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MUNICH

9 essential apps for foreigners living in Munich

Whether you're looking for transportation information, event recommendations, or ways to explore Munich's unique culture, these essential apps are a must-have for foreigners in the city.

An aerial view of Munich.
An aerial view of Munich. Photo: Ian Kelsall/Unsplash

Attractions and services with the München App

Launched in January by the city of Munich in collaboration with the München Ticket and the city portal muenchen.de, the München App promised “to open Munich’s doors faster and easier than ever”, by simplifying access to Munich’s attractions and services. 

So far, locals seem to be very satisfied with the app, which allows users to purchase tickets, including admission to selected museums, exhibitions, concerts and swimming pools.

As the app continues to evolve, the plan is to expand its offerings to include more events and activities and for users to be able to use the app for public services, such as to make appointments with public authorities.  

Get around easily with MVG Fahrinfo München

The MVG Fahrinfo München app is an indispensable tool for navigating Munich’s public transportation network. This free and ad-free app, provided by the Munich Transport and Tariff Association (MVV), offers comprehensive timetable information and mobile ticketing services.

A sign with the logo of the underground, tram and bus lines stands at a stop in Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

Whether you’re travelling by S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus, or tram, the MVG Fahrinfo München app provides real-time updates, route planning, and the option to purchase tickets directly from your smartphone.

Never miss an event with Rausgegangen

For those seeking to explore Munich’s vibrant event scene, Rausgegangen is the go-to app. It not only provides hand-picked daily recommendations from the editorial team but also offers a comprehensive list of upcoming events categorised by type. It helps users stay up to date with the latest concerts, exhibitions, festivals, and more. 

Combat food waste and save money with Too Good To Go

Through this app, participating restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets in Munich offer their surplus food at discounted prices and users can reserve and pay for portions via the app, contributing to sustainability efforts while enjoying delicious, cheap meals.

READ ALSO: ‘World’s largest village’: How foreigners in Germany feel about Munich

Left-over offerings are up for grabs from a wide range of places, from supermarket Edeka to the swanky Ruby Lilly Hotel and Bar. Simply browse available options based on location or pick-up time, and savour the satisfaction of helping reduce food waste.

See the sites offline with the Munich Travel Guide

Discover Munich in a personalised way with the Munich Travel Guide app. Powered by Ulmon, this app keeps you oriented even when offline.

By enabling users to explore attractions, restaurants, and hotels in their vicinity and create custom lists of favourites and access them offline, the Munich Travel Guide app is an invaluable tool for tourists and residents alike.

Pedal freely with the Call a Bike

For those looking to explore Munich on two wheels, the Call a Bike app by Deutsche Bahn is an excellent choice. With access to over 13,000 bikes throughout Germany, this bike-sharing app allows users to conveniently rent a bike for a maximum of nine euros per day.

Cyclists ride across a street in the centre of Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

Use the app to embrace Munich’s bicycle-friendly culture and enjoy the city’s sights at your own pace.

Never miss the chance for an al fresco tipple with Biergartenfreude Munich

No visit to Munich is complete without experiencing one of its world-renowned beer gardens. The Biergartenfreude Munich app, available exclusively on iOS devices, helps you locate the nearest beer garden.

Discover new places or search for specific beer gardens, complete with ratings. This app is a beer lover’s companion for exploring Munich’s rich beer culture.

Discover cultural history with the MunichArtToGo

Where did the Munich art scene actually meet in the 19th century? MunchArtToGo answers these and other art history questions. 

With the free and ad-free app, you can discover art and cultural history in the middle of Munich’s urban space. With the help of an interactive map, you can easily find the nearest place that has an interesting and exciting story to tell.

The map includes art-historical attractions as well as lesser-known treasures of the city. With the help of historical photographs, you can compare the past with the present.

Users can also add their own pictures and information, and even create their own stories or thematic tours. Lots contributions from various Munich citizens are already part of the app. 

Never get a parking ticket with HandyParken

This app is a must-have for anyone who owns a car in Munich, as it allows users to conveniently pay for parking and to avoid the hassle of traditional parking payment methods. 

READ ALSO: Which areas in Munich are most popular with foreigners?

