Munich Airport

To reduce travel time, travelers prefer air travel. Therefore, passengers are interested in how different airports work and what services are provided. This helps prepare for the trip. Those who are going to visit Munich will be interested and useful information about what it represents and what services the Munich airport provides.

Airport history

Munich Airport (Flughafen München "Franz Josef Strauß") was opened relatively recently - in 1992. Before that, the Munich-Rome airport, built in 1936, was used, which got its name not from the capital of Italy, but from the Munich district. However, by 1954, the old airport had ceased to cope with the flow of passengers - discussions began on the construction of a new air harbor in the city.

To build a new Munich international airport, the village of Franzheim was demolished and all of its inhabitants relocated. The new airport is located in an area that is owned by four different municipalities. Construction began in 1980 and ended in 1992. The old Munich-Rome airport functions as an exhibition center. There are walking areas, exhibition and shopping centers.

The new airport was named after Franz Josef Strauss - an outstanding politician, Governor of Bavaria, who is considered one of the founders of the Airbus concern. It was under his leadership that the decision to build the airport was made. True, he did not live up to its opening, having died in 1988.

Munich Airport is currently one of the best in Europe. It was he who first received the honorary title of a five-star airport from the influential British consulting company Skytrax in 2021. Prior to that, only airports located in Asia were honored with this honor.

Munich Airport was named the best in Europe 8 times. It currently serves over 40 million passengers a year.

The airport is one of the base for the Lufthansa company. The Russian airline Pobeda operates flights here from Vnukovo.

The official website of Munich Airport is bilingual: there are German and English versions. However, the site allows you to download the airport guide in Russian in PDF format.

What is Munich Airport (MUC)

Munich Airport has two runways 4 km long and 60 m wide each. The runways are parallel. It is planned to build a third runway, which will allow receiving 120 aircraft per hour against the current 90. In addition, the airport has a concrete area for receiving helicopters.

The airport currently covers an area of ​​15.6 square meters. km. Most of the structures are located between the runways.

The map of the airport shows that the railway and the road divide its western part into a northern and southern section. In the southern section there are cargo and service facilities, in the northern section there are administrative buildings, a long-term car park, and an excursion center.

In addition, the airport has two aircraft stands - Western and Eastern - and 2 passenger terminals.

Each of the MUC terminals serves between 20 and 25 million passengers annually. Terminal 1, built first, is divided into five modules, which are designated by letters of the Latin alphabet from A to E:

• The first four modules receive and send passengers. In fact, modules A to D can be considered subterminals.
• Module E is intended exclusively for receiving passengers.
• Modules A and D only serve flights within the Schengen area.
• Modules B and C receive and send planes from / to the Schengen area.

Terminal 1 also includes Hall F, although it is located outside of it and is located near Terminal 2. This hall serves flights to and from Israel, as increased security measures are required.

In addition, inside Terminal 1, a central zone Z is distinguished, in which the counters of some airlines are located and a large number of catering establishments and shops are concentrated. There is also a passage to the trains.

Terminal 2 has been operating since 2003. This terminal is not divided into modules and is not divided into arrivals and departures. This terminal accepts aircraft from countries that do not adhere to the aviation security requirements established in the EU.

In order to increase the terminal's capacity, in 2021 they began to build another terminal called Terminal 2-satellite. Construction was completed in 2021. The new building has almost the same area as the old terminal, therefore it can significantly increase the airport's capacity. In addition, this terminal can accommodate the largest Airbus A380 aircraft.

Terminals 1 and 2 are connected by an area called Munich Airport Center (MAC), which includes area Z, originally built for Terminal 1, and a new part, which is only partially covered.

Near the MAC there is a wonderful airport hotel owned by the Hilton chain. Bavaria has a law that closes shops at night.

The only food supermarket in Bavaria where you can buy groceries from 5.30 am to midnight, including Sundays, is located in the Munich Airport Center.

The transit zone inside Terminal 1 allows for a transfer in at least 35 minutes, in Terminal 2 - in 30 minutes, between terminals - in 45 minutes. However, if you have luggage, it is better to purchase tickets for connecting flights so that you have extra time.

