Travel to ESO Headquarters, Garching
Please note that visitors are received by appointment only.
ESO Headquarters is located in Garching, near Munich, Germany. This is the scientific, technical and administrative centre of ESO, where technical development programmes are carried out to provide the observatories with the most advanced technology.
How to reach Garching
The town of Garching lies about 13 km north-east of Munich. For an interactive overview of the Munich area with the location of Garching and of ESO, please take a look at the Google map above. You can zoom in and zoom out by clicking on the "+" and "-" buttons.
If you arrive by plane
The Munich FJS Airport lies approx. 17 km north-east of Garching. The easiest way to get to Garching from the Airport is by taxi. The fare is about EUR 40 and takes roughly 15 – 20 minutes.
Alternatively, if you wish to use Public Transport, you can take the train (S-Bahn S8) from the Airport to Ismaning (20 min.; EUR 6) and from there either a taxi (EUR 12-15) or Bus 230 (first bus at 06:11 and then every 20 or 40 minutes until 18:52 on weekdays). On working days (Monday - Friday) Bus 230 goes to Garching, Forschungszentrum with a stop in Garching. There is a hourly taxi service from Ismaning to Garching on Saturdays and Sundays. For detailed information please consult the Bus 230 time table.
If you take the Bus 230 from Ismaning, the stops for the hotels in Garching are:
- For Guesthouse ParkResidence: Bus stop Wasserturmstrasse. Hotel website: http://www.park-residence.de/
- For Hotel Am Park: Bus stop Garching Maibaum . The hotel is next to the REWE supermarket. Hotel website: http://www.hotel-am-park.com/
- For HotelKönig Ludwig II: Bus stop Garching Maibaum; cross over the main street and go left. After the bakery you enter the pedestrian area (fountain!); the sign of the hotel is now visible behind the underground station. Hotel website: http://www.hkl.de/
- For Hotel HoyackerHof: Bus stop Garching Maibaum ; continue approx. 100m on the Freisinger Landstrasse direction north (Forschungsinstitute); the hotel is to your left. Hotel website: http://www.hoyackerhof.de/
- For Hotel Garni Maria's Inn: Go right and take the U-Bahn exit Maibaum. Then take Bus 230 direction Garching, Forschungszentrum and exit the bus at the first stop (Lehrer-Stieglitz-Strasse) ; cross over the main street at the traffic light, continue approx. 50m on the Lehrer-Stieglitz-Strasse and turn right into the Neufahrner Strasse, where you will find the hotel on your left. Note that this bus service is only available Monday to Friday. Hotel website: http://www.marias-inn.de/
- For Hotel Coro Garni : Bus stop Garching Maibaum, then cross the road and take Bus 290 with destination Garching-Hochbrück. Get off at stop Keltenweg. The hotel is across the road, about 50m in the direction from which you have come. A time table for Bus 290 is available. Hotel website: http://www.hotelcoro.de/
If you arrive by rail
The easiest way from the Main Railway Station is to take a taxi to your hotel in Garching (the fare is approximately EUR 40).
Alternatively, if you wish to use Public Transport (single fare: around EUR 4), take the S-Bahn (underground railway) from the Main Railway Station to Marienplatz and then the U-Bahn U6 to Garching, Forschungszentrum. The U6 stops in Garching centre.
