Europe 2011 - Day 9 Guten Tag Munchen

Date of Travel: 15 April 2011

Munich Marienplatz Cathedral

It's time to head to Munich for some beer and pork knuckle! No more crowded, stinky, kiasu airports for us. It's time to take the lovely trains.

Prague to Nuremberg = Bus ride, exactly 3 hours 47 minutes
Change to Trains = 11 minutes time given
Nuremberg to Munich = Train ride, exactly 1 hour 11 minutes

You gotta love the Germans' precision on time. You are given exactly 11 minutes to get off the bus with all your luggage, and lugging them onto the right platform and right train on time.

Buses from Prague to Nuremberg, Germany

The whole journey can be prebooked online from http://www.bahn.de and have your E-tickets printed out beforehand. Movenpick hotel provided a free shuttle to Andel station, after which it was an easy tram ride to the Hlvani Nakinezi main train station. Once there, finding the bus station was no easy task. There were many signs to bus, but sometimes it pointed to bus parking, sometimes to public buses on street level. Look for bus logo with B1 and B2 signs. Note that there are no escalators nor lifts to the bus station. Also, toilets at train station are chargeable at 10Kr or €0.50.

Bus + Train ticket booked from http://www.bahn.de

The bus was very spacious and comfy, double decker with mini toilet again. No free drinks but sold at minimal prices like €1.50 for a hot drink or croissant. The bus arrived Nuremberg 10mins earlier, so ample time to locate the right train platform to Munich. These were ICE trains, with cafeteria lounges and toilet bigger than airplane ones. Thumbs up for this train ride.

Small but very functional room at NH Kaiser, Munich

Our hotel (NH Hotel Deutscher Kaiser) was located directly opposite the Hbf (main train station). We loved the hotel. For €50/night, we got good firm beds, a bath tub and free Internet for the first 30mins at lobby with a paper from the receptionist. Internet at room is €6 for 1hr or €18 for 24hrs. Room though small, was very functional and didn't feel confined. Walking distance to Karlsplatz.

Transport system is a tad bit confusing if buying single trip tickets, priced at €1.20. To save me the headache, we got the 3-day Partner ticket for €22.80, good for up to 5 adults traveling together.

Arch towers of Marienplatz - overrated place

First stop, Marienplatz. It was like a tourist nightmare. People bumping you everywhere, cigarettes everywhere. Horrid feeling being there. Most meals in the vicinity are €10-15 per main meal. Being cheapskates, we had Vietnamese pho for €4.90! Things got better when we discovered Karlsplatz Stachus. It has an underground shopping street, with our favourite mall called Galeria. Loads to see and eat around here. Found the reputedly most crowded McDonald's in Europe at Karlsplatz, which truly lived up to it's fame. Queues started from outside, with hardly any dining area inside. Such a small place, but so crowded.

Most crowded McDonald's in Europe, at Karlsplatz Stachus Munich.

Munich in a nutshell, is overcrowded with smokers. Cigarette smells every corner you turn. Also on every corner are Casinos and sex shops. Our hotel is sandwiched between a Casino and Erotic World. Be careful to stop at the right entrance to the lobby. My mistaken pause in front of Erotic World drew odd stares from shady men.

NH Hotel located between a Casino and Erotic World. Which sin would you like first? Photo credit to Google Street View

If you have missed the rest of this series:
Europe 2011 - Day 1 Arriving Paris
Europe 2011 - Day 2 Cycling and Eating Like The French
Europe 2011 - Day 3 Shocking Ourselves Silly
Europe 2011 - Day 4 Backbreaking Prague
Europe 2011 - Day 5 Royal Animals of Prague
Europe 2011 - Day 6 & 7 to Cesky Krumlov
Europe 2011 - Day 8: Top 5 things to bring home from Prague
Europe 2011 - Day 10,11,12 Dedicated to Munich (Part 1 of 3)
Europe 2011 - Day 10,11,12 Dedicated to Munich (Part 2 of 3)
Europe 2011 - Day 10,11,12 Dedicated to Munich (Part 3 of 3)
Europe 2011 - Day 13 Munich to Paris
Europe 2011 - Day 14 & 15 Going Home