Tourists traveling in München in Germany can save on transportation ticket costs and sightseeing admission fees by using the Munich City Tour Card.
Getting around in Munich (München) is very easy using the vast and efficient public transportation system that combines S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains, buses, and trams into a smooth network. Various transportation cards and passes are available to reduce the cost of public transportation in Munich with day tickets often offering the best savings deals. The Munich City Tour Card combines unlimited public transportation with discounts to many popular sights in München. The Munich Card is a similar offer that conveniently may be bought online and used on a mobile phone (or printed) for immediate use when arriving in Munich.
The Munich City Tour Card
Tourists in the Bavarian capital München can save on transportation costs and admission tickets to many popular sights when using the Munich City Tour Card. The card combines the advantages of a regular Munich transportation day ticket with further discounts at various sights, restaurants, shops, and attractions.
Like the regular Munich transportation day tickets (Tageskarten), the Munich City Tour Card comes in two versions: single for solo travelers and Gruppenkarte for groups of up to five adults. For the Gruppenkarte, two children between 6 and 14 years old count as one adult. (The Gruppenkarte was previously referred to as the Partnerkarte.)
A similar option is the Munich Card which costs about the same but includes savings on almost all museums in Munich, while the City Tour Card probably has a wider variety of tours and events. For international travelers on a first visit to Munich, the Munich Card or the pricier but all-inclusive Munich City Pass, which includes free admission to top sights, could be better value.
The Price and Validity of the Munich City Tour Card
The Munich City Tour Card is available for 24 or 48, and 3, 4, 5, or 6 days. The tickets are valid from the moment of validation up to the end of the limited hours or for the days cards up to 6 am the following morning. The ticket is valid for transportation in Zone M (center of Munich, previously referred to as Innenraum) or Zone M-6 (previously Gesamtnetz) which includes the entire Munich public transportation network including traveling to Munich Airport and Dachau. (A new Zone M-12 is also available but covers an area far too large for most travelers.)
The € prices of the Munich City Tour Cards for select days are as follows:
| Duration | Single Zone M | Single Zone M-6 | Group Zone M | Group Zone M-6 |
| 24h | 17.50 | 28.50 | 28.90 | 43.90 |
| 48h | 25.60 | 41.50 | 42.90 | 67.90 |
| 3 days | 29.50 | 48.50 | 47.90 | 75.90 |
| 4 days | 34.50 | 59.50 | 60.90 | 94.90 |
| 5 days | 40.50 | 71.50 | 70.90 | 113.90 |
| 6 days | 46.50 | 81.50 | 80.90 | 134.90 |
For comparison, the 2024 prices of some of the Munich transportation-only day cards are:
| Ticket | Zone M | Zone M-1 | Zone M-5 | Child (6-14) |
| Single Ticket (Einzelfahrt) | 3.90 | 5.80 | 13.60 | 1.80 |
| Single Day Ticket (Tageskarte Single) | 9.20 | 10.50 | 15.50 | 3.60 |
| Group Day Ticket (Tageskarte Gruppe) | 17.80 | 19.20 | 29.10 | * See note |
| Isarcard (Week Ticket) | 21.10 | 34.00 | 71.60 | * See note |
*Note: A separate group ticket is not sold for children but up to ten children may travel on the regular day group ticket. Up to three children travel for free with an Isarcard holder after 9:00 on weekdays and anytime on weekends.
Saving Money with the Munich City Tour Card
In order to save money with the Munich City Tour Card, it is necessary to save more than around €4 per day on admission fees. This saving is easily achieved through active sightseeing or by visiting sights that give large discounts.
Most of the museums and sights offer only around €1.50 discount on admission fees to bearers of the Munich City Tour Card. Sea Life München gives a large discount but the biggest savings are on expensive adventure experiences. The discounts given on experiences such as bungee jumping and helicopter flights are larger than the cost of the City Tour Card.
Some of the sights that give discounts with the Munich City Tour Card include the Residence, Schloss Nymphenburg, Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, Bavaria, Cuvilliés Theater, and Olympia Park. Discounts are also offered on bike rental, city walking tours, and at some restaurants and cafes.
The savings card may be bought at almost all places where regular Munich transportation tickets are sold including online, vending machines at stations and bus stops, the tourist information office, and at many hotels. A handy pamphlet with a map comes with the card if bought from tourist offices.
Family Savings and Munich Transportation Day Tickets
The Munich City Tour Card discounts are often only given on the full adult price and not necessarily on child admission fees, which are usually discounted anyway. For families with children, the regular Munich transportation Group Ticket will often give better value.
Especially for children aged 6 to 14, the regular Munich transportation day ticket (€3.60) that covers the entire München mass transit network cannot be beaten on price, except when the children are included on the Gruppen-Ticket with parents.
Travelers heading to Munich on day trips from other parts of Bavaria may save by using the Bayern Ticket. The Bayern Ticket covers almost all forms of local transportation throughout Bavaria including the whole Munich public transportation network.
The Munich Card is a similar offer but from a different company. It includes discounts at more museums as well as on excursions and day trips out of Munich. It has the advantage that it can be bought online and printed out rather than having to exchange a voucher after arrival in Munich. The Munich City Pass is a good choice for active sightseeing as it includes full admission to 45 top sights in Munich.
