Seven Hours in Munich

Q: On our return trip from Ireland to Johannesburg in July, we have a 7 hour stopover in Munich. Is it worth trying to arrange a bit of sightseeing? I am traveling on a South African passport, but the rest of my family are all traveling on Irish passports. We are traveling with a 7 and 9 year old, which makes long stopovers very challenging. - Margie Fallon

A: If you are prepared to get a visa for yourself, then you may consider a short visit to the centre of Munich. The airport is located about 35kms from Munich and the easiest way to get into the city centre is to take the S-Bahn service, which takes around 45 minutes. You can buy a family ticket (which covers five people) for 19.60 Euro which will allow you unlimited travel on public transport for the day. Buy the ticket at ticket booths at the airport. Once you are in the city centre, you could decide to walk around and enjoy the sights. These would include the Marienplatz, Theatinestrasse, City Hall, Frauenkirche, Feldherrnhalle and the Kaiser-hof. The old town is relatively compact and easily walkable. You could also buy a ticket on the hop-on hop-off bus which passes all the major attractions (www.citysightseeing-munich.com). Comment is offered in English and the trip takes one hour, but you can choose to get off as many times as you like. The cost is 10.90 Euros for adults and 7.90 Euros for children. An alternative to the city centre is Munich's excellent zoo, which is spacious and interesting. It is open from 9am-6pm and the entrance fee is 9 Euros for adults and 4.50 Euros for children. If you prefer not to leave the airport area but don't want to wait in tthe terminal, you could check into an airport hotel for a short stay. A family room in the Novotel Muenchen Airport will cost you 199 Euros for the day. The hotel, which is in the airport grounds, has good facilities for children, including a video game area and an indoor playground. There is also a gym and sauna. A cheaper option is the Holiday Inn Express Munich Airport, where you can get a room from 70-80 Euros. However, you will have to pay 8 Euros per person for the shuttle bus to and from the terminal. If you do decide to stay in the terminal, you will find plenty to see and do. One option is to take a tour of the airport, which takes about an hour. You can do this at the visitor's centre or by reserving in advance on Tel: +49 (0) 89 975-4 13 33. You can also view free movies at the 60-seater cinema at the airport. (19/6/11)