Munich Airport car hire
Our Munich Airport car hire service is conveniently located in the main Public Area on Level 3, close to the Arrivals hall. From here, all our vehicles can be collected at the Car Rental Centre, which is opposite the P26 parking area.Serving the state of Bavaria, Munich Airport is the second busiest in Germany and handles passengers from 266 different international destinations. It was ranked as Europe’s premium airport in 2018, making it an excellent place to pick up your hire car.
For those wishing to return their hire car outside of opening hours, please let us know in advance and we’ll tell you what you will need to do.
Popular car hire locations in Munich
Exploring Munich
The seat of Bavarian kings right up until the 20th century, Munich has enjoyed a prominent role in Germany history. Originally founded by Benedictine monks, it wasn’t long before the famous Wittelsbach family took the reins.Today, Munich is a buzzing hub of neo-classical architecture, contemporary galleries, characterful beer halls and spacious public parks. A place where Bavarian heritage and world-leading business sit side by side, Munich values its traditions and its modern innovations equally.
Home to a diverse collection of more than 80 museums—including the colourful Museum Brandhorst and the Glyptothek’s collection of ancient sculptures—as well as a vibrant arts quarter (The Kunstareal) and the opulent Nymphenburg and the Residenz Palaces, there are plenty of remarkable sites for culture enthusiasts to discover.
Munich is famous for its festive Christmas markets as well as its mild and pleasant summers, meaning the city is a spectacular year-round destination. However, most people come for Oktoberfest. The principle draw in the autumn months, Oktoberfest attracts approximately six million visitors every year.
Beyond Munich
Head out of Munich and it won’t be long before you reach Alpine lakes, snow-capped peaks and wild Bavarian countryside. Leaving the city and following the tumbling River Isar and the Deutsche Alpenstrasse (German’s famed Alpine Road) will lead you to mountainous scenery and some of the country’s best-preserved medieval towns, their rusty red roofs peeking out from the dense, dark forests.Two hours’ north of Munich, the historic Rothenburg ob der Tauber provides a fantastic window into Bavarian culture. The town has carefully preserved its heritage and traditions and is filled with wood panelled houses and scenic cobbled streets. Festivals and public shows celebrating the town’s history often take place here.
There are plenty of locations along the picturesque winding passageway that’s nicknamed the Romantic Road to pause and take in the views, or tuck into some traditional Bavarian fare. The rustic, hearty local cuisine commonly features white sausage, freshly baked pretzels, cheeses and dumplings, and is often enjoyed on long communal wooden tables with an obligatory pint of beer.
For those interested in castles, the region has several within its borders. King Ludwig II’s personal residence, the soaring turrets and mountainous backdrop of Neuschwanstein Castle give it the look of a Disney palace. Marginally more modest, Linderhof Palace was inspired by Versailles and is set within the attractive Graswang valley.
With so much to see in Bavaria, hire a car at Munich Airport and experience the best of southeastern Germany in your own time.
Driving rules in Germany
Which side of the road?In Germany, please drive on the right side of the road.
Country driving laws
- Mobile phones may only be used with a headset or hands-free device
- At crossroads or junctions in urban areas, you have the right of way if there is a road sign with a yellow diamond at the intersection. A white triangle with a red border indicates you must wait for the oncoming traffic to clear
- Be aware that on unrestricted motorways (autobahns) you can still get a speeding ticket for driving too fast for the prevailing traffic or weather conditions
- A number of German cities have low emission zones that require you to have a special permit to drive through them
- In cities, if you see a blue sign with white car, children and bike symbols on it, you must drive at walking speed
- If you're caught committing a driving offence, the police can issue an on-the-spot fine
Speed limits
All speed signs will be in km/h.
For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailers:
- Urban areas: 50km/h (30 mph)
- Rural areas: 100km/h (62 mph)
- Motorways (autobahns): None unless shown. 130km/h (80 mph) is the suggested maximum
Unless indicated by road signs.
Child safety / Seatbelt laws
- It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt
- Children aged under 12 and less than 150cm tall must be seated in an appropriate child restraint for their size
Please note - It is the child’s parent / guardian or vehicle renter’s responsibility to fit the child seat.
This road rules information is for provided for general guidance only. We endeavour to keep the information up to date and accurate, but any reliance you place on this information is at your own risk.