Practical Bavaria
Bavaria for International Visitors
A few things I explain to every visitor before they leave the station. Practical advice learned through real trips around Bavaria.
Trains & the Bayern-Ticket
For day trips, the Bayern-Ticket covers all regional trains, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and most buses in Bavaria from 09:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends. It is cheaper the moment there are two of you. It does not cover ICE or IC trains — I have watched people learn that the expensive way.
Cash vs card
Card acceptance has improved a lot, but I still carry €40 in cash. Beer garden self-service counters, mountain huts, small bakeries and some taxis are cash-only. Huts almost never take cards.
Tipping
Round up, roughly 5–10%. Say the total you want to pay when handing over the money — 'Twenty-five, please' — rather than leaving coins on the table.
Reservations
For dinner in Munich on a Friday or Saturday, book. For beer gardens, do not bother: the self-service areas never take reservations, and the tables marked Stammtisch are for regulars.
Biergarten etiquette
In the self-service section you may bring your own food — this is a real, protected tradition. Buy your drink, find any free spot on the benches, and share the table. You return the empty Mass yourself and get the deposit back.
Opening hours
Almost every shop and supermarket closes on Sundays. Plan your Saturday shopping accordingly. Restaurants, museums, bakeries at stations and everything in the mountains stay open.
Mountain safety
Weather in the Alps turns fast. I check the DAV hut page and the mountain forecast the evening before, and I carry a jacket even on a 28°C day. Cable cars stop running earlier than you think — check the last descent time before you start.
Deposits & recycling
Most bottles and cans carry a 25-cent Pfand deposit. Feed them into the machine at any supermarket entrance and you get the money back as a voucher.
Renting a car
Most tourists pick up at Munich Airport, manuals are the default (book an automatic weeks ahead), and you'll want the green Umweltplakette sticker for Munich's low-emission zone. Full breakdown of licenses, costs, road rules and what to do if something goes wrong in the complete guide.
Read the guideBest time to visit
Spring is quietest, summer means full trails and heat spikes past 35°C some years, September is my own favorite for hiking, and Oktoberfest turns Munich loud and expensive for two weeks. Full season-by-season breakdown — including the honest gap on winter mountain hiking — in the complete guide.
Read the guideMy one-line version
Buy a Bayern-Ticket, carry cash, do not shop on Sunday, share the bench, and always check the last cable car down.
New trips, straight to your inbox
No spam. Just the routes, how to get there by train, and the best time to go.
By subscribing, you agree to receive the Haki Travels newsletter. We'll send you one email to confirm your subscription, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy