A Dachau Tour From Munich: Is It Worth It?
Trying to visit Dachau Concentration Camp? Find out what a tour includes and if it’s worth booking a Dachau tour from Munich or going on your own.
As a Holocaust educator for more than a decade, I’ve visited Dachau and Munich more than 5 times. I have taken friends, parents, and students in all seasons to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial. I’ve taken tours, and gone on my own.
Through these experiences, I’ve gained valuable expertise and knowledge in visiting Dachau. In this post, I have reviewed the best Dachau tour from Munich so that you can have a moving and memorable visit, and decide wether this is the best option for you too.
Dachau was the first German concentration camp, and today serves as both a memorial and educational site. It has a complex history, and is definitely worth taking a tour from Munich since it is the best and easiest way to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of this site and the history of the Holocaust.
The #1 Best Dachau Tour From Munich That I Have Taken
🏆 Fully Guided Dachau Tour from Munich
✅ Led by a local guide that I use frequently and highly recommend.
✅In-depth and informative experience of Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
✅ Includes transportation from central Munich.
Can I get there without a tour?
Absolutely! Visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site from Munich without joining a tour is entirely doable and quite straightforward. Here’s how you can make the trip on your own:
Getting There on Your Own
- By Public Transport:
- Train: Head to Munich’s Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) and hop on the S2 train heading towards Dachau/Petershausen. The ride to Dachau station takes about 25 minutes.Bus: Once you arrive at Dachau station, look for bus 726 heading towards “Saubachsiedlung.” Ride for about 7 minutes and get off at the “KZ-Gedenkstätte” stop, which is right at the memorial’s entrance. The train and bus cost about 11€ per person.
- By Car:
- If you’re driving, take the A8 towards Stuttgart-Munich, exit at Dachau-Fürstenfeldbruck, and follow the B471 towards Dachau. The memorial’s address is Alte Römerstraße 73, 85221 Dachau. Parking is available for €3 per car.
Why Consider a Guided Tour from Munich?
While visiting independently offers flexibility, joining a guided tour from Munich has its perks:
- In-Depth Knowledge: Guides provide detailed insights and historical context that enhance the experience.
- Hassle-Free Logistics: Tours typically handle all transportation arrangements, so you won’t need to navigate public transport or driving directions.
- Structured Experience: Tours often follow a curated itinerary, making sure you don’t miss significant sites within the memorial.
Visiting a camp through a tour is moving, difficult, and impactful, but it is also informative and interesting. A guided tour is truly the best way to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial from Munich. Here is the tour I personally recommend:
Best Dachau Tour from Munich: Fully Guided Tour Dachau Concentration Camp
⭐Rating: 5/5 Stars | ⏳Duration: 5 Hours
This is my personal favorite Dachau Memorial Site Tour, and I have taken it over and over again- by myself, with friends, and with students. The tour is fully guided and includes transportation from center city Munich (Marienplatz) by train, making it an easy way to visit Dachau. It starts at 9am and finishes at 2 pm.
The guide, Alun, is amazing – he is knowledgeable and professional and can connect with anyone. He leads a very informative tour that doesn’t rush the emotionality of such a moving site. Instead, he guides you through the site while still giving you time to process and digest what you’re learning.
This Munich to Dachau day trip thoroughly explores the grounds of the former concentration camp and gives an in-depth overview of life in the camp from the prisoners’ perspective as well as providing information on the Nazi regime and the rise and fall of the Third Reich.
The advantage of this tour is the smaller sized groups, and knowing that you will always have Alun as a guide if you book.
“Alun was an amazing tour guide. He provided expert information on a very tough subject manner and was respectful of everyone. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the history and making sure everyone leaves with a life-changing experience.”
-Nicole (Read More Reviews)
⭐ Reserve Your Spot on the BEST Dachau Concentration Camp Tour From Munich!
Other Great Tours of Dachau from Munich
Here are some other options with different price points and slightly larger groups than in the previous tour.
1. Dachau Concentration Camp Tour from Munich: Small Group Tour by Train
⭐Rating: 5 Stars | ⏳Duration: 5 Hours
This small-group tour is a great choice for visiting Dachau. The guide is highly rated and knowledgeable, and the small-group allows you the opportunity to ask questions and get more details about the site.
The tour fully explores Dachau, including visiting the reconstructed cell blocks, crematorium, and administration headquarters of the camp.
During the tour, your guide will provide historical context on the Nazi concentration camps, Adolf Hitler, and the Third Reich. You will hear some of the heart-wrenching stories of Dachau’s 200,000 prisoners and gain an insight into life at Dachau.
