Want to travel from Munich to Venice?
Then here’s all you need to know about the various options open to you…
2 fantastic European popular cities, there’s no question that if you haven’t visit either Munich in Germany, or Venice in Italy before, that you definitely should!
The sort of the destinations you return to time and time again – or at least I find myself returning there again and again! – there’s always something new to discover in these historic, yet totally different spots.
From the beautiful Bavarian centre of Munich, with its famous Oktoberfest, markets and biergartens to the gondola glory, canal charm and alluring romance of Venice, these 2 cities make for a great pairing.
And the great news is that it’s easy to travel between these 2 cities by train – there’s even daytime and overnight direct options that don’t require any changes.
I’ve also included some info on catching a coach or driving between Munich and Venice here too – just in case you’d like some more info on these as well.
So let’s get stuck into the best ways to travel from Munich to Venice…
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Travelling from Munich to Venice: The Basics
To start off, I want to give you a vague idea of distance, so that you can start to visualise the journey between these cities.
Largely speaking, it’s around 300km between Munich and Venice as the crow flies.
Munich in Germany lies to north of Venice in Italy and between the 2 we have Austria.
For the purposes of this article, I’m going to discuss travelling from Munich and Venice i.e. in the direction of north to south.
You can absolutely travel in the other direction too, you just need to pick the route that works best given your overall itinerary.
If you’re flying in and out of Europe (or training elsewhere afterwards), then checking prices of onward journeys from each city may help sway your decision as you which city you finish in.
Oh and a word of warning, Munich is spelt München in German, and Venice is Venezia in Italian, so don’t get confused if you see these names used in stations too!
Remember if you’re travelling to Venice by train, then you want to make sure your arrival point is Venezia Santa Lucia – the main station along the Grand Canal in central Venice.
The main station in Munich is München Hbf, which is located close to the city centre.
#1 Night Trains from Munich to Venice
So the first thing to know is that there is 1 direct night train service daily between Munich and Venice and I highly recommend getting this option if you can.
Operated by Nightjet – a subsidiary of the Austrian railway company OBB – Nightjet are increasing their offering across Europe and this overnight direct ride between Munich and Venice is no exception.
Leaving Munich around midnight and getting into Venice around 8am the following morning, this is an 8.5hr ride, where you can choose from a seated carriage, a couchette carriage or a sleeper cabin – the latter of which are the premium option.
Tickets start from around 70€ when booked in advance and of course, you’ll save on a night’s accommodation too!
Seating carriages are formed of 6 sleep compartments, so don’t involve you getting a bed, but you do have access to washroom and bathroom facilities.
Couchette carriages have fold down beds for 4-6 people and can be locked. Blankets, sheets and pillow are included with your reservation, as is a simple breakfast.
You can book a single couchette, or if you’re travelling as a family or group, you can book the whole carriage for privacy. Designated female compartments are also available.
Sleeper cabins include separate washing facilities and deluxe options even have their own private shower and toilet.
Again, these come with beds, plus sheets, pillows and blankets and the cabin can be locked for privacy. Wake up calls are available in sleeper cabins and an a la carte breakfast is served as well.
Ticket prices for the night train from Munich to Venice scale according to the cabin type and I recommend using Trainline for booking tickets, as they allow you to choose from a wide range of services and you can book up to 180 days ahead of your journey.
You can also book tickets direct through Nightjet here.
Taking the night train direct between Munich and Venice (they also make the journey in the opposite direction) is a great efficient way to travel as you won’t lose a day getting between the 2 cities.
It will also save you a night’s accommodation costs and, with a couchette or sleeper, you are likely to get a get night’s rest and arrive refreshed.
I’ve used night trains across Europe and love them as a more climate-friendly and exciting way to travel.
There are some night trains between Munich and Venice that aren’t direct – they require you to change stations. Personally I’d avoid these, as changing trains during the middle of the night really is no fun!
#2 Day Trains from Munich to Venice
If you don’t wish to take the night train from Munich to Venice, then there are day time services too.
There’s 1 direct service daily, around 11:30am, which doesn’t involve you making stops – and this is certainly the quickest service to go for.
Operated by the German rail company DB, this service is aboard a speedy Eurocity (EC) train and takes just under 7 hours.
Alternatively, you may also find it more convenient (in terms of departure time) to take a train from Munich to Venice that involves you making at least 1 change.
Changes are generally either made in Villach Hbf in Austria or Verona in Italy, and these services are offered by a mix of operators including the DB (the German rail company), OBB (the Austrian rail company), Railjet (OBB’s high speed services) and Trenitalia (the Italian rail company).
Journeys between Munich and Venice with 1 change generally take just over 7 hours to reach their destination.
Prices start from just 5€ when booked well in advance, but can go up to 100€, so it pays to be organised!
If you’re booking late and prices are high, then you may need to opt for a train with 2 changes.
If this is the case, always check the journey time as well as the price, and opt for the journey with the lowest combination of these 2 factors.
With an average of 17 trains daily, you should be able to find a departing train from Munich to Venice every 2-3 hours.
Things to Know Before Your Train Journey
Stations
Journeys leave from Munich Hbf and need to arrive into Venezia Santa Lucia if you want direct Grand Canal access in Venice.
How to Book Tickets
As is commonly the case when booking trains that cross European borders, there’s essentially 2 options for this journey – booking through the railway company websites direct or booking through an international comparison site.
Very often, I find the national sites of European train operators, like DB, clunky to use, hard to decipher and difficult to pay in foreign currencies or with international cards.
Which is why I always book European trains using Trainline.