Then from the U6 Garching stop:
- For Guesthouse ParkResidence: Take Bus Service 290 direction Ismaning and get off the bus at Wasserturmstrasse. Alternatively you can walk to the hotel (see map; 10 min). Hotel website: http://www.park-residence.de/
- For HotelAm Park: Go right and take the U-Bahn exit Maibaum. The hotel is next to the REWE supermarket. Hotel website: http://www.hotel-am-park.com/
- For Hotel König Ludwig: Go left and take the U-Bahn exit Bürgerplatz. After leaving the U-Bahn station the sign of the hotel is visible. Hotel website: http://www.hkl.de/
- For Hotel HoyackerHof: Go right and take the U-Bahn exit Maibaum. Continue approx. 100m on the Freisinger Landstrasse direction north (Forschungsinstitute); the hotel is to your left. Hotel website: http://www.hoyackerhof.de/
- For Hotel Garni Maria's Inn: Go right and take the U-Bahn exit Maibaum. Then take Bus 230 direction Garching, Forschungszentrum and exit the bus at the first stop (Lehrer-Stieglitz-Strasse) ; cross over the main street at the traffic light, continue approx. 50m on the Lehrer-Stieglitz-Strasse and turn right into the Neufahrner Strasse, where you will find the hotel on your left. Note that this bus service is only available Monday to Friday. Hotel website: http://www.marias-inn.de/
- For Hotel Coro Garni: Go right and take the U-Bahn exit Maibaum. Cross the road and take Bus 290 with destination Garching-Hochbrück. Get off at stop Keltenweg. The hotel is across the road, about 50m in the direction from which you have come. A time table for Bus 290 is available. Hotel website: http://www.hotelcoro.de/
If you come by car
There is a system of motorways (Autobahn) and ring-roads in and around Munich. For details see the schematic map. Follow these to the Autobahn for Nürnberg (A9). To reach Garching there are two turnoffs (Ausfahrt): Garching-Süd (Garching-South) and Garching Nord (Garching North). Both exists lead you directly into the town of Garching.
How to come to ESO - Garching ("Forschungszentrum")
ESO is located roughly 2 km north-east of the City of Garching. The ESO building is situated in the "Forschungszentrum" area. Below follows a description how to reach ESO by plane and rail or using a car. A schematic map shows you where ESO is located and how it can be reached. The map also shows how to reach ESO using Public Transport.
If you arrive by plane or rail
If you travel by plane, please proceed as indicated above. If you want to use public transportation with the S-Bahn to Ismaning and bus (Bus 230), please note that Bus 230 will bring you to ESO (Garching, Forschungszentrum) from Monday to Friday only. On the weekends the service ends in Garching (centre). If you travel by train you can use the S-Bahn and U-Bahn (U6 to Garching, Forschungszentrum) as described above.
To reach ESO from the Bus 230 stops and from the U6 stop Garching, Forschungszentrum please see the separate map.
If you come by car
Same as above but take the turnoff Garching-Nord (Garching-North), which leads you directly to the "Forschungsinstitute" area. Go straight ahead at the traffic lights and continue until the road makes a sharp turn to the left. Do not turn left: ESO is straight ahead.
ESO Facilities in Garching
- The ESO Headquarters building can be found at the bottom-left on the map on the right (click to enlarge).
- Some ESO offices are located at Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). The Site Map shows you where these offices are located. Other facilities are indicated on the map. A complete map of all institutes on the Garching Campus is also available.
- Some pictures provide some guidance how to reach the ESO/IPP Offices.
- Max Planck Canteen and Cafeteria next to ESO
Staying in Garching
The map on the right gives the location of ESO, and where you can find hotels, restaurants and the most important bus stops in Garching.
Most of the hotels are within walking distance from the U-Bahn station in the center of Garching. For the more "remote" hotels you can use the bus services 230 (to Ismaning) and 290 (to Garching-Hochbrück)
A list of hotels in Garching, with detailed contact information is available. Some more addresses can be found via the Hotels and Guesthouses page of the City of Garching.
A list of restaurants in Garching and information about Beer Gardens can be found via the Web pages of the City of Garching.
The U-Bahn (subway) U6 brings you directly to the centre of Garching (stop Garching) and to ESO (last stop, Forschungszentrum).
Public Transport in the Munich Area
- The MVV is the Munich area public transport company, embracing U-Bahn, S-Bahn and Bus networks. Map of the Munich U-Bahn and S-Bahn network.
- Bus/Railway timetables for Munich
- German railway (Deutsche Bahn) information and German railway (Deutsche Bahn) time table.
- Further information about transport in Munich and tourism can be found on the Munich Tourist Office website
