Getting to Munich for the football

Fly straight to Munich Airport (MUC): Manchester and London both have direct flights, so no hub is needed. From the airport take the S8 or S1 S-Bahn about 40 minutes to the centre, then the U6 to Fröttmaning and a 10-15 minute walk. Away fans sit in the upper-tier north, blocks 340-347, with a Champions League allocation of about 3,500.

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Munich has direct flights into its main airport (MUC) from both Manchester and London, so there is no hub to route through and the quick option is to fly straight in and pick up the S-Bahn. The alternative fans weigh up is price against time: Ryanair flies the low-cost carrier's "Munich West" airport at Memmingen (FMM), which is cheaper but sits about 115km out, so you add a 90-minute coach into the city before you even start on the U6.

Costs are estimates and swing with how early you book and whether it is a marquee fixture. The direct MUC flights are frequent enough for a same-day return on an evening kick-off if you fly early, whereas the Memmingen route runs on limited days (Manchester only flies it midweek and Saturday), so it suits a planned overnight rather than a quick turnaround.

Getting into Munich: airport and main station

From Munich Airport (MUC), take the S-Bahn. Lines S1 and S8 both run into the centre and reach Hauptbahnhof (the main station) in roughly 40 minutes. The airport sits to the northeast of the city, and the S-Bahn station is under Terminals 1 and 2, stopping at both Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz.

S1 and S8 alternate, so you get roughly a train every 10 minutes between airport and city during the day. The S8 runs effectively around the clock (every 40 minutes in the small hours, otherwise every 20), and the S1 runs about every 20 minutes from early morning to midnight. The S8 reaches Marienplatz in about 38 minutes, the S1 in about 48: the S1 loops via the west and Moosach, the S8 via the east and Ostbahnhof, so take whichever departs first.

If you would rather not take the train, the Lufthansa Express Bus runs daily, roughly every 20 minutes, serving both terminals, about 45 minutes to the main station (25 minutes to Schwabing / Munich North).

Arriving by long-distance train, Munich Hauptbahnhof is the central rail hub and sits directly on the S-Bahn trunk line and the U-Bahn, so an ICE drops you a couple of stops from Marienplatz and straight onto the network out to the stadium.

Getting out to the Allianz Arena

The stadium is served by U-Bahn line U6 at Fröttmaning station, on the northern edge of the city. From the centre take the U6 northbound (towards Garching-Forschungszentrum) from Marienplatz, Sendlinger Tor or Odeonsplatz.

Marienplatz to Fröttmaning is roughly 15-16 minutes on the U6, with trains about every 10 minutes and extra services on match days. From the station it is a walk of around 10-15 minutes to the ground, along a raised esplanade through the parkland that funnels crowds toward the entrances.

Coming straight from the airport, you do not need to go all the way into town first: take the airport bus towards town, get off at Nordfriedhof and change onto the U6 north to Fröttmaning.

Where to stay

Most away fans base themselves around the city centre and the main station rather than out by the ground, which is a stadium in parkland with little around it. The area between Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz keeps you on the S-Bahn and U-Bahn trunk lines, close to the beer halls, and one straight U6 ride from Fröttmaning. Schwabing, just north of the centre and on the U6, is a quieter option that shortens the run to the stadium.

Where visiting fans go in the ground

Away fans are housed in the upper tier at the north, blocks 340-347. For Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal matches extra middle-tier blocks (242-246) can be opened depending on the visiting club's allocation. It is the furthest section from the pitch, but the steep single-tier bowl and beam-free roof mean sightlines stay good throughout.

Visiting supporters are directed across the Fröttmaninger Heide over a footbridge to the guest entrance in the north-west. Flags and drums are checked separately at Gate 77, a maximum of five people at a time. Confirm your exact block and entrance on the ticket, as it varies by allocation and competition.

Getting around the city

Munich runs an integrated network (MVV): S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus all on one ticket, with a single adult trip in the inner Zone M at about 4.20 euro (2026).

A Single Day Ticket for Zone M is about 9.70 euro (2026) and is valid until 6am the next day: for match-day trips using trains several times it is better value than singles. Airport journeys cross more zones, so you need a Zone M-5 ticket to cover airport-to-city: buy the M-5 day ticket if arriving and travelling on the same day.

Note that match tickets to Bayern games normally include return public transport within the MVV network, so check your ticket before buying a separate fare.

