Exploring Munich by Tram

Of all the tram lines in Munich, Line 19 is considered the most beautiful. It travels along a prime route from Pasing to Berg am Laim, crossing the city from west to east or vice versa. In just 50 minutes of travel time, the route takes you through 34 stops and past many of Munich’s iconic landmarks: Stachus square, Promenadeplatz square, the State Opera, Maximilianstraße, and the Maximilianeum. It’s a fantastic sightseeing tour for both tourists and locals.

Tram 19 is particularly suited for a family adventure with kids. We joined Munich local Heike and her daughters, Marlene (11) and Romy (8), on their day trip along the tram route, complete with fun hop-on-hop-off stops. It’s an urban hike through rivers, museums, major landmarks, hidden gems, and enchanted spots in the heart of the city.

All Aboard: Pasing

Our journey begins at Munich’s second-largest river. The Würm River winds leisurely through a charming green strip south of Kaflerstraße. Watching, marveling, skipping stones – it’s always a good time.

But Marlene and Romy are almost more fascinated by the colorful 90-meter-long mural beneath the railway overpass than by the playground. “It’s a long-term project by Munich artist Martin Blumöhr,” Heike explains. “In 2014, he created this mural, drawing inspiration from the life stories of passing pedestrians.” The artwork features a swan whisperer, a pilot, and a reformed bank robber who now writes poetry. You’ll also spot Alois Hingerl, the legendary porter from Ludwig Thomas’ satire “Der Münchner im Himmel” (“The Man from Munich in Heaven”).

Blumöhr even incorporated requests from children: clouds shaped like turtles and snakes, along with local neighborhood highlights like ice cream parlors, sledding hills, and shopping arcades. The mural is a “hidden picture” masterpiece where one could easily lose themselves – if it weren’t for the full day of adventures still ahead. From the playground on Hellihofweg, we head back under the railway to the starting point of Tram Line 19. Soon, the tram hums into motion.

Next Stop: Schrenkstraße

Welcome to the Westend, Munich’s historic artisan and working-class district. From Ligsalzstraße, we stroll toward Schwanthalerhöhe and the Transport Museum, a branch of the Deutsches Museum that opened 20 years ago on the former Munich trade fair grounds.

Out front, Marlene and Romy make valiant but unsuccessful attempts to climb the oversized snail sculpture. Created by American sculptors and installation artists Jason Rhoades and Paul McCarthy, the piece offers an ironic counterpoint to the museum’s theme of boundless mobility.

Inside the exhibition halls, we embark on a journey through over 120 years of urban transport history, including the evolution of the railway. A standout exhibit is Puffing Billy, the first functional steam locomotive from 1815. We arrive too early for the daily demonstration, but it’s no problem

 – Marlene and Romy are delighted to play in the indoor activity area, complete with a tube slide. All that energy burns plenty of fuel, so it’s time for the first break. A hearty plate of Käsespätzle at Café Cava, a wonderfully unpretentious Westend pub classic that’s been a favorite for decades.

Next Stop: Stachus (aka Karlsplatz)

We make our way back to Tram Line 19, passing Munich’s Central Station to reach Karlsplatz square. Since both children and adults often wonder why this pivotal transit hub is nicknamed Stachus, Heike shares the story. In the 18th century, Munich restaurateur Eustachius Föderl ran a popular beer garden there, called the “Stachusgarten” after his first name. The name stuck and lives on to this day.

Where did the name Stachus come from? What’s the legend of the Devil’s Footprint?

Our next stop, the Frauenkirche church, is much older than Föderl’s establishment. Generations of Munich children have been captivated by the legend of the Devil’s Footprint, 

While there are various versions of the tale, Heike shares the one about Jörg von Halspach, the architect of the Frauenkirche church. As the story goes, the devil arrived on a gust of wind and made a pact with the architect: He would help build the church single-handedly, and in return, Jörg would give up his soul upon completion.

The devil toiled for weeks, laboring tirelessly to finish the grand structure. When the day of reckoning came, the cunning architect led the devil to a spot inside the church where no windows were visible.

