Getting to Munich Airport from the region: routes and parking tips
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Munich Airport is not just the airport of the Bavarian state capital. Many travellers come from Swabia, Lower Bavaria, the Upper Palatinate, the Oberland or the Chiemgau. For them, the drive to the airport is often a small journey in itself – and planning is correspondingly more important. This guide shows you the typical routes from the region and what you should look out for when parking. It is best to choose the exact route on the day of travel with a sat nav that knows the current traffic situation.
Key facts at a glance
- Almost all routes end on the A92, which joins the A9 at the Neufahrn junction.
- From the east (Landshut, Lower Bavaria) you come directly via the A92.
- From the west and south, the route usually leads via the A99 or the Munich ring road.
- The longer the drive, the more important a buffer – and a car park fixed in advance.
The basic principle: everything leads to the A92
The airport lies north-east of Munich between Freising and Erding. The A92 is the axis via which you reach it. It begins at the Neufahrn junction on the A9 and leads towards Landshut and Deggendorf. Whether you come from the north, west, south or east – in the end you drive on the A92 to the airport exit. More on the final stage in the guide Driving to Munich Airport.
From the north: Ingolstadt, Nuremberg, Regensburg
From Ingolstadt and Nuremberg, the A9 heading south leads directly to the Neufahrn junction, where you switch to the A92. From Regensburg there are several options – for example via the A93 and the A9 or via Landshut and the A92. Which route is faster depends on roadworks and traffic.
From the east: Landshut, Passau, Deggendorf
For travellers from Lower Bavaria the drive is particularly direct: the A92 leads from Deggendorf via Landshut to the airport. If you are coming from Passau, you reach the A92 via the A3. The advantage: you bypass the Munich metropolitan area completely.
From the west: Augsburg and Swabia
From Augsburg and the Allgäu, the route usually leads via the A8 towards Munich and then via the northern motorway ring to the A9 and on to the A92. Around Munich, traffic jams are to be expected during rush hour. Note for travellers from the Allgäu: depending on the destination, Allgäu Airport Memmingen can also be an alternative.
From the south: Rosenheim, Oberland, Garmisch
From Rosenheim and the Chiemgau, the route often leads via the A8 and the eastern motorway ring (A99) to the A9 and A92; depending on the starting point, country roads via Erding can also be an alternative. From the Oberland and Garmisch, the route leads via the A95 or A952 to Munich and then on via the ring road. The drive through or around Munich is the section with the greatest risk of congestion.
Time buffer for a long journey
The longer the drive, the more can happen: an accident on the A9, roadworks on the ring road, holiday traffic heading south. As a rule of thumb: plan the buffer in proportion to the distance – someone driving for two hours needs more reserve than someone from Freising. Be particularly generous at the start of the holidays and on Friday afternoons. How to calculate the schedule backwards is also shown in the guide Early flight from Munich.
Parking: know where to go beforehand
If you are travelling a long way, you do not want to have to search at the airport. A car park booked in advance gives you a fixed address for the sat nav. With valet parking you drive directly to the meeting point at the terminal; with shuttle parking to the car park in the area around the airport. Many shuttle car parks are located in the municipalities around the Erdinger Moos – often practical for travellers from the east, because they are on the way.
Travelling from Austria and the border area
Travellers from neighbouring Austria, for example from Salzburg or Tyrol, also drive to Munich Airport when the right connection departs from there. From Salzburg, the A8 leads towards Munich, after which the route continues via the motorway ring to the A9 and A92. From Tyrol, you reach Bavaria via the Inn Valley motorway and the A93 or A8. For these routes: there may at times be checks and delays at border crossings, and during holiday periods the Inn Valley and Salzburg routes are very busy. Plan a buffer accordingly and check the current traffic situation.
Travelling from Franconia and the Upper Palatinate
From Nuremberg, Regensburg or Amberg, the route usually leads south via the A9 or A93. The A9 takes you directly to the Neufahrn junction and thus onto the A92 to the airport. If you are travelling from northern Bavaria, you should keep an eye on roadworks on the A9, which is one of the most important north–south connections. For travellers from Franconia, Nuremberg Airport can also be an alternative depending on the destination.
Planning a break on the way
If you drive two or three hours to the airport, you should plan a break – not just at the airport. A short stop at a rest area or truck stop ensures that you arrive focused. With children, breaks are necessary anyway. Build the break into the schedule so that it does not become a source of stress.
A car park on the way instead of at the airport?
Some travellers from the surrounding area consider leaving their car at a station in the region and continuing to the airport by train. That can work if there is a direct connection and the luggage is manageable. For early flights, with family or a lot of luggage, driving directly to the airport with a car park booked in advance is usually the less stressful solution.
The drive back to the region
After landing, the way home is often longer than for people from Munich. If you still have to drive two hours to Lower Bavaria or Swabia after a long-haul flight, you should take this into account when choosing your flight and booking the car park. A valet service where the car is ready right at the terminal shortens the way. And a break after landing, before you get behind the wheel, is always a good idea after a long flight.
Which time of day for which region?
The best departure time depends on where you are coming from. From the east via the A92 the drive is usually predictable, because you do not cross the Munich metropolitan area. From the west and south, by contrast, the route leads via the Munich motorway ring, which is heavily congested in the morning and late afternoon. If you are travelling from these directions, it pays to avoid the rush hour or plan a generous reserve. From the north via the A9, the same applies to the section before the Neufahrn junction.
At the weekend the picture shifts: during holiday periods, Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons are often dominated by holiday and leisure traffic. A quick look at the traffic situation before setting off is therefore always sensible – regardless of the day of the week.
Quick overview by direction
- North (Nuremberg, Ingolstadt, Regensburg): A9 or A93 and A9 to the Neufahrn junction, then A92.
- East (Landshut, Deggendorf, Passau): A92 directly, from Passau via the A3.
- West (Augsburg, Allgäu): A8 and the northern Munich ring to the A9 and A92.
- South (Rosenheim, Garmisch, Salzburg): A8 or A95 and the Munich ring to the A9 and A92.
The exact route depends on the starting point and the traffic – on the day of travel, a sat nav with the current traffic situation is the best guide.
With a motorhome or trailer from the region
If you are travelling from the surrounding area with a large vehicle, for example because the motorhome is used before or after the trip by plane, you must plan parking particularly carefully. Multi-storey car parks are usually ruled out because of the height. Clarify with the provider beforehand whether it accepts large vehicles, and state the dimensions when booking.
Tips for the drive
- Check the traffic situation for the entire route shortly before setting off.
- Plan a break on a long drive – not just at the airport.
- Keep the parking provider's phone number to hand in case you are late.
- Allow enough time to recover for the drive home after a long-haul flight.
Which parking offers at Munich Airport can be booked through Friend-Park is shown on the page Parking at Munich Airport. You will find general answers in the guide Frequently asked questions about parking at Munich Airport.
