ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TRAVEL OFFICES: EurAide is Deutsche Bahn’s English-speaking office. Staff books train tickets for all European destinations for free. Tickets for public transit and discounted tickets for English-language walking, bus, and bike tours also available. Pick up a free copy of the helpful brochureInside Track. (Inside Hauptbahnhof. 59 38 89. www.euraide.com Open daily May-Sept M-Sa 8am-noon and 2pm-6pm, Su 8am-noon, Oct-Apr M-Sa 8am-noon and 1pm-4pm, Su 8am-noon.)
• TOURIST OFFICES: English-speaking staff books rooms for free with a 10% deposit. Also on-site at each tourist office is Muenchen-Ticket, a booking agency for concerts, theater, and other events. (Bahnhofsplatz 2, Marienplatz 2. 23 39 65 00. www.muenchen-tourist.de English city guides€2, and maps €0.40. Take a right out of the main Hauptbahnhof entrance (Bahnhofsplatz), or find it at the base of the Neues Rathaus (Marienplatz). Gahnhofsplatz loc. open M-Sa 9am-8:30pm, Su 10am-6pm. Marienpl. loc. open M-Sa 10am-8pm, Su 10am-4pm.)
• BIKE RENTALAND TOURS: Pedal, laugh, and down a few beers as you pick up some creative history on one of Mike’s Bike Tours. (Bräuhausstr. 10. 089 25 54 39 88. www.mikesbiketours.com English city guides €2, maps €0.40. Hefty backpackers’ discount with receipt from stay at certain hostels (see website for details). S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, U3, or U6: Marienplatz. Tours start at by the tower of the Altes Rathaus. Tours daily from mid-Apr to Aug 11:30am and 4pm, Sept-mid-Nov and Mar-mid-Apr 12:30pm. Office open mid-Apr-Oct 7 10am-8pm; Mar-mid-Apr and Oct 8-Nov 18 10:30am-1pm and 4:30-5:30pm when not raining.) Radius Tours offers historical walking tours of the city in English, including a 2hr. tour of the Altstadt. Bike tours also available. (Opposite track 32 of the Hauptbahnhof. 089 55 02 93 74. www.radiusmunich.com Bike tours €18. S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, U3, or U6: Marienplatz. Look for the guides in blue and white checkered shirts. Office open Apr-Nov M-F 9am-6pm, Sa-Su 9am-8pm. Tours offered Apr-Oct daily 10:45 and 11:45am. Bike tours May-Oct, every Tu, Th, and Su at 10:30am.)
• CONSULATES: Canada (Tal 29. 089 219 95 70. www.canadainternational.gc.ca S1, S2, S3,S4, S5, S6, S7 or S8: Isartor; look for the gold door to the righ of Conrad. Open M-Th 9am-noon.) Ireland (Dennigerstr. 15. 089 20 80 59 90. www.dfa.ie U4: Richard-Strauss Str. Open M-F 9am-noon.) UK (Möhlstr. 5. 089 21 10 90. ukingermany.fco.gov.uk Tram 18: Effnerpl. Open M-Th 8:30am-noon and 1pm-5pm, F 8:30am-noon and 1pm-3:30pm.) US (Koniginstr. 5. 089 288 80. www.munich.usconsulate.gov U3, U3, U4, U5, or U6: Odeonspl. Open by appointment only.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: ReiseBank has decent rates and Western Union money-wiring office. (at the front of the Hauptbahnhof. 089 55 10 80. www.reisebank.de Open daily 7am-10pm.) Exchange AG will cash travelers’ checks with a hefty commission. (Peterspl. 10. 089 235 09 20. Open M-F 10am-6pm.)
• LUGGAGE STORAGE: Available at the airport. (089 97 52 13 75. www.munich-airport.de). Also available at the Hauptbahnhof. (089 97 52 13 75.)
• LOCKERS: Accessible in the main hall of Hauptbahnhof. ( €3-5 per 24hr. for up to 3 days. Open from 4am-12:30am. A staffed storage room in the main hall is open M-F 7am-8pm, Sa-Su 8am-6pm.)
• LOST PROPERTY: Anything lost in the Hauptbahnhof or on DB or S-Bahn trains will find its way to the DB Lost Property Office (In the Hauptbahnhof by track 26. 089 13 08 66 64. www.fundservice.bahn.de Open M-F 7am-8pm, Sa-Su 8am-6pm.). Those searching for lost property on the U-Bahn subway lines will be taken to the Infopoint Office of the MW (In the Hauptbahnhof. 089 21 91 32 40. Open M-F 8am-noon and 12:30pm-4pm, Sa-Su 9am-12:30pm and 1pm-5pm.). Official Lost Property Office (Ötztalerstr. 17. 089 23 39 60 45. fundbuero.kvr@muenchen. de Open M 8am-noon, Tu 8:30am-noon and 2-5:30pm, W-F 8am-noon.).