Comparing services is made super easy by Trainline, who handily translate everything into English.
Ticket prices on Trainline include a 1-2€ booking fee, but their easy reservation system makes it well worthwhile in my opinion!
Trainline also allows you to pay using international cards (GBP, USD or EUR) and you can even change the currency to view converted prices.
Trainline also have a great app, which not only allows you to book tickets on the move, but also stores your e-tickets, which does away with the need to print anything out or waste time at the station.
In addition, their journey planner is great for letting you know if you train is on time or delayed and you can also book tickets 180 days ahead of your journey.
Book your Munich to Venice trains at Trainline here.
Cheapest and Flexible Fares
As a budget traveller, I’d always opt for a standard ticket when travelling from Munich to Venice, as 2nd class trains in this part of Europe are more than comfortable enough.
When booking with Trainline, standard seats are the norm, but you can often specify if you’d like to be forward-facing, have a window seat or be near a table / power socket.
Because I often like to work on trains, I find this especially helpful!
Remember travelling outside of peak hours, i.e. outside of 6-10am and 3-7pm on weekdays, will allow you access to cheaper tickets.
In contrast, peak, flexible and refundable fares are more expensive, but the latter 2 do give you the option to change or cancel if your travel plans are a bit flaky.
Otherwise, if you’re pretty sure your plans are getting to go to, well plan(!), then I’d opt for the lowest price.
These are generally non-refundable and non-exchangeable tickets, but are often significantly cheaper making them worthwhile in my opinion.
Luggage
You’ll be pleased to know that there’s no restrictions on luggage on services between Munich and Venice.
As long as you can carry your luggage onto the train, there’s usually ample rack space at either of carriages, as well as above and below seats for smaller bags.
These trains do have room for bikes to be taken onboard too, but cycle spaces are limited and need to be booked in advance – again Trainline can help with this.
If you need to arrange luggage storage in either Munich or Venice, then I highly recommend LuggageHero – a great left luggage app I’ve used myself many times.
Boarding the Train
As with the vast majority of trains in Europe, there’s no need to check in for your Munich to Venice journey.
Simply enter the station, check the boards for the platform of your departing train, then just board and sit in your reserved (or a free seat if unreserved) in the correct carriage class of your ticket.
Ensure you then have your tickets (or e-tickets) to hand for when a conductor or inspector passes by.
Use the Trainline app to track your journey and see when your station for disembarkation is coming up.
Sustainable Travel
The great news is that the trains Munich to Venice to are electric, which means they have a low carbon footprint.
If you are trying to travel in a more sustainable, the train is a great way to go.
Given the fact that it’s also fast, pleasant, stress-free and relatively good value, means catching the train is a great all-round option for making the journey from Munich to Venice.
#3 Munich to Venice by Coach
If you’re on a real budget however, then it also pays to know you can get a bus the whole way from Munich to Venice.
With prices as low as 30€ when booked in advance, this is a great option!
The most affordable bus services are run by Flixbus and they have several daily direct departures.
The factor you most need to be aware of when booking your Flixbus is which Venice station your bus arrives into.
The best choice is Venice Tronchetto, which is the most central option.
The other choice, Venice Mestre train station, is further away and far less convenient for tourists.
Direct bus services with Flixbus from Munich to Venice take between 6.5 and 8.5 hours.
The best services in my opinion are either the day Flixbus option, which departs Munich around 8am and gets into Venice Tronchetto around 4:30pm, or the night Flixbus option, which departs Munich around 11pm and gets into Venice Tronchetto around 7am.
Both of these are direct services, so no need to change buses – hoorah!
To review and book both these buses, you can again use Trainline, who offer you the ability to compare both rail and coach journeys.
Alternatively, you can book direct through Flixbus to save the 1-2€ booking fee.
#4 Munich to Venice by Car
And finally, the last way you may consider travelling from Munich to Venice is via 4 wheels.
The journey by road between these 2 cities is just over 500km long and takes around 5 hours without stops.
If you want to rent a vehicle then check out Discover Cars for some of the best deals around.
The pros to renting a car to make this journey are the flexibility, the luggage space and the ability to make stops of your choice on the way.
The cons to renting a car are the expense, the organisation required and having to drive in a foreign country. This can be a very stressful experience, at least it is for me!
You also have to factor in the cost of tolls and fuel too of course.
Renting a vehicle is really only better than a train or coach if there’s a group of you to help share the costs and the driving duties in my opinion.
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Top Travel Tips for Munich & Venice
When to Visit?
I recommend visiting both Munich and Venice during the warmer months of the year when sightseeing and day tripping is a lot more pleasant.
June and September are great choices when it comes to balancing crowds and prices with sunshine hours.
How to Get to Munich?
Check out these post I’ve written about how to get to Munich in the first place!
Where to Stay in Munich & Venice?
When it comes to top accommodation, check out these great Munich options and these fab Venice options, which include hotels, guesthouses, apartments and hostels.
Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while travelling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Alternatively, if you’re a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance policies.
Travel Money
When it comes to paying for things in Europe, you want to ensure you’re not being charged overseas transaction fees or getting poor exchange rates when using your card abroad, which is why I always take my Wise Card away with me wherever I travel.
The easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups, no sneaky transaction fees and a free Euros account, you can use your Wise card just like a debit card here… and it links easily with Google and Apple pay – sold! Get yours here.
SAVE THIS TO PINTEREST!
And there it is, my guide to the best ways to travel from Munich to Venice.
Have you made this journey?
Have any tips to share to help fellow travellers out?
Please leave any info about your journey in the comments box below…
