Posted on 2nd December 2013
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
While our International Ground Guide is undergoing some maintenance, we thought we’d provide our usual service of advice and information for travelling supporters in brief blog form.
Once up and running again our ground guide will cover all manner of information from travel options to hotel advice, eating and drinking suggestions to practical tips on getting around, along with safety and security advice and anything else we think will be of use to travelling supporters.
In the meantime, while the below might not necessarily have all the information you’ll be after if you’re heading out to Germany, we’re always available to help – just drop us an email if you have any questions.
We’ll do our best to find out what you need to know, either from our own vast experience in covering England and Wales games abroad, or from our friends at Football Supporters Europe.
About the Team
Without doubt, Bayern München are the most successful club in German football, and one of the biggest names in world football. Founded in 1900, Bayern had its first successful period in the 1930s when they won the national championship in 1932. After the 2nd World War, they still remained a strong team but without either great success or being one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963. But once they got promoted, they immediately became Germany’s no. 1.
They’ve won the top flight a record 23 times, the German Pokal a record 16 times, and have won the Champions League 5 times, including in 2013 at Wembley.
About the Stadium
Opened in 2005 and being considered as one of the most modern stadia in Europe, the Allianz-Arena is the home of the two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern München and their biggest rival TSV 1860 München.
As with most new-built stadia, access is via barcode readers to limit the use of forged tickets. Away fans generally find themselves in the Northern part of the stadium behind the goal in the middle tier (Blocks 242-246) and also in the upper tier (Blocks 340-347) and should enter the ground at the main entrance which is the East entrance (‘Eingang Ost’).
The stadium is named after the Allianz group, a large financial services and insurance provider that bought the rights to name the ground for 30 years. Soon after its construction however, Allianz Arena’s distinctive shape inspired the (particularly among away fans) commonly used nickname, Schlauchboot (“inflatable boat“).
As in some others of the modern stadia in Germany, cash is not accepted other than to buy a ‘Arena Card’. You can choose between different prices €10, €20 and €50. The card is then used to buy beer, food and other merchandise. It speeds up the whole process with less time spent queuing. A refund is given for any money left on the card.
Travelling from the city centre by U-Bahn take the U6 from Marienplatz, Sendlinger Tor or Odeonplatz, in the direction of Garching-Hochbruck to Fröttmaning.
If you start on the S-Bahn, change at Marienplatz and join the U6 as above. You can also use a number 16, 17, 18 or 27 tram and join the U-Bahn at Sendlinger Tor. Trains currently run on the U-Bahn every 20 minutes and both Marienplatz and Frottmaning stations are being extended and redeveloped to accommodate a train arriving at the stadium every two-and-a-half minutes.
Once leaving the U6 at Fröttmaning it is about a 10-minute walk to the stadium.
There is only one way to the ground from the station, which is across a footbridge. If travelling to the stadium from the airport, take the airport shuttle bus towards town and you can then get off at Nordfriedhof to transfer to the U6 and then as above.
A return ticket for public transport from within the MVV ( public transport system for Munich and its suburbs) service area to the ground is included in the match ticket. However, if you are expected to use public transport more often on the day or the days before or after the match, it is recommendable to buy a TagesTicket for the city for about €5 (day ticket), or a 3 Tage Innenraum ticket for the city for around €12,30 (three-day ticket).
About the City
For a full list of attractions visit the city websites at www.muenchen.de or www.newmunich.com.
For anyone with only a short amount of time in the city, the best way to see the sights is via a sightseeing bus which leave from the station or on one of the many walking tours operating from Marienplatz. There are brewery tours, a free walking tour, pub-crawls as well as a Third Reich walking tour.
Also, it is worth to have a walk through or a rest in the Englischer Garten (English Garden, U-Bahn station Odeonsplatz) where – amongst other things – surfers can be watched showing their skills at a watergate.
Other trips which may appeal to some include trips to Dachau Concentration Camp, Castle Tour, Eagles Nest and the Bayern Munchen Football Tour, details of which are all available on the above websites.
Eating and Drinking
Munchen has over 6,000 licensed establishments throughout the city but has no real entertainment district as such. There are lots of bars near to Marienplatz in the centre and also in Munchner Freiheit on the way to the stadium.
The extended drinking hours across the city mean that most supporters are more likely to stay in the pubs until the early hours rather than pay the higher drinks prices and entrance charges at a club.
Munich is reasonably liberal and drinking in the streets is tolerated, but as with most cities, excessive drunkenness is not advised, especially in public places. There is nowhere in the city that needs to be avoided.
Munchen is home to several large breweries and has very strict rules governing the brewing of its beer. Most people will have heard of Lowenbrau, but we highly recommend Augustiner.Being home to the world famous Oktoberfest ensures that Munchen definitely has no shortage of drinking establishments and you should always be able to find a place where you can get a beer without too long a wait.
When in Munchen it is essential to visit a Beer Garden or Hall. Munchen has over twenty and the atmosphere can be fantastic. Augustiner Bräustüberl in the city centre is probably the first bar that many coming from the train station will stumble upon, as it is located between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz. The beer is good, the service fast and the atmosphere welcoming.
Augustiner-Keller is the oldest beer garden in Munchen and this one would definitely be our recommendation especially as it is only a 5 minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof (turn left down Arnulfstrasse, and head away from the town centre). In most German pubs and beer halls, your drinks are generally recorded by crosses on a beer mat and then tallied up just before you leave.
There is also a Hard Rock Café opposite the Hofbrauhaus. Schillers Sports Bar is probably best known to English fans but there are a great number of much better bars a short distance from the train station.
In recent seasons, the supporters’ movement in the women’s game has flourished and Manchester City Women’s Official Supporters Club are just one of the many fan groups riding that wave. In a special long read, which is packed full of ideas for other developing groups, Board member Dave Sheel tells us about the group’s journey over the past five years…
Manchester United fans have labelled their latest fixture change “naked commercial opportunism” and are seeking compensation for supporters left out of pocket.
Back in 2012 the European Championships were held in Poland and Ukraine, and the city of Kiev hosted 5 games, including England’s group game against Sweden and the rather one-sided final on 1st July between Spain and Italy.
FSF Cymru have produced helpful guides for visiting fans travelling to Wales for international matches this year – and they’re available to download now.
