Frankfurt is the economical capital of Germany and home to the country’s largest airport, with a lot of connections to the rest of the world. The downtown area and the scenic neighborhoods attract millions of travelers each year.
Munich is mostly known for being home to Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer party, but the city also has a lot of other things to offer. The architecture and the culture are big parts of the city’s appeal to visitors.
Summary
With no buses connecting Frankfurt to Munich, the cheapest option is the train. Book in advance and you’ll pay €29 (savings fares one way on IC trains).
Flights from Frankfurt to Munich
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a major international hub, the busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic in the country and connects Germany to the rest of the world. The airport is located 12 km from the city center and is hub for Condor Flugdienst and Lufthansa.
Munich is served by two airports, but the flights to/from Frankfurt land on / depart from Munich International Airport (MUC). It is located 28.5 km from the city center and is hub for Air Berlin, Augsburg Airways, Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti. It is the second busiest airport in the country.
The only company operating direct flights between the two cities is Lufthansa. In mid-June 2012 expect to pay from €78 one way on Lufthansa. A return flight in the same period starts at €159 on the same airline. The same fares apply later in the year, too.
>>book a cheap flight to Munich
Trains from Frankfurt to Munich
Bahn.de operates fast trains (ICE) between Frankfurt and Munich. The travel time is about 3 ½ h. If you book in advance (about a month) the single savings fare is €59 . The standard fare is €95 one way. Trains depart from each station every hour until 1 a.m. And they start around 5 a.m. daily.
The savings fare on the IC trains is €29 and the travel time is similar. If don’t mind traveling in the evening, these are excellent choices to save money and get between the two cities fast.
>>read more about Train travel in Germany
Driving from Frankfurt to Munich
You can rent a car and drive the 400 km (on A3 and A9) between Frankfurt and Munich. Driving in Germany is a delight and you should be able to cover the distance in about 4 h (depending on the traffic).