Connecting at Munich Airport: how much time you need
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Munich Airport doesn't give passengers a fixed number. If both flights are on one ticket, it says, your airline has already allowed enough time for the transfer. If you book two separate tickets, it asks you to allow enough time for the checkpoints and for a possible delay of your first flight.
In its information for airlines, the airport says connections can be as short as 30 minutes, depending on the type of connection and the terminal. That's the shortest possible case, not a planning figure for passengers.
If you do miss the second flight, what happens next depends on how you booked. See what happens if you miss a connection.
Terminals and how to get between them
Munich has two terminals, and Terminal 2 has a second building, the Satellite.
- Terminal 1 to Terminal 2: a free shuttle bus. Follow the signs to your connecting gate and they'll lead you to it. The ride takes 5 to 7 minutes. The bus runs every 10 minutes from 7:00 to 17:00, and every 20 minutes from 6:00 to 7:00 and from 17:00 to 23:00.
- Walking between terminals: possible, but the airport doesn't recommend it, because you'd have to go through further checks.
- Terminal 2 (gates G and H) to the Satellite (gates J, K and L): an underground train, every 4 minutes from 4:00 to midnight. The ride takes about a minute.
- New in 2026: since 21 April 2026, flights from Terminal 1 to destinations outside the Schengen area leave from the new Terminal 1 Pier, with central passport control and security.
Passport control
| Arriving from | Connecting to | Passport control |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen area | Schengen area | Usually not |
| Outside Schengen | Outside Schengen | Usually not, if you don't leave the gate area |
| Schengen area | Outside Schengen | Yes |
| Outside Schengen | Schengen area | Yes |
Security: in some cases you have to go through security again when you change flights. Allow time for it and follow the hand luggage rules.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) has been in use at Munich since April 2026, and the airport says to expect longer waits, especially at first. If a delay at border control puts your connection at risk, contact your airline straight away.
Keep an eye on the first flight
Before you travel, add both flights to FlyingOver while you're online. You can then follow the first flight offline and see its estimated arrival, so you know early whether your connection is getting tight. Once you're back online, times update with live data.
Sources
- Munich Airport (official website), connecting flights: Connection time on one ticket versus separate tickets; bus between Terminals 1 and 2 (5 to 7 minutes, timetable); train to Terminal 2 Satellite; walking between terminals not recommended; passport control in four cases; security in some cases. (September 16, 2026)
- Munich Airport (official website), traffic development (information for airlines): Minimum connecting time of down to 30 minutes, depending on connection type and terminal. (September 16, 2026)
- Munich Airport (official website), Terminal 1 Pier: Since 21 April 2026, non-Schengen departures from Terminal 1 use the new pier, with central passport control and security. (September 16, 2026)
- Munich Airport (official website), Entry/Exit System: EES in use at Munich since April 2026; longer waiting times expected; contact your airline if border delays put your connection at risk. (September 16, 2026)
Related guides
- Delayed first flight: will you make your connection?What to do when a delay puts your connecting flight at risk, how single bookings and separate tickets differ, and your rights under EU and UK rules.
- Frankfurt Airport connections: time, terminals, checksFrankfurt publishes no minimum connection time. What it does publish on gate journey times, the new Terminal 3, the train between terminals and passport checks.
- How to track your flight without Wi-FiWhy live flight trackers stop updating on board, the two ways offline flight tracking works, and how to set it up before you board.