Car rentals in Munich

Part of our guide to car hire in Germany.

Driving and Parking in Munich: What You Need to Know

• Rules of the road: Germany drives on the right. The limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h on rural roads, and 130 km/h is the recommended speed on Autobahn sections without a posted limit. Many stretches around Munich carry a lower posted limit, so follow the signs rather than the advisory figure.
• The low emission zone: The area inside the Mittlerer Ring is a year-round low emission zone, and only vehicles with a green sticker may enter. The rule applies to foreign vehicles as well as German ones, and the sticker must be fixed inside the windscreen. Check that your hire car carries one at collection, because driving into the zone without it brings a fine.
• The ring road: The Mittlerer Ring circles the inner districts and marks the edge of the low emission zone. Allow extra time at peak hours, and follow the signs to the car park you chose rather than searching for a space on the street.
• Motorways: The A8 runs west to Augsburg and Stuttgart and south-east towards Salzburg, the A9 runs north, the A95 runs south-west towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the A96 runs west towards Memmingen and Lindau. Germany has no general toll for cars.
• Street parking: Street spaces are marked, and most are paid and time-limited. Some are reserved for residents with a permit, and these zones cover districts such as Altstadt-Lehel, Maxvorstadt, Schwabing and Au-Haidhausen. Read the sign at the space, because it is the rule that counts.
• Car parks in the centre: The Schrannenhalle garage near the Viktualienmarkt has 183 spaces, and the Salvatorgarage has 452 spaces and is listed as open around the clock. The Parkhaus Oberpollinger on Maxburgstraße has 397 spaces. One guide lists central garages at roughly €3.50 to €6 an hour in 2025, so confirm the tariff at the entrance.
• Park and ride: Park and ride sites at stations such as Fürstenried-West, Olympiazentrum, Heimeranplatz and Feldmoching are listed at about €1 to €2 a day, with U-Bahn or S-Bahn into the centre. For a day in the old town, leaving the car at a station and taking the train is often the simpler option.
• Paying for parking: The Handyparken München app handles street payment, and enforcement checks the number plate. Many central paid zones are listed as free in the evening and on Sundays, but check the sign for the hours that apply.
• Equipment: German law requires a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a reflective vest in the car. Hire cars are normally equipped, and you can confirm this at collection.
• Winter driving: Tyres with the Alpine symbol are required in snow, ice, slush or black ice. Tyres marked only M+S have not been accepted since 1 October 2024, and winter hires normally come fitted correctly. The mountain roads south of Munich can be slower after snow, so allow extra time.
• Phone and alcohol: Holding a phone while driving costs €100 and one point. The alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille, and 0.0 applies to novice drivers and drivers under 21. Treat any alcohol before driving as a risk.
• Speed cameras: Fixed and mobile speed cameras operate on German roads, including in towns and in roadworks zones on the Autobahn. Fines are issued to the registered keeper, so the supplier can pass the charge and an administration fee to the driver. Keep to the posted limit throughout.
• Tolls and Austria: Austria uses a motorway vignette, and the road to Salzburg crosses the border. The digital 10-day vignette cost €12.80 in 2026, so check asfinag.at for current prices. Cross-border travel is commonly subject to the supplier's prior authorisation, so confirm the terms in your booking confirmation first.
• Before you drive away: Photograph the car on all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior at collection and again at return.

Top Places to Visit from Munich by Car

• Starnberg and Lake Starnberg — about 25 km south-west, in roughly 22 minutes. The lake is the nearest large stretch of water to the city, and the short drive suits an afternoon.
• Augsburg — about 65 km west on the A8, in roughly 48 minutes. Augsburg has its own low emission zone, so check the windscreen for a green sticker before you arrive.
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen — about 89 km south-west on the A95, in roughly 55 minutes from the centre. The town sits at the foot of the Zugspitze, and winter snow can add time to the drive.
• Neuschwanstein Castle — about 120 km south-west, in roughly 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. Follow the motorway towards Füssen, then the signs to Hohenschwangau and the castles. Parking is limited and fills early in summer, so arrive before 9:00 am. The B17 through road in Schwangau is closed from 15 September 2026 to about 18 December 2026, and the detour runs through Hohenschwangau, so allow significantly more time.
• Salzburg — about 145 to 150 km south-east on the A8, in roughly 1 hour 30 minutes. The A8 often congests on Friday afternoons and summer weekends, and the border crossing needs an Austrian vignette. Garage parking in Salzburg is listed at about €3 to €4 an hour.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Munich?

Peak season: June to August is the busiest period for visitors, with long daylight hours that suit the day trips above. Oktoberfest runs from 18 September to 3 October 2027 on the Theresienwiese, and the organisers advise against driving there because there are no visitor car parks at the festival grounds. Hire a car for the days beyond the festival and use public transport to reach it.

Shoulder season: April to May and October bring steadier traffic and milder weather. Roads are easier to read, and a day on the Autobahn is less tiring than in the heat of July.

Low season: January to March is the quietest period for visitors. Daylight is limited, and winter tyre rules apply in wintry conditions. The roads towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen can be slower after snowfall, so plan longer drives to leave and arrive in daylight.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for the summer and for the Oktoberfest weeks, and earlier for automatic cars or larger vehicles. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Munich

A rental prepayment confirms your booking online with Instant Confirmation, and you pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival. The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Munich

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Munich Airport (MUC)
• Munich Central Station
• Munich Downtown