The Munich-Innsbruck route is very popular among tourists, which is why the question is – which is better – a car, bus or Munich-Innsbruck train? – remains relevant. From the article you will find out which route is the most comfortable and fastest, how much the tickets cost.
How to get from Munich to Innsbruck
Considering how often the schedule and cost of tickets change, a trip from Munich to Innsbruck must be planned in advance. There are airports in two towns, but there is no direct air service between them. However, there are other ways to get from a German city to a popular resort in Austria.
Good to know! Private flights depart from Munich to Innsbruck, but there are no agencies coordinating such flights. To reserve a seat on board a private jet, you must contact the owner and resolve the issue personally with him.
Popular ways to cover the distance from Munich to Innsbruck:
- express train or regional train;
- bus;
- order a transfer;
- rent a car.
Each of the routes has its advantages, disadvantages and features. For example, an expensive shuttle designed for a large company with a full set of equipment is not suitable for those who plan a sightseeing trip for a few days in the Alps. At the same time, it will be inconvenient for athletes who fly to Innsbruck with full equipment to search for the necessary transport and make transfers.
Train Munich – Innsbruck
Foreign tourists and local residents prefer this particular way of travel. Benefits of Train Travel:
- the schedule includes daily flights and even several flights per day;
- there are direct flights;
- the cost of tickets is relatively low – from 25 € to 42 €;
- the journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes.
Depending on the cost of travel documents, you can choose a shorter and faster route or a longer and more picturesque one with a change in Mittenwald.
Tickets are sold at ticket offices at the station, as well as in special red vending machines installed in the station premises, or ordered on the Internet. The cost of a travel document in a second-class express train car is 42 €, and a trip in a regional train will cost 25 €.
Good to know! Tickets must be printed out so that when traveling outside Germany there are no problems.
From the airport in Munich to the main railway station, trains of two lines follow – S1 or S8. The fare is about 10 €. After that, you should choose a flight to Innsbruck.
How to buy book a seat online:
- go to the railway website: www.bahn.de;
- select destinations: Munich (München) – Innsbruck Hbf.
Thus, you can purchase a travel document for a direct flight.
Trains depart from the main train station – München Hbf, located in the city center. Regional trains also depart from the East Station, but in this case you will first have to get to one of the cities:
- Garmisch;
- Rosenheim
- Kufstein.
Travel to any of these settlements – 13 €, and to Innsbruck – 10 €. With a change, the journey takes about 3.5 hours.
Advice! When you reach the intermediate settlement, do not rush to buy a ticket for the next train to Innsbruck, take a walk around the city and feel the real European flavor far from the tourist routes.
Trains arrive in Innsbruck at the Innsbruck Hbf train station.
Munich residents get to the Austrian resort by train, at the weekend there are a lot of people who want to leave, but there is no excitement, because transport leaves every hour in the direction of Innsbruck. The only caveat to consider is that just before the train leaves, tickets for economy class cars may not be available. In order not to be in an unpleasant situation, it is better to book a document in advance.
Between Munich and Innsbruck ply:
- express trains – depart every hour;
- regional trains – two flights a day; on weekends – four flights.
Good to know! It is convenient to use a Bavarian ticket to travel by regional train.
The Bavarian ticket – Bayern Ticket – is valid only on regional trains. It can be purchased at the red terminals installed at Munich Airport. Such a document can be reached by train from the airport to the train station. At the same time, you can purchase a document for several people, for this you will need to pay 4 € for each person at a basic cost of 23 €. Then the surnames and names of the owners are entered in Latin letters.
Under the Bavarian ticket, you can spend a child aged 6 to 14 years free of charge, but provided that no more than two adults are entered in the document. All children under the age of 5 travel on any German transport for free.
Good to know! If you plan to get to the resort with a Bavarian ticket, when booking a seat to Innsbruck, you must select “only local trains”.
Bus Munich – Innsbruck
If you travel without sports equipment, the bus option is quite comfortable. It is inconvenient to travel with skis and full equipment on this transport.
Buses of different companies of carriers depart from different places, therefore, when booking a place, be sure to specify where the departure is planned from. Most flights depart from the central bus station. From the airport in Munich to the bus station can be reached by S-Bahn. Arriving transport to the main railway station in Innsbruck. Buses also stop on Südbahnstraße in the central part of the city, from where you can reach most of the hotels on foot.
Departure interval – almost every hour. Minimum fare 8 €. Booking them in advance does not make sense, because there are always tickets at the box office, regardless of the influx of tourists. The bus is on the road for 2.5 hours, but the time may increase depending on weather conditions.
How to buy a bus ticket online:
- go to the official website: en.busliniensuche.de/;
- select destinations and date;
- from the proposed options, select the right time, next to each flight on the left is “+”, if you click it, you can read the trip details;
- to confirm the choice of flight, just click the blue button and pay for the document.
Good to know! If you want to get from Munich to Innsbruck on a public holiday, you can insure yourself and purchase a travel document in advance.
Transfer and car rental
Transfer – an analogue of a taxi, with the only difference – you can carry oversized luggage and equipment. The advantage of the transfer is the absolute comfort for the customer – the transport is served directly to the airport building, the tourist does not need to go anywhere, just leave the terminal building and get into the car. The average transfer price from Munich to Innsbruck is 200 €. However, the price varies depending on various factors:
- number of passengers;
- additional conditions – pets;
- time for which the transfer is required;
- baggage dimensions;
- point of arrival – if the hotel is located outside the city, the cost may increase;
- car class.
It is advisable to order a transfer for the company more than 4 people in the presence of large or non-standard baggage. Travel time takes up to 3 hours depending on weather conditions.
Car rental – on the one hand, it is profitable, since Munich rates are the lowest in Germany, however, experienced tourists recommend using this option if you are an experienced driver. From Munich to Innsbruck, the track is very difficult, with a lot of sharp turns. In winter, ice patches form.
Thus, traveling by car is unlikely to bring positive emotions, rather, it will keep in suspense. If nevertheless you decide to try your hand and get to the Austrian resort by local serpentines, be prepared to overcome the distance of Munich – Innsbruck at 102 km by car.
It is not difficult to find a car – this can be done in advance on the online service or after arriving in Munich. Near the East Station there are corresponding offices.
Prices on the page are for November 2018.
What is interesting Innsbruck
First of all, Innsbruck is known as the city where the Olympic Games were held twice. More Austrian cities are famous for ancient palaces. The fact is that representatives of the Habsburg dynasty appreciated art in any of its manifestations. In Innsbruck, you can visit several beautifully preserved castles:
- Hofburg
- Ambras
Hofburg Palace is located in the city center and looks quite provincial, but at home cozy. Initially, the building, built in the 14th century, looked rather gloomy, but after the reconstruction the castle was transformed – its light walls harmoniously fit into the mountain landscape.
Ambras Palace is built east, on a hill, and is surrounded by alpine meadows. The surrounding area looks well-groomed, there is a lake where ducks, swans swim, you can meet a peacock. The castle features a gallery of the entire Habsburg family, a collection of armor. During the tour you can visit the cellars of the castle, and especially impressionable tourists can easily imagine that ghosts live here.
If you are planning a trip to Innsbruck on Christmas Eve, be sure to visit the fairs.
Thus, the most convenient way to travel Munich – Innsbruck is by train. However, experienced tourists note that the bus ride is no less picturesque, exciting and not burdensome, provided that you do not have ski equipment.
Video: a walk in Innsbruck and an overview of the city.