• HOME SHARE: Mitwohnzentrale Wolfgang Sigg GmbH/An der Uni offers apartments available by the month and a helpful multi-lingual website. (Fendstr. 6 089 330 37 40. www.mrliving.de U3 or U6: Munchener Freiheit. Walk south on Leopoldstr., turn left onto Fendstr. At #6, ring buzzer, and go through the corridor to the 2nd building. Open M-F 9am-noon, other hours by appointment.) City Mitwohnzentrale rents apartments for a stay of over 4 days. (Lämmerstr. 6 089 592 51 01. www.mitwohn.org Sublets usually for €300-400 per month. By the Arnulfstr. exit of the Hauptbahnhof.) Studentenwerk offers inexpensive housing options for students, though you usually need a university affiliation. (Leopoldstr. 15 089 38 19 62 83. www.studentenwerk.mhn.de U3 or U6: Giselastr.) Apartment-Börse Studentenstadt Freimann offers temporary dormitory housing. (089 324 32 88. [email protected] U6: Studentenstadt. Open M-F 6-8pm.)
• VISITOR PUBLICATIONS: New in the City is an annual publication in German and English covering everything from apartment registration to popular nightlife. Available at local newsstands. (www.newinthecity.de)
• GLBT RESOURCES: Publications: All available at gay and lesbian nightlife spots. Leo, the queer magazine of Bavaria, is published monthly and includes gay-interest articles as well as an events listing. Blu is geared towards a younger crowd and reads like a fashion magazine, also with events listings in the back (www.blu.fm ) Rosa Muenchen is a quarterly directory of all things gay, covering everything from shops to pharmacies to escorts to gay sports teams. Gay Services Information (089 260 30 56. Open daily 1pm-midnight.). Lesbian Resources: Lesbenberatungsstelle LeTra (Angertorstr. 3. 089 725 42 72. www.letra.de Hotline open M 2:30-5pm, Tu 11:30am-1pm, W 2:30-5pm, Th 7-9pm.). Other Resources: Schwules Kommunikations und Kulturzentrum, also called the “sub,” has a wealth of resources, counselors, and also staffs a small cafe and library for gay men. English spoken. (Müllerstr. 43. Information Hotline 089 260 33 20. Violence Hotline 089 192 28. Center open M-Th 7-11pm, F-Sa 7pm-midnight, Su 7-11pm. Their information hotline is staffed daily 7-11pm and their violence hotline is staffed daily from 10am-7pm.)
• WOMEN’S RESOURCES: Kofra Kommunkationszentrum für Frauen offers job advice, knowledge on lesbian politics, books, magazines, and a small cafe. (Baaderstr. 30. 089 201 0450. www.kofra.de Internet €1 per hr. Open M-Th 4-10pm, F 2-6pm.) Frauentreffpunkt Neuperlach offers venues and services for women, including an international coffeehouse and English conversation nights. Check website or call for dates and times. (Oskar-Maria-Graf-Ring 20-22. 089 670 64 63. www.frauentreffpunkt-neuperlach.de) Lillemor’s Frauenbuchlader is a women’s bookstore. (Barerstr. 70. 089 272 12 05. Open M-F 10am-7pm, Sa 10am-2pm.)
• DISABLED RESOURCES: Info Center für Behinderte (Schellingstr. 31. 089 211 70. www.vdk.de/bayern Open M-Sa 9am-8pm, Su 10am-6pm.)
• TICKET AGENCIES: Advance tickets are available at München Ticket’s retail locations within the tourist offices in the Rathaus in Marienpl. and at the Hauptbahnhof. (018 054 81 81. www.muenchen-ticket.de Phone €0.14 per min. Rathaus location open M-Sa 10am-8pm, Marienplatz location open M-F 10am-8pm, Sa 10am-4pm.)
• LAUNDROMATS: Waschomat is a bright and cheery laundromat with English-language instructions. (Parkstr. 8. Wash €3.90 (soap €0.40), dry €0.60 per 5min. high-spin or €0.80 per 15min. Happy hour daily 6am-9am wash €3.30. Tram 18 from Hauptbahnhof (dir.: Gondrellpl.) or 19 (dir.: Pasing): Holzapfelstr. Turn onto Holapfelstr., take the second right onto Schwanthalerstr., and then turn left onto Parkstr. Open daily 6am-midnight.)
• INTERNET: San Francisco Coffee Company (Im Tal 15, with other locations throughout the city. Free Wi-Fi with the purchase of a coffee.) Coffee Fellows Cafe has an internet cafe on the second floor. (Schuetzenstr. 14. Free Wi-Fi for an hour with any €5 purchase. Wireless or PC use €1.30 per 30min or €2.50 per hour. Black-and-white printing €0.30 per sheet. Faxing €0.50 per sheet within the country, €1.00 outside the country.)
