Dachau Concentration Camp: Day Trips and Tours from Munich

On a day tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich, gain insight into one of the world’s most significant historical events, the Holocaust.

Located in Germany, the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site sees approximately 800,000 visitors every year. Here, you will be able to learn about the atrocities of the Holocaust and have the opportunity to commemorate the lives lost.

Dachau Concentration Camp was the first to be built by the Nazis in 1933. Today, it’s a place not only of remembrance but education on the dangers of prejudice.

Here's all you need to know about Dachau Concentration Camp, one of the most insightful day trips from Munich.

How to get to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich?

The Dachau Concentration Camp is located just under 30 kilometers northeast of Munich.

From Munich to Dachau Concentration Camp by car

It’s possible to rent a car in Munich and drive to Dachau Concentration Camp. The drive is approximately 30 minutes in total and you can travel along the A99.

There are parking fees at the site of €3 per car.

From Munich to Dachau Concentration Camp by public transport

There are trains running from Munich to Dachau at multiple different times a day. You will then have to transfer to a bus to reach Dachau Concentration Camp. The trip can take between 30 to 40 minutes.

The most direct route would be to take the S2 train and the 726 bus.

Guided tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich

For ease of travel, you can join a guided tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich. Your guide will be able to ensure that you travel via the correct train and bus route.

If you are joining a private tour, transfers with pickup and drop-off at your accommodation may be included.

What is the typical itinerary of a tour to Dachau Concentration Camp?

On a tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich, you will typically travel by train and bus to complete the approximately 30-minute journey. If joining a private tour, you may be picked up at your accommodation.

You will then arrive at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, where there are no fees to enter the grounds. This memorial site has been carefully preserved and reconstructed since the 1960s.

With remnants of the original concentration camp still intact, exhibitions and places of commemoration, it offers visitors an important opportunity to learn about and reflect upon this period of history.

The Dachau Concentration Camp was the first to be built by the Nazis, and served as the prototype for following camps.

It was operational for 12 years. During this time, over 200,000 people were imprisoned, and over 41,000 died as a result of living conditions, overwork, torture or executions.

Today, you can visit some of the main buildings of the camp, including the Jourhaus, the entrance to the camp. Reconstructed barracks provide a view into life in the prison, while commemorative monuments provide space for reflection.

On a guided tour, a guide licensed by the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site will accompany you throughout the camp. They will be able to enlighten you with important details about its history, and share stories from the camp.

These guided tours can last for 3 hours on average. While a difficult tour to attend, guides handle them with sensitivity and provide an in-depth education.

Depending on your tour option, you may also attend a Third Reich walking tour of Munich Old Town. During this excursion, your guide will show you some of the significant locations in the city that were essential to the Nazi regime.

At the end of the tour, you may return via public transport to your original meeting place in Munich or be dropped off at your accommodation with a private transfer.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Dachau Concentration Camp?

On a day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich, you can opt to join either a guided tour or a private tour. Some guided tours give you the option of combining the trip with a walking tour of Munich Old Town.

Day trips to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich

On a guided day tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich, you can expect to meet your guide in the city at a predetermined meeting place before embarking on the train and bus trip.

These tours range from half-day, which is approximately 5 hours in total, to full-day, which can last between 6 and 8 hours.

Your guide will show you around the grounds of Dachau Concentration Camp and take you to its notable locations. They will be able to provide detailed historical information and insight into the experiences of the people who were imprisoned here.

At the end of the tour, you will return via the same route to your original meeting point.

Day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp plus Third Reich walking tour

Some guided tours to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich also provide a walking tour of Third Reich buildings in Munich Old Town.

Your guide will show you significant locations that were instrumental to the rise of Adolf Hitler, historic sites such as the former headquarters of the Gestapo, and where the Beer Hall Putsch took place.

Private day tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich

Private day trips to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich give you the option of getting picked up from your accommodation or a location of your choosing. From there, you can either continue via train or private car transfer.

While at the memorial site, you have the option of receiving more personal attention from the guide and the ability to take as much time and ask as many questions as you may like.

At the end of the tour, you can be dropped off again at your accommodation in Munich.

How much does a day trip to Dachau from Munich cost?

A half-day tour to Dachau Concentration Camp from Munich can start at approximately €30 per person, including transportation.

A full-day tour to Dachau Concentration Camp can start at approximately €40 per person, including transportation.

A day trip to Dachau Concentration Camp including a Third Reich walking tour starts at €70 per person.

A private tour via train can start at approximately €170 per person for a group of two.

A private tour with transfer can start at approximately €570 for a group of two.

There are no fees to enter the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

What will you see on a Dachau Concentration Camp tour?

The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site serves not only as an important place of commemoration but learning. While visiting here, you will encounter the various buildings that made up the camp and discover what they were used for.

Your guide will be able to provide detailed information and insight alongside the many exhibitions available at the site. There are also religious memorials that you can visit and pay your respects at.

Jourhaus

The Jourhaus is the main entrance and exit to Dachau Concentration Camp, and was where SS guards oversaw and controlled much of the camp. This is where many prisoners first walked through to enter the camp.

On the gates of the entrance are the words “Arbeit macht frei,” meaning “Work sets you free.” Thousands of prisoners died here through forced labor.

International Monument

From the Jourhaus, you can explore the International Monument. This monument was designed by Nandor Glid and includes the iconic sculpture located in front of the former maintenance building.

Maintenance building

Once the site of workshops, the maintenance building is today the main exhibition center of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

The exhibition offers an in-depth history of the camp and the lives of the prisoners. In the building is also the memorial room. Here, over 130 plaques and stones commemorate those who were imprisoned in Dachau.

Barracks

Visit reconstructions of the barracks where prisoners were held. While the original barracks were destroyed, these replicas and an exhibition provide insight into the brutal conditions prisoners endured.

SS camp

You can see the former headquarters of the commandant and the living quarters of the SS guards who oversaw and enacted many of the crimes committed at the camp.

The Dachau Concentration Camp also served as the training grounds for other SS units.

Crematorium area

Also known as “Barrack X,” the second crematorium at Dachau Concentration Camp is an important memorial site.

This is where countless prisoners were cremated. A gas chamber was also built here, but it was never used for mass murder as in Nazi extermination camps.

An exhibition provides insight into the construction and use of the building, and there are also memorial plaques placed here.

When is the Dachau memorial site open?

The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.

It is open year-round except on Dec. 24-26.

When is the best time to visit Dachau Concentration Camp?

The best time to visit Dachau Concentration Camp is in the morning and on a weekday before the site becomes busy with crowds.

During the year, it’s best to visit the region in summer (June-August) outside of the significantly colder months.

Are children allowed on tours to Dachau?

Children under the age of 14 are not permitted to attend tours to Dachau Concentration Camp due to the sensitive nature of the tour. Older children must be accompanied by their parents.

Are there any tours to Dachau Concentration Camp from other cities in Germany?

Yes, there are tours departing from another city in Germany:

• Day trips to Dachau Concentration Camp from Nuremberg

Know before you go

• While you can film and photograph the outdoor grounds and exhibition center for non-commercial purposes, do not film guided tours or photograph tour guides and staff members.
• Be mindful of clothing and wear respectful attire to the site, which is regarded as a place of remembrance. Wear comfortable shoes for walking.
• Do not touch any objects or relics at the camp or exhibition.
• You are not allowed to eat, smoke or consume alcoholic beverages while on the former camp grounds. It is recommended to eat before the tour.