Munich has various parking zones, each with different rules and rates and the Handyparken app provides users with information about the specific parking zones in the city and their corresponding tariffs.

Users can easily identify their current location within a zone using GPS or by manually selecting the zone and the app calculates the applicable parking fee based on the chosen zone and duration.

The app sends reminders to users before their parking time expires, allowing them to extend their parking session remotely through the app if needed, helping to avoid fines for overstaying their parking time.

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For members

INSIDE GERMANY

Inside Germany: Spy scandals, coalition upset and German noises

In our revamped weekly newsletter, we look at spy drama, rocky politics, German noises and culture.

Inside Germany: Spy scandals, coalition upset and German noises

From decoding political rows to cultural and language tips, our weekly newsletter Inside Germany – formerly Living in Germany (we decided to give it a little makeover) – looks at what we have been talking about in Germany this week. Members can receive it directly to their inbox on Saturday.

Spy drama grips Germany 

Germany is no stranger to spy scandals (check out the ‘Deutsches Spionagemuseum’ in Berlin for more on the history) but the past few weeks have seen intelligence agencies working overtime. Last week we had two German-Russian men arrested in northern Bavaria after being accused of helping Russia to plan attacks in Germany. This week there were more high profile arrests, this time concerning reports of suspects spying for China in Germany. One suspect is an aide to Maximilian Krah, a Member of European parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany or AfD, plunging the party into more chaos. 

Spying certainly comes with high penalties in Germany. Journalist Aaron Burnett told our Germany in Focus podcast: “Some spies caught in Germany have been sentenced to eight to ten years… But more serious cases carry a life sentence. One head of division at the German intelligence service arrested last year is accused of having spied for the Russian FSB about Germany’s espionage methods, for example – and if he’s convicted he’s looking at life.”

‘Divorce papers’ hit the coalition

It’s been a rocky week for the coalition government. Junior partner, the FDP, proposed a 12-point plan aimed at boosting Germany’s economy. It included stricter sanctions on those receiving Bürgergeld (long-term unemployment benefit) and limiting early retirement. As you can imagine, it didn’t go down well with the FDP’s government partners the Social Democrats and Greens. Meanwhile, Bavaria’s state premier Markus Söder, of the opposition CSU, couldn’t resist a jibe, calling the plan a “divorce certificate” for the coalition partnership. With an election next year, it will be interesting to see if the coalition can hold it together.  

The noises you need to sound German

If you’re looking to sound more like a local, we recommend getting in on some of the noises that Germans make during everyday conversations – including Hä!

Is Germany attractive to foreign workers?

A survey released this week ranked Germany as the fifth most attractive destination for foreign workers. This week on our Germany in Focus podcast, we chat about the positives and negatives of moving to Germany for work. We also looked at when you might want to consider a legal challenge on your German citizenship application and Berlin’s new €29 rival to the Deutschlandticket. 

Making time for culture 

Every day (and night) there are gigs, events, exhibitions and lots of other cool things to do in Berlin. But it can be hard to fit it in among work, catching up with friends and chores (not to mention getting the grocery shopping done on a Saturday because Sunday isn’t an option in Germany). So I was happy that I carved out some time to check out art last weekend. House Berlin is a gallery tucked away on Friedrichstraße in Mitte. It’s currently showing Jeff Cowen’s exhibition Séance, where you can expect a creepy yet ethereal vibe examining the crossover between the spiritual and physical realm. 

I was also glad to hear about an awesome event recommended by a reader of The Local. Lucinda Kirkby is exhibiting her porcelain collection at Galerie Orange in Tegernsee. Let me know if you have some cultural recommendations in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany!

House Berlin' Séance exhibition.

House Berlin’ Séance exhibition. Photo: Rachel Loxton

Lastly… 

For readers who don’t know me – hallo! I recently took over as editor of The Local Germany full time after my lovely colleague Rachel Stern left the position. I’ve worked at The Local for more than five years in different roles and I also covered for Rachel during her parental leave. Some of you might also know me from the Germany in Focus podcast. I’m delighted to be spending more time editing The Local Germany and working alongside our awesome team of journalists. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me to say hi, with feedback or if you have a story. You can email me directly here: [email protected]

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