• POST OFFICE: (018 03 00 30 08. The yellow bulding opposite the Hauptbahnhof. Open M-F 8am-8pm, Sa 9am-4pm.)
• POSTAL CODE: 80335.
Emergency!
• POLICE: 110.
• AMBULANCE AND FIRE: 112
• EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE: 089 19 222
• EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE: 089 018 02 22 22 22
• RAPE CRISIS SUPPORT: Frauennotruf München
(Gullstr. 3. 089 76 37 37. www.frauennotrufmuenchen.de Available daily 6pm-midnight.)
• AIDS HOTLINE: IN GERMAN. (089 194 11 OR 089 23 32 33 33 M-F 7-9pm.)
• PHARMACIES: (Bahnhofpl. 2. 089 59 98 90 40. On the corner of the Hauptbahnhof; take a right upon exiting. Open M-F 7am-8pm, Sa 8am-8pm.)
• MEDICAL SERVICES: Klinikum Rechts der Isar (Across the river on Ismanigerstr. Open 24hr. for emergencies.) Münchner Aids-Hilfe e.V. offers free risk analysis and advice for AIDS and other STDs. (Lindwurmstr. 71. 089 54 33 30. www.muenchner-aidshilfe.de Most tests require a small fee. Open M, W, and Th 5-8pm.)
Getting There
Transportation to Munich is never a problem, with direct flights arriving daily from many international locations. In addition, many European cities are accessed with the Deutsche Bahn, the German railway system, with trains arriving at the Hauptbahnhof (central station).
By Plane
Munich’s international airport, Flughafen München (Nordalee 25 089 975 00 www.munich-airport.de) is a 45-minute train ride from the city center. Take S1 or S8 to Flughafen (runs every 10 min.)
By Train
Munich’s central train station, München Hauptbahnhof, (Hauptbahnhof 1089 130 81 05 55www.hauptbahnhof-muenchen.de) has arrivals and departures to a host of European cities. All major trains arrive at the HBF. Take S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, U1, U2, U3, U4, or U5 to Hauptbahnhof. Connected cities include Berlin ( €79. 6hr., 2 per hr.); Frankfurt ( from €50. 3hr., 2 per hr.); Köln ( from €120. 5hr., 2 per hr.); Füssen ( from €20. 2hr., every 2hr.); Hamburg ( from €60. 4hr., every hr.); Hanover ( from €50. 5hr., every 1hr.); Dusseldorf ( from €40. 3hr., 2 per hr.); Dresden ( from €80. 6hr., 2 per hr.); Bonn ( from €70. 6hr., 4 per hr.); Leipzig ( from €60. 4.5hr., 1 per hr.); Innsbruck, AUT ( from €30. 2hr., ever 2hr.); Salzburg, AUT ( from €20. 2hr., every hr.); Zurich, CHE ( from €50. 5hr., 4-5 per day); Prague, CZR ( from €60. 6hr., 4 per day); Paris, FRA ( from €129. 6-10hr., 6 per day); Amsterdam, NHE. ( from €50. 8-12hr., ever 1hr.) The station also serves as a hub for the city’s own public transportation system (the MVV).
Getting Around
Munich’s pubilc transportation system consists of four integrated components: the S-Bahn, a surburban train; the U-Bahn, an underground municipal train; trams, and buses.
Deutsche Bahn
The S-Bahn is under the operation of the Deutsche Bahn network, so Eurail, InterRail, and German railpasses are vaild. S-Bahn to the airport starts running at 3:30am
Ticket Validation: Before you begin your journey, validate your ticket by getting it stamped in the blue boxes. Plainclothes officers often check for tickets, and those without properly validated tickets are charged a hefty €40 fine. Don’t get caught!
MVV Network
The U-Bahn, trams, and buses are all part of the city’s MVV network (089 41 42 43 44 www.mvv-muenchen.de) and require separate ticket purchases. Pick up maps at the tourist office or at the MVV Infopoint office in the Hauptbahnhof. The MVV network runs M-Th and Su 5am-12:30am, F-Sa 5am-2am. Separate NachtTrams (night trams) run every 20 minutes and go to just about everywhere in the city. Tickets come in multiple forms based on how far you’re traveling and how long the pass is valid. The simplest form is the single Einzelfahrkarte ticket (€2.40), which is good for two hours for a trip in one direction. All other trips depend on the distance, for which the Munich area is split into 16 different zones of concentric circles around the city center. For short trips (within the same zone), get a Kurzstrecke (€1.20). For multiple rides, buy a stripe ticket (Streifenkarte) which usually comes with 10 stripes (€11.50). Cancel two stripes per zone or one stripe if traveling within the same zone. The zones are further grouped into four different groups for which you can get one-day or three-day passes and single or partner tickets (covering up to 5 adults or children and a dog, with 2 children = 1 adult). There are several cards available.