Airport parking areas

Munich Airport provides 30,000 parking spaces in five car parks and six underground car parks. More than half of the parking spaces are covered. The largest parking - P20 - has 6,400 parking spaces, it is located near Terminal 2. For some time it was the largest parking in Germany.

There is a schedule according to which you can leave your car in this parking lot free of charge for up to 3 hours. This is done in order to increase the volume of trade in the vicinity of the airport.

For an additional fee, you can order various services: order a valet, car wash, “Park, Sleep & Fly”, which includes an overnight stay at the Hilton hotel. Parking lot P20 has a floor where parked vehicles are guarded.

For passengers

If you have purchased economy class tickets, you will only be able to get to the waiting rooms for an additional fee. The Atlantic Lounge (for non-Schengen area) and Europa Lounge (for the Schengen area) are located in Terminal 1. The cost of entry to the area is approximately 25 € per person.

Wi-Fi is available free of charge at Munich Airport. To connect to the network, you need to register with your name and email address. In response, you will receive a letter containing a link and a code to activate and liquidate your account.

There are also stationary Internet centers at the airport with paid access to the network.

In Terminal 2, on the 4th and 5th levels, there are so-called sleeping booths, which provide a berth, a small table and Internet access. For an hour, such a booth can be rented for 15 euros, for 30 euros it can be borrowed for 12 hours.

In addition, there is a Hilton hotel at the airport, and the Novotel München Airport and NH München Airport hotels are five minutes from the airport.

Munich is a big city and there are many different hotels within reach, many of which provide airport transfers.

What you can do at the airport (additional services)

At the airport, there is the Airbräu brewery, where you can taste exclusive Bavarian beers. Each terminal has a casino. For children, there are 7 play areas and a Kinderland from Lufthansa. There are many shops at the airport where you can buy everything you can buy in Germany.

There are hairdressing salons, massage parlors and other establishments. There are medical posts, ATMs and Tax Free locations where non-EU citizens can get VAT refunds.

Excursions are organized around the airport and the surrounding area. There is a left-luggage office for luggage at the airport. You can leave things in the transition between terminals (MAC) and in terminal 2.

Duty Free shops are located in both terminals. In Terminal 1, they are located in the departure hall at gates A and D, in terminal 2 - at gates G, H, K and L.

This is not a complete list of the facilities available at the airport.

Transport links to the airport

There are different ways to get to / from the airport.

You can arrive by private car and leave it in a long-term parking lot. You need to go along the A92 motorway, which is connected to the A9 motorway and the Munich ring road. You can use a taxi service. Many foreigners prefer to rent a car right at the airport and return it there upon departure.

There are car rental offices at the airport from such well-known companies as Sixt, Rentakar. Rental offices operate in the central part of the airport (MAC).

Numerous bus routes connect the airport with Munich and nearby towns, in particular, buses run to the central train station.

The bus routes should be studied in order to better navigate where you can change to the metro or how to get to the desired place.

Train trains connect the airport with Munich on two routes. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the city center. Trains run at short intervals about 20 times a day. Break in traffic - from 01.30 to 04.00.

If you wish, you can buy a daily ticket - City day ticket - which allows you to make an unlimited number of trips during the day. In addition, it is possible to buy a group ticket, which will save you some money.

Bus no. 635 takes you to Freising train station, with connections to Munich, Nuremberg, Regensburg and Prague.

Contact details

• Munich Airport Address: Nordallee 25, 85356 München, Germany.
• Phone: +49 89 97500.
• The official website of the airport.
• Arrival board.
• Departure scoreboard.

Alternative airports

There are other airports through which you can get to Munich. In particular, Memmingen Airport, which accepts flights of low-cost airlines, is considered an alternative and cheaper option. The names of the airports closest to Munich can be found in the table.

Conclusion

Munich Airport is one of the best in Europe: it has three modern terminals and is capable of serving the largest airliners. The quality of the services offered at the airport is at a high level.