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Zurich-Munich tickets from €18.90 Go 1st class from €27.90 |
Zurich to Munich in 3h31
In 2020, electrification was completed, journey time was cut from 4h45 to 4h01 and train service was doubled from 3 trains per day to 6. In 2021, journey time was cut again to 3h31 and in 2025 there are up to 8 trains a day. Classy tilting Astoro trains have been deployed on this route, with 1st & 2nd class, a waiter-service restaurant, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Add great scenery, and this is definitely the way to go.
Travel tips: Luggage, bikes, choosing your seat...
Trains from Munich to other
European cities
Trains from
Switzerland to other
European cities
Trains between other European cities
Train times until 14 December 2024
The trains call at Zurich HB, Zurich Airport, Winterthur, St.Gallen, St.Magrethen SG, Bregenz, Lindau-Reutin, Memmingen, Buchloe, Munich Hbf.
Lindau-Reutin is Lindau's new main station on the mainland, replacing Lindau Hbf on Lindau island, see travel tips for more information.
* Runs on most Fridays from April 2024 onwards, also Saturdays April-September plus some other dates.
** Runs on most Sundays from April 2024 onwards, also Saturdays April-September plus some other dates.
Train times from 15 December 2024
The trains call at Zurich HB, Zurich Airport, Winterthur, St.Gallen, St.Magrethen SG, Bregenz, Lindau-Reutin, Memmingen, Buchloe, Munich Hbf.
Lindau-Reutin is Lindau's new main station on the mainland, replacing Lindau Hbf on Lindau island, see travel tips for more information.
How much does it cost?
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Sparpreis fares from €21.90 in 2nd class or €31.90 in 1st class
Sparpreis fares are advance-purchase fares, good for the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans. The price varies, with limited availability at each price level. Sparpreis fares are all one-way, a round trip is two one-ways.
There are through fares from most Swiss towns & cities to most German towns & cities, for example Lucerne to Munich from €29.90 or Munich to Wengen from €27.90, or Berchtesgaden to Geneva from €32.90.
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Flexpreis fare €104 in 2nd class, €183 in 1st class
Flexpreis is the fully-flexible fare, good for any train any day. They have unlimited availability, so cannot sell out.
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Children under 6 go free, no ticket needed, just bring them along.
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Children under 15 also go free when you book at int.bahn.de, if accompanied by an adult using a Sparpreis fare. Simply add them to the booking as normal.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from most Swiss towns & cities to most German towns & cities, and buying a through ticket from (for example) Geneva to Munich is a lot cheaper than buying separate Geneva-Zurich and Zurich-Munich tickets.
In the search results, look for a direct train between Zurich & Munich.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
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Seat reservation is optional. By default, tickets come without a reserved seat, you just sit anywhere you like, in any unreserved seat. However, you can add a reserved seat for €5.20 in 2nd class, €6.50 in 1st class, see travel tips for advice on when it's a good idea.
Route map
Highlighted = Zurich-Munich train route.
Red = high-speed lines. Black = conventional lines. Green = scenic sections.
Reproduced from the European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. I recommend buying a copy of this excellent Rail Map of Europe at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.
What are the trains like?
Tilting Astoro trains like these now operate the Zurich-Munich route, they replaced conventional locomotives & carriages in 2020. These classy pendolino trains have 1st & 2nd class and a restaurant car, with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Seats line up nicely with the windows for great views.
A Swiss Astoro train from Munich to Zurich, on platform 27 at Munich Hbf.
A Swiss Astoro train on platform 27 at Munich Hbf. The yellow indicates first class.
Travel tips
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1st or 2nd class?
2nd class is absolutely fine for most travellers, there's no need to go 1st class unless you don't mind the extra cost. 1st class simply means more leg and elbow room and usually a quieter environment. Study the photos above - what you see is what you get.
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Luggage
You can pretty much take anything you like as long as you can carry it or pull it behind you. Nobody will weigh or measure it! You take it with you onto the train, there's plenty of luggage space in both classes, the racks above your seat take anything up to backpack-size, the floor-standing racks take large suitcases. More about luggage on European trains.
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Seat reservations
A seat reservation is optional on these Zurich-Munich trains. If you choose not to make one, you can sit in any unreserved seat - a small LCD reservation display above each seat shows whether that seat is reserved or not. However, a seat reservation is a good idea especially on busy Fridays or around holiday periods. You can add a seat reservation when you book for €5.20 in 2nd class or €6.50 in 1st class.
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Boarding your train
As with virtually all European trains, there's no check-in. Just stroll into the station, find your train and get on, any time before it leaves. The doors may be closed a minute before departure.
In Munich, the best place for lunch or a beer before your train is the Augustiner Keller (www.augustinerkeller.de), a Bavarian beer garden a few minutes walk to the north of the station, see Munich Hbf station guide.
These trains often go from platform 27 at Munich Hbf, a short walk along platform 26.
In Zurich, the Brasserie Federal (www.brasserie-federal.ch) in the station's main hall is a great place for a beer or steak-frites before your train, see Zurich HB station guide.
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Power sockets, WiFi & toilets
The Astoro trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi in both classes. There's good mobile data reception along most of the route. Each car has at least one toilet.
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Bicycles
Bicycles can be taken on these trains, a reservation is required, you can add a bike when you book at int.bahn.de.
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Why not stop off at Lindau?
Lindau makes a great stopover between Zurich & Munich, either for a few hours or overnight. All these trains now call at Lindau-Reutin, which is Lindau's new main station on the mainland. Lindau-Reutin is a 2.8km 35-minute walk from Lindau Hbf, now renamed Lindau-Insel which is a terminus on Lindau island next to Lindau's old town. Regional trains link Lindau-Reutin with Lindau-Insel. Removing the need to change direction at Lindau Hbf is one reason these trains are 45 minutes quicker.
You can add a stopover when booking at int.bahn.de, simply click Stopovers and enter Lindau-Reutin plus a suitable length of stay in hours. Sparpreis tickets have a 2-day validity, as long as the journey & stopover fit into the 2 day validity you'll get a cheap fare with a stopover included free of charge.