• ISARCARDS: An IsarCard is a week- or month-long pass only available for single travelers that costs only a little more than the 3-day passes. IsarCards, however, only run during the week or month proper (e.g. weekly passes work from Sunday to Sunday, and monthly passes are bought for each specific month), so plan accordingly.
• CITY TOUR CARD: This card gets you transportation along with some discounts to Munich attractions. That said, most of these attractions are actually not the more popular ones, and the discounts are tiny. Unless you are planning on going to most of these attractions with a partner ticket, it’s probably not worth it.
• BAYERN TICKET: The Bayern Ticket gets you access to any public transportation within Bavaria for an entire day (M-F 9am-3am, Sa-Su midnight-3am). The ticket also covers bordering cities including Ulm and Salzburg, making the ticket perfect for day trips to Salzburg and Neuschwanstein. A single ticket costs €20, which is already a considerable savings, but get a group of 5 friends together and pay only €28, which comes to only €5.60 per person.
By Taxi
Taxi-München-Zentrale (089 216 10 or 194 10 www.taxizentrale-muenchen.de). Large oasis of waiting taxis immediately outside the Hauptbahnhof, or call them directly from one of the 130+ taxi stands located throughout the city (tram and subway maps will usually indicate which stops have taxi stands). Call ahead to make special requests for pet-friendly or large-capacity cars.
By Car
Upstairs at the Hauptbahnhof (opposite track 24) are Budget ( Online reservations only. Open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa-Su 8am-5pm), Avis (01805 55 77 55 Open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa-Su 8am-5pm), Europcar (01805 8000 Open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa-Su 8am-7pm), Hertz (1805 33 35 35 or 089 550 2256 ext. 2. Open M-F 7am-9pm, Sa-Su 9am-5pm), and Sixt (1805 26 02 50 Open daily 6am-9pm).
By Bike
RADIUS BIKES
BIKE RENTAL
089 55 02 93 74 www.radiusmunich.com
Bike rentals available for an hour or longer.
Opposite track 32 of the Hauptbahnhof. Helmet included. Deposit €50. Bike rental €3-7 per hour, €14.50-18 per day. Open Apr-Nov M-F 9am-6pm, Sa-Su 9am-8pm.
MIKE’S BIKE TOURS
Bräuhausstr. 10
BIKE RENTAL
089 25 54 39 87 www.mikesbiketours.com
Bike rentals available for one day or longer.
Behind the Hofbräuhaus. From Marienpl., go past Altes Rathaus onto Tal, then turn left onto Hochbrückenstr. Helmet, map, lock, and other accessories included. Rental €12 per first day and €9 per day afterward. open mid-Apr-Oct 7 10am-8pm; from Mar-mid-Apr and Oct 8-Nov 18 10:30am-1pm and 4:30-5:30pm when not raining.
DB CALL A BIKE
BIKE RENTAL
0700 05 22 55 22 www.callabike.de
DB Call a Bike is a Deutsche Bahn service available by phone after registering online. €5 deposit. Rental €0.08 per min. €15 max.
SECOND HAND SPORTS
Nymphenburgerstr. 29
BIKE SALE
089 59 70 74 www.secondhand-sport.de
This shop sells used bikes from €50 with buyback options. Good selection of outdoor adventure gear, snowboards, skis, and helmets. English-speaking staff also services bikes with a speedy turnaround.
U1 to Stiglmaierpl. Rental €0.08 per min. €15 max. Open M noon-7pm, Tu-F 10:30am-7pm, Sa 10:30am-4pm.
essentials
entrance requirements
• PASSPORT: Required for citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
• VISA: Required for visitors who plan to stay in Germany for more than 90 days.
• WORK PERMIT: Required for all foreigners planning to work in Germany.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Documents and Formalities
You’ve got your visa, your invitation, and your work permit, just like Let’s Go told you to, and then you realize you’ve forgotten the most important thing: your passport. Well, we’re not going to let that happen. Don’t forget your passport! Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, the US need valid passports for entrance into Germany.
Visas
EU citizens do not need a visa to globetrot through Germany. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but this three-month period begins upon entry into any of the countries that belong to the EU’s freedom of movement zone. Those staying longer than 90 days may purchase a visa at the German mission that covers your residence. A visa costs €60 and allows the holder to spend 90 days in Germany.
Double-check entrance requirements at the nearest embassy or consulate of Germany for up-to-date information before departure. US citizens can also consult http://travel.state.gov.
Entering Germany to study requires a student visa. For more information, see the Beyond Tourism chapter.
Work Permits
Admittance to a country as a traveler does not include the right to work, which is authorized only by a work permit. For more information, see the Beyond Tourism chapter.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 97