Shuttle parking at Munich Airport: process, schedule and tips
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As soon as a partner is activated, you will find their offers with real prices on the airport page.
For many travellers, shuttle parking is the middle way between the expensive multi-storey car park right at the terminal and the effort of being dropped off. At Munich Airport this means: you drive to a provider's car park in the area around the airport, park your car there yourself and are taken to the terminal in a minibus. After your return you go back the same way. That sounds simple – and it is, if you estimate the time required correctly. This guide shows you how to plan shuttle parking in Munich.
Key facts at a glance
- With shuttle parking you park yourself at the provider's site and take its shuttle to the terminal.
- Plan check-in, waiting time and transfer as a fixed block in your schedule.
- When booking, state whether you are departing from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.
- The car park address from the confirmation belongs in the sat nav – not “Munich Airport”.
How shuttle parking works
The procedure is similar with most providers. You drive to the address in your booking confirmation, check in, park the car – depending on the provider, in an assigned space – and get into the shuttle with your luggage. It takes you to the departures level of the terminal. It is important that you enter the provider's address in the sat nav. Shuttle car parks are located outside the actual airport grounds, often in business parks in the surrounding towns.
On your return, you contact the provider after baggage claim or go to the agreed pick-up point. The shuttle takes you to the car park, and you drive home in your own car. You will find details on collection in the guide Returning: collecting your car at Munich Airport. General questions about the shuttle are answered in the frequently asked questions about the shuttle procedure.
Schedule: calculating backwards
The most common mistake with shuttle parking is underestimating the transfer. In Munich, there is also the fact that the drive via the A92 and A9 can take considerably longer in rush-hour traffic and at the start of the holidays. So calculate backwards from the departure:
- The airline's recommended lead time until arrival at the terminal – often around two hours for European flights, more for long-haul.
- Transfer: check-in with the provider, waiting time for the next shuttle and the journey to the terminal.
- Drive to the car park plus a traffic buffer.
An example: departure at 11:00 from Terminal 2, and the airline recommends two hours – so 9:00 at the terminal. If you allow 40 minutes for the transfer with everything included, you should be at the car park at 8:20. With a driving time of one hour and a 30-minute buffer, that means setting off at 6:50. Which times apply to your provider is stated in its description and in the confirmation.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
The shuttle usually drops you off at the departures level. Because Munich has two terminals, you should state where you need to go when booking. Terminal 2 is used mainly by Lufthansa and Star Alliance partners, Terminal 1 by many other airlines. The Munich Airport Center lies between the two terminals – if you do get off at the wrong terminal, the walk is manageable but costs time. More orientation in the guide Terminals at Munich Airport.
Luggage, children and large groups
In the shuttle you travel together with other passengers. You should state bulky luggage such as pushchairs, golf bags or ski equipment when booking. If you are travelling with several people, check whether the provider limits the number of people per vehicle or charges supplements – more in the frequently asked questions about the number of people in the shuttle. For families, valet parking can be the more convenient choice, see With family and luggage to Munich Airport.
Who shuttle parking is suitable for
- For longer holiday trips with many parking days – see Long-term parking at Munich Airport.
- For travellers with normal luggage who have some time for the transfer.
- For anyone who wants to park their car themselves and keep the key.
Shuttle parking is less suitable if you are very short of time or land late at night and do not want to wait for a shuttle. The guide Valet or shuttle at Munich Airport offers a detailed comparison.
Checklist for shuttle parking
- Provider's address and phone number saved
- Terminal checked and stated when booking
- Transfer time and buffer in the schedule
- Bulky luggage registered
- Parking space number or location noted or photographed
What to look for in the location of the car park
Around Munich Airport, shuttle car parks are mostly located in the business parks of the surrounding municipalities. The distance to the terminal is only one criterion. Equally important is how easily the car park can be reached from your direction of travel. If you come from Lower Bavaria via the A92, you benefit from a car park that lies on the route before the airport. If you come from the city via the A9, make sure that you do not have to drive through several villages first. Look at the address on a map before booking and think about how you will get there on the day of departure.
Also check whether the provider states how the site is secured. A fenced, lit site with staff on site gives more security than an unsupervised open area. You will find this information in the offer description.
When the shuttle is full or keeps you waiting
On peak days – at the start of the Whitsun or summer holidays – many customers arrive almost simultaneously. Then it can happen that a shuttle is full and you have to wait for the next one. That is precisely why a buffer belongs in the schedule. If it gets tight, speak to the staff on site and point out your departure time. Many providers give priority to passengers with earlier departures. It also helps to state the flight number when booking so that the provider can plan its trips.
Shuttle parking with ski and sports luggage
In winter, many travellers depart from Munich Airport for ski resorts abroad, and in summer they go on holiday with a bicycle or golf equipment. Sports luggage needs space in the shuttle. So register it when booking and expect loading and unloading to take a little longer. Pack skis or bicycles so that they can be carried easily – in the terminal there are a few metres between the shuttle and the oversized baggage check-in counter. You can find out where your airline's oversized baggage counter is on site or in the airline's information.
Weighing up cost and comfort correctly
Shuttle parking is usually cheaper than valet. Whether the price difference is worthwhile for you depends on how valuable the time saved on the day of departure and the day of return is to you. For a family travelling for two weeks with plenty of time, the shuttle is often the sensible choice. For a business traveller with a return flight at 22:00, the valet service may be the better deal. How the prices are made up is explained in the guide Parking costs at Munich Airport.
Shuttle parking in three typical situations
A couple, two weeks of summer holiday: plenty of time, normal luggage, a morning departure – ideal conditions for the shuttle. Given the length of the trip, the transfer hardly matters, whereas the saving compared with valet does.
A solo traveller, weekend trip: few parking days, little luggage. Here the price difference to valet is small. If you have time, you take the shuttle anyway; if you are rushing to the airport after work, valet is more likely.
A group of six: check the provider's rules on the number of people. Sometimes it is cheaper to arrive in two cars, sometimes in one – depending on whether the provider charges per person or per vehicle.
Important for all three cases: state the actual number of people and plan the transfer realistically – then the shuttle suits almost any trip.
Shuttle parking via Friend-Park
On Friend-Park you compare the offers of affiliated providers and book online. Whether there are already bookable shuttle car parks at Munich Airport is shown on the page Parking at Munich Airport – offers, addresses and prices appear there as soon as a partner is activated.
