Airport Memmingen
Photo by Arne List/Flickr
View to the Alps when landing on Airport Memmingen
When flying into Munich, the most obvious destination of choice is the Munich Franz-Josef-Strauss Airport, which is the second busiest one in Germany behind Frankfurt. It's just northeast of the city and offers service for both domestic and international flights.
But there is another one not too far from Munich that may serve your travel needs even better. Lying just a little over an hour west of the Bavarian city, the Memmingen Airport is a fantastic alternative to the big, sometimes overly crowded airfield in Munich.
Memmingen Aiport: Between Munich and Ulm
Located in the breathtakingly beautiful Allgäu area, the Airport Memmingen is about 110 kilometers (or about 70 miles) from the city center of Munich. It's actually sometimes referred to as the Munich West or the Allgäu Airport. It is a small, public airfield with very cheap international flights. Services provided by the budget airlines Flybe, Germania, TUIfly and Wizzair fly out of Memmingen on a seasonal and regular basis.
Cheap Flights Within Europe
But the real appeal of Memmingen is Ryanair's cheap flights and discount air travel to destinations all across Europe. Often starting at just 10 Euro, some of the cheapest flight fares in Germany fly out of this city.
If you are starting your European vacation in other countries and then flying to Germany, the Allgäu Airport Memmingen can be a great option for you and your travel group. It’s great for large groups or families because the small airport can offer big discounts for cheap flights to Munich.
Transfer to/from Munich and other cities
While the airport isn't as close to the city as the Munich airport is, there is no shortage of transportation options to get you into the Bavarian capital. You can take a bus, rent a car and drive, book a shuttle service or train into the city.
If you are flying in with Ryanair or Wizzair, or have a flight scheduled to come in around flight times of those carriers, you can jump right on the Allgäu Airport Express and be whisked to Munich in little over an hour. The bus runs regularly after Ryanair and Wizzair flights and operates seven days a week.
Purchase your ticket online beforehand or once you are on the bus. You can find the full timetable here.
One-way tickets cost less than 20 Euro per person and discounted family tickets are also available. If your travel plans include any of the other cities in the region, there are buses available to Augsburg, Landsberg and Ulm as well. Additional buses to nearby Swiss towns are also available, but must be booked online before boarding. You can find all the fare information here.
In addition to the Express bus there are individual transfer services also available. An 8-passenger van, with ample room for luggage, can be arranged for your trip into Munich. Be sure to do so on the Memmingen airport's website before arriving by plane.
If you want to take the train to Munich, or need the train service to travel to any other city or region, there is a fairly large station located in the center of Memmingen. The train station is only about 4 kilometers from the airport and is a major intersection for various train lines. You can travel into the city by way of city bus or taxi. Information about the German train system can be found at the Deutsche Bahn. .
Drive Yourself on a German Autobahn
Looking for a thrill? You might find yourself wanting to take to the famous German Autobahn. Rent a car at the Memmingen Airport and zoom along the A96 east, towards Munich. What about this gorgeous BMW, Porsche or Mercedes Benz you have always dreamed about? Car rental for a day is very affordable and you can conveniently drop off the car in Munich, without any additional cost. The rental car companies of Hertz, Sixt and Europcar all feature kiosks at the airport.
Or, even better, plan out your own side route and see the beautiful countryside along the way. The route takes you right past the famous Legoland Deutschland in Günzburg. What better way to start or end your stay in Munich than visitng the most famous amusement park in Germany with your kids?
