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Munich
* Located in Bavaria, south eastern Germany
* Cultural and historical center
* Population 1.5 million people
* Germany's third largest city after Berlin & Hamburg
* Cosmopolitan European city: cafes, street life, museums and parks
* Gateway to the Alps and on to Prague & Budapest, Austria & Switzerland
* Over 6 million tourists visit the Oktoberfest: Munich's annual beer festival
World Cup 2006 Matches in Munich
Munich.
Munich ©Bavaria Tourism
Fri June 9 Germany v Costa Rica (Opening Game)
Wed June 14 Tunisia v Saudi Arabia
Sun June 18 Brazil v Australia
Wed June 21 Ivory Coast v Serbia Montenegro
Sat June 24 Round of 16
Wed July 5 Semifinal
Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is a tourist's dream, particularly in the clement summer months of June and July. The city boasts a collection of world-class museums, theaters, expansive parks, and the ghosts of many great artists, from Klee to Kandinsky, Strauss to Ibsen. Moreover, the city's annual Oktoberfest draws in hundreds of thousands of revelers. Now a hi-tech modern metropolis and headquarters of Seimens and BMW, Munich has much to offer and is a magnet for tourists and Germans alike. The city is now approximtely comprised of 20% foreign nationals. In addition, Munich is home to many painters and filmmakers, students and the jet-set--and, of course, the born-and bred as well.
The city officially dates its origins to 1158, but settlements have existed in the area that is modern Munich since Roman times. Aside from plagues that tormented the city several times in the 14th and 15th centuries, the city has grown steadily in wealth and importance as a trading center. Bavaria also owes a debt of gratitude to Napoleon, who made the state a kingdom.
In the 19th century, King Ludwig engaged in a huge rebuilding of Munich, thus creating the grand city that would be recognizable to modern-day residents. By the beginning of 20th century, Munich was attracting artists and becoming an increasingly vital center. In the dark days leading up to World War II, though, it was a center of Hitler's rise to power and the Nazi legacy saw half of Munich bombed to the ground during the war.
The post-war rebuilding of Munich was capped by the hosting of the 1972 Olympic Games. Like Tokyo in 1964, this was to welcome the city back into the community of great world cities. It was marred however by the murder of 11 Israeli athletes. Munich was also the venue of the 1974 World Cup final, fondly remembered by Germans to this day.
Getting to Munich
Air
Munich International Airport has flights bound for cities all over Europe, New York, and Asia. The airport is connected by the S1 & S8 trains to the Hauptbahnhof. The trip takes 40 minutes and runs every 20 minutes from 4am to 1am. The fare is €8. There is also an airport bus to and from Arnulfstrasse, on the north side of the Hauptbahnhof, between 6:50am and 7:50pm; it takes about 45 minutes. A taxi into town costs about €70.
Bus/Road
Munich is well-connected on the autobahn network. The A9 to Nuremberg, the A8 to Salzburg in Austria, the A95 to Garmisch and the A8 to Stuttgart.
Train
The Hauptbahnhof, which is the main railway station, is located on Bahnhofplatz in the center of town. There are 20 daily trains to Frankfurt, 23 to Berlin.
Munich's excellent public transport system (MVV) is zone based with tickets valid for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses. Day passes for individuals and groups are available, including the Munich Welcome Card which gives unlimited travel on public transport. The U-Bahn closes at 12.30am on weekdays and 1.30pm at weekends, though a network of night buses (Nachtbusse) still operate.
A climate-neutral World Cup
Click here for the 2006 Fifa World Cup venues
Click here for general information
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