U-Bahn München: 54/100 Marienplatz

Munich underground: 54/100 Marienplatz

Today's entry in my strictly alphabetical Munich underground series is probably the best known of all stations in the city; the one that every local, traveller, tourist, football fan - basically every visitor to Munich - has at least once seen and used: Marienplatz underground station.

The station was among the first lot to open in 1971, but is different from all other stations of the same year in almost every regard. Due to its location underneath Munich's central square and very city center, and its significance as the most important interchange station between the underground network and the suburban train lines, Marienplatz station was designed strikingly different from all other stops built in the early years (and afterwards, really). Beginning with the outstanding orange colour, to the two distant and exceptionally spacious platforms, Marienplatz has nothing in common with stops from the same year like Alte Heide or Dietlindenstraße.

After Germany was awarded the FIFA World Cup 2006 and it was decided that Munich would get a new football stadium, the station was extended with two additional pedestrian tunnels (pictured) parallel to the platforms to accomodate the expected crowds.

Nowadays, Marienplatz station sees more than 200,000 passengers every day. With more than 30,000 during peak hours, it works close to capacity.

If you look very closely you can also see an arriving train.

2001: A Space Odyssey