Where to drink

The classic away-fan gathering points are the city-centre beer halls and gardens, with a handful of screens-and-sport pubs for watching other games.

• Augustiner-Keller (Arnulfstraße 52): Munich's oldest beer garden, a 5-minute walk from Hauptbahnhof and the reliable pre-match muster point. A litre Maß runs to around 9 euro at a garden table.
• Hofbräuhaus (Platzl 9): the famous state-owned beer hall, all vaulted rooms and oompah bands, good beer and fast service but rammed on a matchday. Reckon on 7 to 8 euro a litre inside. It is about the rooms rather than the TVs, so not the place to watch other games.
• Augustiner am Dom (Frauenplatz 8): tucked behind the Frauenkirche, an authentic Augustiner pint with a beer garden and screens for football, a good middle ground between hall and sports bar.
• Kilians Irish Pub and Ned Kelly's (Frauenplatz 11): an Irish and an Australian bar in the same building behind the cathedral, screens on, English spoken and used to visiting supporters. Pub prices, roughly 5 to 6 euro a pint.
• The Dubliner (near the Hofbräuhaus): a straightforward Irish pub that shows the football if you want a screen and a familiar setup.
• Augustiner Bräustuben (Landsberger Straße 19): the brewery tap out west, communal tables and a relaxed local feel, cheaper than the centre and worth the tram ride.

There is no away-fan no-go zone in Munich, but a packed beer hall on a matchday is a crowded, mixed-crowd environment, and the streets right around the Hofbräuhaus are the most touristy and priciest in town, so keep colours sensible and read the room.

Where to eat

Bavarian cooking is hearty and cheap to mid-priced, best sought out in a Wirtshaus (a traditional tavern). The dishes to try are weisswurst, the white veal sausage eaten before noon with sweet mustard, a pretzel and a wheat beer, and schweinshaxe, the roasted pork knuckle, plus Leberkäse (a baked meatloaf, usually in a roll) and Obatzda cheese spread.

• Viktualienmarkt (off Marienplatz): the open-air food market for a quick, cheap standing lunch, Leberkäse rolls, weisswurst, pretzels and a beer garden round the maypole.
• Bratwurstherzl (Dreifaltigkeitsplatz 1): a cosy historic spot by the Viktualienmarkt grilling Nürnberger sausages over open beechwood, cheap and quick to sit down.
• Der Pschorr (Viktualienmarkt 15): a proper sit-down Wirtshaus for schweinshaxe and roast pork, mid-priced and central.
• Augustiner Bräustuben (Landsberger Straße 19): locals rate the crispy pork knuckle here, communal tables and an unfussy, affordable feed away from the tourist crowd.
• Wirtshaus in der Au (Lilienstraße 51): known for its Knödel (dumplings) and a solid all-round traditional menu, a short hop across the Isar.
• Weisses Bräuhaus (Tal 7): the classic place for weisswurst and wheat beer, a couple of minutes from Marienplatz.

What to do

If you are making a day or two of it, the sights cluster in the compact old town, with a few worth a short ride out.

• Marienplatz and the New Town Hall: the central square, with the Glockenspiel figures chiming at 11am and noon and a tower you can climb for a view over the roofs.
• Frauenkirche: the twin onion-domed 15th-century cathedral that is the city's signature landmark, a minute from Marienplatz.
• Englischer Garten: one of Europe's largest city parks, home to the Chinese Tower beer garden and the Eisbach standing wave where surfers ride year-round.
• The Residenz: the former royal palace of the Bavarian kings, a sprawling complex of state rooms and treasury just north of Marienplatz.
• Deutsches Museum: the vast science and technology museum on an island in the Isar, one of the biggest of its kind in the world.
• The Kunstareal galleries: the museum quarter around the three Pinakothek galleries, covering old masters through to modern and contemporary art.
• Olympiapark and BMW Welt: the 1972 Olympic park and the BMW museum and showroom sit on the north side, handy to fold into the trip out towards the stadium, and the FC Bayern Museum is at the Allianz Arena itself.

Money and safety

Inside the Allianz Arena is cashless: you load an Arena Card (in 10, 20 or 50 euro amounts) to pay for beer, food and merchandise, and any unused balance can be refunded. Bring some cash as many Munich bars and kiosks still favour it.

Munich is regarded as a safe, easy-going city for visiting fans: the FSA guide notes there is nowhere in the city that needs to be avoided, though excessive public drunkenness is unwise, and drinking in the street is tolerated. Contactless card payment works in most transport machines and larger venues, but keep cash for smaller bars and kiosks.

