Munich Life and Visitor Travel Tips

(Munich, Bavaria, Germany)

The Germany city of Munich enjoys a particularly attractive setting and is famous for its beer festival, operas, art galleries, innumerable cultural attractions and appealing life-style. Of particular interest is the Olympic Centre, which hosted the extremely successful 1972 Olympic Games, and firmly put Munich on the map as a major tourist destination.

Various tourist information centres are to be found around Munich, at the Hauptbahnhof, off the Marienplatz and along the Sendlinger Strasse. Look out for the Munich Welcome Card, which is valid for either one or three days and can be used for up to five adults. The Welcome Card provides unlimited travel on the city's public transport and up to 50 percent off many of the top sights and cultural attractions, including some of the best museums. Useful travel tips about life in Munich are listed below.

Tourism and Tourist Information

The tourist information offices in Munich offer a range of different services, including hotel reservations, train tickets, rail pass enquiries, guided tours and much more besides.

Located at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), the EurAide tourist office also provides an in-depth newsletter about life in Munich. Known as the 'Insider Track', the newsletter is full of practical information about Munich and the surrounding areas, and also provides foreign currency exchange discounts at specified outlets.

Munich Tourist Information Centre (Tourismusamt München)
Address: Sendlinger Strasse 1, Munich, 80331, Germany, DE
Tel: +49 089 233 96500
Fax: +49 089 233 30233
Email address: tourismus@muenchen.de
Website: www.muenchen-tourist.de

Munich Tourist Information Centre - Main Train Station
Address: Room 3, Track 11, Bahnhofsplatz 2, Munich, Germany, DE
Tel: +49 089 2333 2057
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:30 to 18:30, Sunday - 10:00 to 18:00

Munich Tourist Information Centre - Marienplatz
Address: Neues Rathaus, Munich, Germany, DE
Tel: +49 089 222 324
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 20:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00

Munich Jugendinformationzentrum (Youth Information Centre)
Address: Paul-Heyse-Strasse 22, Munich, Germany, DE
Tel: +49 089 5141 0660
Open hours: Monday to Wednesday, Friday - 12:00 to 18:00, Thursday - 12:00 to 20:00

Currency

The single currency for in excess of 300 million Europeans, the Euro (EUR) was successfully adopted by Germany, and therefore Munich, in 2002. Therefore, for many European travellers, currency exchange is now longer necessary. However, should you wish to obtain Euros during your stay, banks, exchange bureaus and ATMs are never far away and particularly plentiful at the Hauptbahnhof and throughout the city centre.

Language, Dialect and German Phrases

When visiting Munich, do consider bringing a small German phrasebook. In many situations, such as asking for directions or dining out, it can prove extremely helpful. Although it is fair to say that some locals involved in the Munich's tourist industry are able to speak varying levels of English, particularly within the best hotels, this should not be relied upon. Consider packing a pocket-sized German phrasebook and learning some popular keywords before actually arriving in Munich itself. Here is a selection of useful German phrases.

Do you speak English? - sprechen sie Englisch?
Sorry! - entschuldigung!
I don't understand - ich verstehe nicht
How do I get to the bus station - wie komme ich zur bushaltestelle
How do I reach this address? - wie komme ich zu dieser adresse?
I have got a reservation - ich habe ein zimmer reservieren lassen
Please will you show me the room? - können sie mir das zimmer zeigen, bitte?
Where is the castle? - wo ist das schloss?