He shrugged at the Prince of Hell and said that since he had been too foolish to include windows, the architect would keep his soul. Furious at being tricked, the devil stamped his foot into the ground, leaving the Devil’s Footprint, a footprint that remains visible to this day.

According to the legend, the devil stormed out on foot, leaving behind the wind he had tied to the church wall – which explains why gusts still swirl around the Frauenkirche church. As the wind blows, Marlene and Romy admire the bronze model of Munich’s downtown, installed in 2004 in front of the Frauenkirche church. They enjoy looking at and feeling the intricate details of the tactile map.

A church located at the edge of the bronze relief map becomes our next destination. The Alter Peter (Old Peter) not only offers a stunning panoramic view after conquering its 306 steps, but it also hides a charming little secret. Tucked away near the southern exit is a glass box from the 1950s containing a small chapel. Insert a five-cent coin, and a tiny Engerl (angel) emerges,  accompanied by grand Bim-Bam bells, makes the sign of the cross, and then slides back into its miniature church.

From there, we head along Dienerstraße, passing the Town Hall, toward the Residenz and the National Theatre. At this point, Tram Line 19 takes us three stops further, crossing the Maximiliansbrücke bridge to the east bank of the Isar River.

Next Stop: The Maximilianeum

Heike shares the story of the Maximilianeum with her daughters, explaining how this imposing structure was built in the second half of the 19th century at the initiative of King Max II. Since 1949, it has served as the seat of the Bavarian State Parliament.

From politics, we quickly veer off into the Isar-Anlagen, meandering along a charming footpath past bushes and trees down toward the Isar River. Along the way, we pass the Maximiliansbergerl, a favorite sledding hill and the “home mountain” of the Haidhausen neighborhood. The waterfall on the north side of the Maximiliansbrücke bridge is roaring louder than usual, thanks to the heavy rainfall in recent days.

On the way back, Marlene and Romy scramble up the slope, past towering trees and wild roots, their energy undeterred. Finally, it’s time for a well-earned break. At Wiener Platz square, with its market stalls, Maypole, and quaint, low houses, we enjoy a slice of village charm in the heart of the city. Over coffee and ice cream, we settle onto a peaceful bench and prepare for the final stretch.

The route to the tram stop leads past the Herbergshäuser, former lodgings for day laborers and itinerant workers, and down a delightfully rustic alley. The Kreppe, an old sunken lane, brims with unique charm and has often been used as a film set, including for the Bavarian cult TV series “Die Hausmeisterin,” or “The Housekeeper.” A few steps take us to Wiener Straße, and from there, to the Max-Weber-Platz tram stop. Time enough for the final stretch

Final Stop: Berg am Laim – The End of the Line

Our last stop is one of the newest stations in Munich’s public transport network. Opened in 2016, it represents the eastern expansion of the tram system. After eight hours of exploring the city, everyone can feel the long day – both kids and adults are visibly tired, and the potential for crankiness is high.

Motivation dwindles as we embark on a ten-minute walk under the railway tracks and into a seemingly uninspiring new residential area. “What’s even here to see?” “How much farther?” “Can we please turn back?”

But then, suddenly, on the right-hand side, a vast nature reserve comes into view, rekindling the curiosity of Marlene, Romy, and Heike. This is the Baumkirchen-Mitte ecological priority zone, a wild habitat reclaimed by nature on the site of a railway depot decommissioned in 1992.

In just over 30 years, trees, bushes, and plants have overgrown the former rail yard, creating a lush ecosystem. The way nature has reclaimed this space, providing a home for countless species of animals and plants, is nothing short of impressive.

Marlene and Romy are fascinated – not so much by the massive railway turntable, now an industrial relic slowly weathering away, but by the little lizard that keeps darting in and out from under the old railway ties. Nature’s cinema is the most captivating of all.

A long day comes to an end. Back at Berg am Laim Station, we see the display boards announcing the soon-arriving S-Bahn Line 6 to Ebersberg and the S2 to Erding. Heike casually suggests another idea: a tour to one of those end stations, with adventure hikes between stops. “How about it, kids? Maybe right now?” The look of horror on their faces says it all! “Let’s save that for another day…”