Although this tour has a larger number of people on it than the last, you’ll find it to be quite a bit cheaper which makes it more affordable.
2. Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour From Munich By Train
⭐Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (4,000 Reviews) | ⏳Duration: 5 Hours
This half-day guided tour includes transportation by train from the historic center city of Munich. The tour itself has over 3,000+ positive reviews, with many people mentioning the easy transportation and expert guides.
The tour focuses on an in-depth overview of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial. Rather than being glued to an audio guide and having no idea which route to take inside the camp, your guide will take you through the exhibition center and former compound, including the gatehouses, reconstructed barracks, guard houses, crematorium, and more.
Along the way, you will learn more about the history leading to the construction of Dachau and what took place between 1933 to 1945 when Dachau was a concentration camp.
This tour starts in a different part of town, which may be convenient due to proximity to your hotel. It is also capped at fewer people than the last tour, which means a more intimate experience.
“This was our first visit to a Nazi concentration camp, and we are pleased that we followed a guide. The travel to and from Dachau was seamless, and our guide was very informative and gave deep insights into this camp and its history.”
-Julie, (Read More Reviews)
⭐ Book Your Spot on the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour From Munich Here!
3. Top Private Dachau Tour From Munich
⭐Rating: 5/5 Stars | ⏳Duration: 4-5 Hours
This private tour with an official, accredited guide is one of the best Dachau Concentration camp tours from Munich- especially if you’re looking for a more personalized experience.
On this tour, your guide will meet you at your hotel in Munich and transport you to Dachau where you will get a fully guided tour of the site.
Having a private guide gives you the ability to get an in-depth overview of the site, ask specific questions, and focus on what you are most interested in. It is a great option for history buffs, or those who want a personalized tour or prefer to only be with their group.
4. Full-Day Dachau and Third Reich Walking Tour
⭐Rating: 5/5 Stars | ⏳Duration: 8 Hours
For an experience that immerses you in the history of WWII and the Holocaust, I recommend taking this full-day tour that combines a trip to Dachau with a Third Reich Walking Tour in Munich.
On this tour, you’ll start with a guided tour of Dachau Concentration Camp. The tour is led by Alun, who is a knowledgeable guide and someone that I can recommend from personal experience.
During the trip to Dachau, you’ll learn more about the Holocaust and the part it played in some of Munich’s darker pieces of WWII history. The tour is educational and informative and allows you to visit the site as well as process the gravity of this era of history.
In the afternoon, the tour will take you back to the center of Munich, where you will have a 2-hour Third Reich Walking Tour. With Alun’s expertise, you’ll visit some of the most significant historical sites in Munich relating to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party.
“We had such a wonderful experience on Alun’s tour. He’s a wonderful guide and we were able to learn so much! Very thorough, lots of context, respectful, and more impactful than trying to navigate on our own.”
-Wendy (Read More Reviews)
⭐ Book the Combo Dachau Memorial + Third Reich Walking Tour!
FAQ: Tour Dachau Concentration Camp
Below are a few frequently asked questions and answers for visiting Dachau Concentration Camp on a tour from Munich:
Do I Need a Tour for Dachau?
While you can visit Dachau on your own, taking a guided tour is what I personally recommend. Dachau is an important site that has a complex history, and taking a tour allows you to gain better insight and context of the site. Otherwise, you’ll be left to take an audioguide and walk yourself around the placards. Taking a tour is also convenient and many will include transportation from Munich.
How much is a guided tour at Dachau?
Guided tours of Dachau vary in pricing, depending on what is included in the tour. Most tours that include transportation from Munich start at around 45€ per person. If you choose to visit on your own, there is an audio guide available for 4.50€ per person.
How do you get to Dachau from Munich?
Dachau is located about 30km from Munich. Most people get to Dachau by taking the S2 train from Munich Hbf to Dachau Bahnhof. You can also drive or take a taxi to the site. If you opt to take a guided tour, most include transportation from Munich.
How long does a Dachau tour take?
It takes around 3 hours to tour Dachau and fully explore the grounds and exhibits. Many guided tours of Dachau are half-day tours that range between 3-5 hours including the transportation time from central Munich.
Final Thoughts: Best Dachau Tours From Munich
Taking a Munich to Dachau day trip is one of the best things to do in Munich as Dachau is such a significant historical site. While the site represents a dark part of Germany’s history, it is an essential place to visit to understand the gravity of the Holocaust.
Taking a guided tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial provides you with the ability to gain insight into the perspective of the prisoners, learn more about the historical context, and respectfully experience this site.
