Photo: Clark and Company, Canva
Discover the capital of Bavaria barrier-free
Munich is a modern city with a lot of tradition, passion and heart. In order to experience the Munich way of life, there are sometimes hurdles to overcome.
Here we answer important questions about the accessibility of the city of Munich for its visitors.
- Can I travel to Munich and get around without barriers?
- Where can I find the best accessible accommodation?
- Sport, art and culture - is it accessible in Munich?
- How accessible are beer gardens in Munich?
Can I travel to Munich and get around without barriers?
Munich Airport provides barrier-free travel for all passengers. Elevators have disabled-friendly controls, there are wheelchair-accessible elevators and barrier-free parking spaces. The airport has a mobility service, but this can only be booked through an airline or travel provider.
Munich Central Station is currently being renovated. This often means restrictions on the use of entrances, elevators and parking spaces.
Deutsche Bahn offers a mobility service that can be contacted on 030 65212888 or by e-mail at msz@deutschebahn.com. Please get in touch early, the situation at the main station is complicated, but the staff are helpful.
Munich's public transport system is very modern, very good and very well used. That's why the paths, escalators and elevators are often full. You need time and the consideration of your fellow travelers, but the people of Munich are friendly.
Subway and suburban trains are being replaced for years, so that they are almost barrier-free, but beware: the old subway trains often have a small step of 10 cm.
In the city center, as well as at Hellabrunn Zoo and the Olympic Park, you can rent electric scooters for people with limited mobility.
Photo: Andrey Popov, Canva
Where can I find the best accessible accommodation?
For years, accommodation can be certified under “Travel for All”. You can find out which ones are explicitly certified in Munich here.
Editor's tip: The Tegernsee-Schliersee Alpine region in particular has been involved in “Travel for All” for years and you can get there with the CityTourCard Munich in the M-12 fare zone. You can find more information about the M-12 fare zone here.
Sport, art and culture - is it accessible in Munich?
Munich is a sports city. If you have tickets for the soccer club FC Bayern Munich in the Allianzarena, please inform yourself here.
In general, everyone is welcome and everyone can enjoy the stadium experience, but not in every seat. That's why FC Bayern organizes extra seats, parking spaces, shuttles, services for the deaf and much more.
Munich's museums are barrier-free to use, insiders recommend people who rely on elevators to call the relevant museum beforehand and ask if they work. Many museums are not only barrier-free, but also see it as their duty to create inclusive offers.
Our partner, the Jewish Museum, has a small selection of tactile objects so that the diversity of Jewish history and culture in the permanent exhibition can also be experienced by blind people and people with visual impairments. Guides are available to assist visitors at any time without prior registration. There are also induction loops for hearing aids and guided tours in sign language.
You can find even more tips here.
Photo: Leung Cho Pan
How accessible are beer gardens in Munich?
Nowhere are you closer to the Munich lifestyle than in the beer gardens. Every single one of them deserves a visit. You can buy drinks, bring your own food and a tablecloth, and sitting at a table with others is normal. The trees provide shade and the gravel underfoot makes a nice noise.
Gravel? Exactly, gravel can be a problem. All beer gardens strive to be barrier-free, barrier-free toilets and flat access to food and drink stations are now standard.
Our recommendation is the beer garden at Viktualienmarkt, the pavement is easy to move around on. Munich's largest beer garden, the “Royal Hirschgarten”, is also easy to visit despite its hard gravel.
Try it out for yourself. Cheers and bon appétit.
Tip: The Club "Behinderte und ihre Freunde e.V. München und Region" offers good orientation.