Having the U-Bahn and S-Bahn provides good accessibility to most of Munich and reduces the need for cars in the city. A lower number of cars has a couple benefits for the environment and the general quality of life of Munich’s residents. First, there is less air pollution from automobile exhaust. Second, traffic is better for those who do drive. Third, less space in the city needs to be allocated to parking. Finally, there are less car accidents and the streets are safer for bikers and pedestrians.
The U-Bahn and S-Bahn system in Munich also has an unexpectedly long history. Plans to build an underground metro along some of the modern routes were already in place in 1905. However, there was not enough demand to justify its construction at the time, so the plans were put on hold. In the 1930s, some of the tunnels and stations that are still in use today were partially built, but efforts were abandoned with the intensification of the Second World War. Reconstruction and further building work was restarted in the 1960s, with the first “line” or track of the U-Bahn being opened in 1971. The network was expanded over the years to the current eight lines each of the U-Bahn and S-Bahn.
