REECEY'S AWAY FAN GUIDES: Visiting Bayern Munich – Allianz Arena

REECEY'S AWAY FAN GUIDES: Visiting Bayern Munich – Allianz Arena

This is the complete, no-nonsense, real-fan guide to doing a Bayern Munich away day. If you're heading over from the UK, this should sort you out from the moment you land until you're back on the plane with a few too many Weissbiers under your belt.

The Vibe: What It Actually Feels Like as an Away Fan in Munich

Bayern away days are probably one of the smoothest and best-organised European trips you'll ever do. Everything just works – the trains, the security, the way you get into the stadium, even the beer queues move like clockwork. Munich itself is a proper nice city: clean, safe, and basically built for a weekend of football and a few pints. It's the total opposite of those mad, chaotic atmospheres you get in places like Marseille or Naples where you feel like you're on edge the whole time.

Inside the Allianz Arena, the home fans are well organised rather than completely mental. Most of the proper noise comes from the Südkurve ultras down the south end, but the rest of the ground is more of a steady, loud hum than an absolute wall of sound. That said, the sheer size of the place and that famous red glow from the outside make it feel pretty special and iconic when you're walking up to it.

Away fans who have been there always say pretty much the same thing: it's one of the easiest and most straightforward European away days out there. You turn up, everything runs on time, and you can actually enjoy the whole experience without too much stress.

Getting to Munich (Airports, Trains, and Getting About)

You've got two main airports to think about. Munich Airport (MUC) is the big proper one and it's only about 35 to 40 minutes from the city centre. If you're on a budget with Ryanair, Memmingen (FMM) is the other option, but you'll need to jump on a coach which takes around an hour and twenty minutes to get into Munich.

From Munich Airport into the city, the S-Bahn lines S1 or S8 will drop you right at Marienplatz or Hauptbahnhof in about 40 minutes. Trains come every 10 minutes or so, which is handy. Just remember that your match ticket doesn't cover airport transfers – you'll need to pay the normal fare.

Once you're in the city and heading to the stadium, it's dead easy. Just hop on the U6 metro line and get off at Fröttmaning – there's a dedicated stop basically right outside the Allianz Arena. It's genuinely one of the simplest stadium journeys in European football. You honestly can't get lost. That said, expect it to be absolutely rammed about 90 minutes before kick-off, so give yourself a bit of time.

Where Away Fans Sit (Allianz Arena Layout)

Away fans normally get put in the north-east corner, up in the upper tier. The exact blocks are usually 340 to 347, depending on how many tickets they've given out for that game.

The views from up there are really good – the seating is nice and steep so you can see everything clearly, and there are no annoying pillars in the way. Sometimes they put netting up for segregation, but it doesn't wreck the view too much. The stewards are German-efficient and pretty calm about things, so segregation feels firm but friendly rather than aggressive.

The concourse inside is spacious and the service is quick, which is a massive bonus when you're after a beer and a bratwurst before kick-off.

Pre-Match Drinking: Best Spots for Away Fans

Munich is basically beer heaven, so sorting out a few pre-match pints is never a problem. You've got two main areas that work well for away fans.

First up is the city centre – places like Marienplatz, Karlsplatz, or around Hauptbahnhof. This is brilliant if you're in a big group because there's loads of pubs, easy transport links, and plenty of space. Classic spots include the Augustiner-Keller, which is a proper old-school Bavarian beer hall, the Hofbräuhaus (yeah it's touristy but it's an experience you should do at least once), and Paulaner am Nockherberg, which is massive, lively, and feels properly Bavarian.

The other good option is the Schwabing district. It's a bit closer to the U6 line that takes you to the stadium, more local feeling, and not quite as packed with tourists. Check out places like Schelling-Salon, Barschwein, or the bars along Leopoldstraße – they're a bit more relaxed and have a nicer vibe if you want to avoid the big tourist crowds.

The great thing about Munich is there's basically no hostility. Bayern fans are used to away supporters coming over and you'll see plenty of mixing in the city centre without any bother.

Food and Drink at the Stadium

The Allianz Arena is seriously one of the best-run stadiums in Europe when it comes to sorting out food and drink. You can get proper bratwurst, currywurst, massive pretzels, and of course beer – and it's actual decent German beer, none of that watered-down stuff.

They serve everything really quickly, card payments work everywhere, and they use a reusable cup system where you pay a small deposit (you get it back when you hand the cup in). Prices are pretty reasonable for a big European club, so you won't feel completely robbed.

Safety, Security and How to Behave

Munich is one of the safest cities you'll visit for football. There aren't really any no-go areas for away fans, the police are around but they're pretty relaxed, and even the ultras are passionate without being up for trouble with random tourists.

Public transport stays safe even late at night, which is handy for the journey back after the game. The only real thing to remember is don't try walking to the stadium – it's miles away and surrounded by motorways, so just stick to the U6 metro like everyone else.

Where to Stay (Best Areas for a Football Weekend)

For convenience, staying around Hauptbahnhof (the central station) is hard to beat. You've got easy links to the airport, a direct U6 to the stadium, and tons of bars and food places right on your doorstep.

If you want more atmosphere and a bit of sightseeing, go for Marienplatz or the Altstadt area. It's the beautiful old town with beer halls everywhere and you're still only about 10 minutes from the U6 line.

Schwabing is another solid choice if you want something more local and stylish. It's got a younger crowd, great bars, and you're right on the route to the stadium.

Tickets and Getting Into the Ground

Away allocations for Bayern games are usually somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 depending on the competition. Their ticketing system is pretty strict, so make sure you bring photo ID with you. The turnstiles are efficient though, and queues move quickly once you're there.

One thing to note: bags bigger than A4 size aren't allowed in, so keep your bag small and simple.

What Makes a Bayern Away Day Special

It's the little things that make it stand out. That red glow of the Allianz Arena as you come up on the metro is proper impressive. The whole day just runs with German efficiency – everything works like it should. Then there's the proper Bavarian beer culture on matchday, the massive 75,000 crowd in a genuinely world-class modern stadium, and the fact that Munich itself is one of the best cities in Europe for a weekend away.

It's not the loudest or most hostile atmosphere you'll ever experience, but it's definitely one of the most enjoyable and easiest to sort out.

Quick Real-Fan Tips

Get to the Fröttmaning stop a bit early because the metro gets absolutely packed. The bratwurst at the stadium is genuinely class, so don't bother eating too much before you go in. Skip the taxis completely – the metro is way quicker and simpler.

If you're not super familiar with Munich, just stay central to make life easy.

And if it's a winter game, pack for proper cold weather because Munich doesn't mess about when it gets chilly.

Have a great trip!

All the best

Reecey

Reecey is a lifelong Football fan, after watching his first game as a four year old in the 1970s, he has watched literally thousands of matches and travelled extensively across Europe and beyond