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Back to Dachau

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Voykit pocket guide · Germany

Dachau

Go for one day, not a base: the memorial site needs 3–4 hours and the old town 2. Sleep in Munich and ride the S2 out.

Dachau is a town of about 46,000 people 20 km north-west of Munich, reached in 25 minutes by S-Bahn S2 on a Munich transport ticket. It is known worldwide for the KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, now a free memorial site that draws around 800,000 visitors a year. The same town has a small Renaissance palace, a 19th-century artists' colony legacy and a walkable old town that escaped wartime bombing. Almost everyone visits as a half or full day from Munich; a night here only makes sense if you want the memorial at opening without the Munich commute.

AachenAltöttingAnsbachAugsburgBad DürkheimBad FallingbostelBad GandersheimBad HomburgBad MuskauBad ReichenhallBaden-BadenBaiersbronnBambergBautzenDachau200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Germany
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Avoid
Jul–Aug (heat and crowds at the memorial), Dec–Feb (short, grey days)
Stay
0–1 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
Daily spend
Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
Emergency
Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
Tipping
Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
Water
Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
Toilets
Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee€2.50–4
Bavarian main dish in a Gasthaus€12–20
Burger with sides€6–12
Beer, 0.5 l in a tavern / bottle from a shop€4–5.50 / €1–2
5 km (3.1 mi) taxi€15–20
Memorial site entryFree
Dachau Palace entry€2 adults, €1 concessions
Museum combination ticket (Paintings Gallery, District Museum, New Gallery)€8

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

MUC · Munich Airport
S-Bahn S1 or S8 to Munich centre, then S2 to Dachau; about 1 h 30 min door to door
MUC · Munich Airport (car)
About 40 min by car via the A92 and A99

Typical fares

Munich centre → Dachau, S2
about 25 min; covered by a Munich MVV ticket (check zone)
Dachau station → memorial site, bus 724/726
about 10–15 min; same MVV ticket
Taxi Dachau station → memorial site
€15–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The old town is flat and walkable in 15 minutes end to end. Dachau sits inside the Munich MVV network, so a Munich zone ticket covers the S2 and the local buses. Bus 724 and 726 run to the memorial site; bus 719, 720 and 722 serve the palace and museums. Taxis wait at the station.

See and do

Known for

  • KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau memorial site
  • Dachau Palace and court garden
  • Dachau artists' colony and Paintings Gallery
  • Old town on the Amper and Würm

Day trips

WhereHowTime
MunichS-Bahn S2 or regional train from Dachau station25–35 min
FreisingS1 from Munich centre, or train via Munich1–1.5 h
IngolstadtRegional train via Munich, or car on the A91.5–2 h
AugsburgRegional train via Munich1.5–2 h

Sleep

Dachau old town (Altstadt)
Hotels and guesthouses within a 10-minute walk of Dachau station and the palace; best if you want the memorial at opening.
Dachau station area
Practical for one night with bags: S2, regional trains and the buses to the memorial all stop here.
Munich (recommended base)
Most visitors sleep in Munich and ride the S2 out; more beds, more food, same 25-minute train.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Excuse me / SorryEntschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong
Thank youDankeDAN-kuh
PleaseBitteBIT-tuh
How much is it?Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet das
Can I pay by card?Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-tuh TSAH-len
Where is the toilet?Wo ist die Toilette?voh ist dee toy-LET-tuh

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
  • Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
  • Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
  • Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
  • Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
  • Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
  • Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off

Scams and watch-outs

  • The memorial site is a cemetery and a place of mourning: no picnics, no loud groups, no climbing on remains.
  • Some visitors find the site emotionally heavy; plan a quiet hour afterwards rather than a packed schedule.
  • The site is free but audio guides and guided tours cost extra and English tours fill up.
  • The memorial is closed or shortened on some public holidays: check the official site before you travel.
  • Dachau is a normal residential town, not a theme park: shops close on Sundays and many kitchens stop at 21:00.

Dachau is a safe small town; the real risks are pickpockets on the crowded S2 into Munich, bicycles on shared paths, and the emotional weight of the memorial site. Emergency numbers are 112 (fire and ambulance) and 110 (police).

One and two days

No timed day plan for Dachau yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau memorial site
  • Dachau Palace and court garden
  • Dachau artists' colony and Paintings Gallery
  • Old town on the Amper and Würm

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Dachau

Zu dieser Adresse, bitte

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

No embassies in Dachau; consulates-general and embassies are in Munich and Berlin. US citizens: check the US consulate in Munich.

The memorial site is a place of mourning: dress and behave accordingly.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/dachau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.