 49. Assuming you can't make the 6:54am train

I'm just googling Kahl. Is t Kahl am
Main, which is right next to Frankfurt?

It is Kahl(main), yes. I'm not sure where it is exactly in relation to FRA airport, but I believe it isn't too far.

Will be on Sep 3.

Given I'm flying in F (first time!), I won't be rushing to make any particular train so will be a nice relaxed start to the day

 

[medhead]

It is Kahl(main), yes. I'm not sure where it is exactly in relation to FRA airport, but I believe it isn't too far.

Will be on Sep 3.

Given I'm flying in F (first time!), I won't be rushing to make any particular train so will be a nice relaxed start to the day

Noice!
Google maps has it almost due east from Frankfurt. If you have iPhone, I use an app called fahrplan. It is showing about an hour train trip to kahl. The app is a bit clunky and I haven't tested it in anger, but it seems to get the schedules ok.

 

[Flashback]

Noice!
Google maps has it almost due east from Frankfurt. If you have iPhone, I use an app called fahrplan. It is showing about an hour train trip to kahl. The app is a bit clunky and I haven't tested it in anger, but it seems to get the schedules ok.

Thanks for the tip, I'll download the app onto my iPhone now! (I knew when I purchased it just before my Eurotrip last year it would come in handy, has paid itself off 10x over )

 

[jsoprano]

Just an update, the prices are 7,15 and 20,00 now (found on another site that has a more recent post with this idea of routing).

I spoke to my friend in Munich and he said this is the best option anyway, and you get to see some nice scenery.

All I need to do now is work out what buttons I need to press on the ticket machine, I remember when I arrived in FRA 8 months ago that even though you selected English it was still very German'ised and the only way I worked out I had the right ticket was due to the amount of Euro I had to pay

Please note the EUR 20.00 "Bayern-Ticket" you are refering to is only valid on regional trains, but not on long-distance nor high-speed trains. No ICEs, no IC or ECs.

Just fyi if you enjoy trains and don't mind several changes, this should be the cheapest option. In detail for the 3rd Sep this means (just one example):

Get from FRA to Kahl am Main (haven't checked this)
Take the 10:04 AM "RegionalExpress" from Kahl to Wuerzburg Hbf, arrive 11:24 AM
Take the 11:40 AM "RegionalExpress" to Nuernberg (Nuremberg) Hbf, arrive 12:54 PM
Take the 1:08 PM "RegionalExpress" to Muenchen (Munich) Hbf, arrive 2:53 PM

So this is not the most comfortable journey, and also one should note regional trains in Germany are not always on time. So you might end up with an unvoluntairy layover in Wuerzburg or Nuernberg for another hour (both are beautiful cities btw and definetly worth a longer visit).

So given there are EUR 39.00 tickets available for the ICE on that morning these are definetly more comfortable:

leave FRA Airport Station 8:02 AM, arrive Wuerzburg Hbf at 9:24 AM
leave Wuerzburg Hbf 9:30 AM, arrive Muenchen Hbf at 11:43 AM

Or a direct connection half an hour later, for EUR 49.00:

leave FRA Airport Station 8:37 AM, arrive Muenchen Hbf at 12:05 PM

I would choose one of the later options, just for comfort and to spend the time at Munich in a beergarden .

 

[Flashback]

Please note the EUR 20.00 "Bayern-Ticket" you are refering to is only valid on regional trains, but not on long-distance nor high-speed trains. No ICEs, no IC or ECs.

Just fyi if you enjoy trains and don't mind several changes, this should be the cheapest option. In detail for the 3rd Sep this means (just one example):

Get from FRA to Kahl am Main (haven't checked this)
Take the 10:04 AM "RegionalExpress" from Kahl to Wuerzburg Hbf, arrive 11:24 AM
Take the 11:40 AM "RegionalExpress" to Nuernberg (Nuremberg) Hbf, arrive 12:54 PM
Take the 1:08 PM "RegionalExpress" to Muenchen (Munich) Hbf, arrive 2:53 PM

So this is not the most comfortable journey, and also one should note regional trains in Germany are not always on time. So you might end up with an unvoluntairy layover in Wuerzburg or Nuernberg for another hour (both are beautiful cities btw and definetly worth a longer visit).

So given there are EUR 39.00 tickets available for the ICE on that morning these are definetly more comfortable:

leave FRA Airport Station 8:02 AM, arrive Wuerzburg Hbf at 9:24 AM
leave Wuerzburg Hbf 9:30 AM, arrive Muenchen Hbf at 11:43 AM

Or a direct connection half an hour later, for EUR 49.00:

leave FRA Airport Station 8:37 AM, arrive Muenchen Hbf at 12:05 PM

I would choose one of the later options, just for comfort and to spend the time at Munich in a beergarden .

Well aware they're regional trains, but thanks for clarifying is good to know the towns I need to changeover in too as the DB site wasn't too forthcoming on that.

While the beer garden option sounds good, I don't really drink these days so that might be the wrong option as tempting as it may be

I may even do a little exploring around Nuremburg on the way.

I've got 2 weeks to fill in before I arrive in London, so time isn't really a factor.

 

[medhead]

it is possible to exclude ICE using the advance search function at DB-Konzern | Startseite

I did a couple that might give a couple of ideas

first a straight frankfurt to munich with a couple 29 euro options (but not really what you want)
DB BAHN - TravelService - Your timetable

Now via Kahl, to get an idea of station connections.
DB BAHN - TravelService - Query page

Sorry if I'm being pushy. Just I'm doing this trip next march and your question has got me thinking. I'll probably do the same, via Kahl. But then I do like having a nice weissbier on the ICE

 

[Flashback]

it is possible to exclude ICE using the advance search function at DB-Konzern | Startseite

I did a couple that might give a couple of ideas

first a straight frankfurt to munich with a couple 29 euro options (but not really what you want)
DB BAHN - TravelService - Your timetable

Now via Kahl, to get an idea of station connections.
DB BAHN - TravelService - Query page

Sorry if I'm being pushy. Just I'm doing this trip next march and your question has got me thinking. I'll probably do the same, via Kahl. But then I do like having a nice weissbier on the ICE

The benefit of the 20 euro ticket is I can then travel around town on the bus/subway for "free" once I arrive, till 3am

The beer is a bit overpriced on the ICE as is the Currywurst... but damn it's good

Edit: Hm, I can get it to show the start and end station, and that it uses RE, RB, EC ; but how do you get the exact stop breakdown? (this is the 29 euro fare, for example).

 

[Flashback]

Never mind, found it. Click on the > next to it.

 

[medhead]

Never mind, found it. Click on the > next to it.

Cool.
Yep, the bavaria pass is an excellent option and the "free" extras will be worthwhile.