Common questions

How do I get from Munich Airport to the stadium?

You do not need to ride all the way into the centre first. Take an airport train or the shuttle bus towards town, get off at Nordfriedhof and change onto the U6 north to Fröttmaning, then walk 10-15 minutes to the ground. If you are dropping bags in town first, ride the S8 or S1 to the centre and pick up the U6 from there.

Which airport do I fly to for Bayern Munich, and is there a direct flight?

Fly to Munich Airport (MUC), the city's main airport northeast of the centre. There is no hub to route through: Manchester and London both have direct flights of around two hours, with Lufthansa and easyJet among the carriers, so you fly straight in and do the legwork on the S-Bahn and U-Bahn at the far end.

Where do away fans sit at the Allianz Arena?

In the upper tier at the north, blocks 340-347. For some Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal games extra middle-tier blocks (242-246) are opened depending on the allocation. Visiting fans enter via the guest entrance in the north-west, reached over a footbridge across the Fröttmaninger Heide. It is high and set back, but sightlines are good.

How big is the away allocation?

It depends on the competition. Champions League games carry a standard allocation of about 3,500, while Bundesliga fixtures can run up to roughly 7,500, around 10% of the ground. The base blocks are 340-347 in the upper north tier, with middle-tier blocks added when the allocation is larger. Your exact block is printed on the ticket.

What time should I get to the ground?

Give yourself a clear hour before kick-off. The U6 runs extra services on match days and Marienplatz to Fröttmaning is only about 15-16 minutes, but Fröttmaning empties tens of thousands onto one esplanade, so the 10-15 minute walk plus the guest-entrance and flag checks at Gate 77 eat into the margin. Arriving early also gets you served at the Arena Card tills before the queues build.

Can you drink in the ground?

Yes. Beer is sold inside the Allianz Arena, but only through the cashless Arena Card: load 10, 20 or 50 euro, pay from that, and reclaim any unused balance afterwards. Cash and normal cards are not taken at the concession stands, so sort a card on the way in rather than at half-time.

How much is a beer in Munich?

Outside Oktoberfest, reckon on 4 to 6 euro for a half-litre in a beer garden and 7 to 8 euro inside the Hofbräuhaus, with a full litre Maß of Augustiner around 9 euro at a beer-garden table. Oktoberfest is a different market, where a Maß runs to roughly 15 to 16 euro, so avoid pricing a normal away trip off festival numbers.

Is Munich safe for away fans?

Yes. The FSA guide states there is nowhere in the city that needs to be avoided, and it is an easy-going place for visiting supporters. Street drinking is tolerated, but excessive public drunkenness is not, and the usual matchday sense applies: keep colours sensible in mixed crowds and do not give the police a reason to take an interest.

Which pubs and areas are away-friendly?

The beer halls and gardens around Marienplatz and the main station are the natural gathering points, with Augustiner-Keller five minutes from the station a reliable pre-match spot. For screens, the Irish and Australian pubs around Frauenplatz behind the Frauenkirche show football. A full beer hall is about the rooms rather than the TVs, so pick a sports bar if you want to watch other games.

Does the match ticket give free transport?

Yes. Bayern match tickets normally include a return public-transport journey within the MVV area to and from the ground, which covers your U6 run out to Fröttmaning and back. Check the ticket before buying a separate fare. It does not stretch to the airport zones, so an airport journey still needs a Zone M-5 ticket.

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

The Allianz Arena sits on the northern edge of the city at Fröttmaning, not in the middle. Marienplatz to Fröttmaning is about 15-16 minutes on the U6, then a 10-15 minute walk, so door to turnstile from the centre is roughly half an hour. It is a stadium in parkland with little immediately around it, which is why fans base themselves in town.

Where should away fans stay?

Base yourself around the city centre or the main station rather than out by the ground. That keeps you on the S-Bahn and U-Bahn trunk lines, next to the beer halls, and one straight U6 ride from Fröttmaning. Schwabing, north of the centre and also on the U6, is quieter and shortens the run to the stadium. There is little reason to stay out by the arena itself.

Do I need cash or will cards work?

Both, with a split. Contactless works in most transport machines and larger venues, but plenty of smaller Munich bars and kiosks still prefer cash, so carry some euros. Inside the stadium neither cash nor a normal card works at the bars: you must load an Arena Card first.