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Oktoberfest: Plan a Fun Trip to Germany
The Oktoberfest is THE classic experience for a city trip to Munich ... oh, for trips to all of Germany! The iconic festival kicks off at the end of September and lasts for two weeks, which should give you plenty of time to set a new beer-drinking and pretzel-eating record. Apart from that, you can celebrate here next to the stars and starlets or marvel at the colorful program on the Theresienwiese.
So that you also have the necessary change, you will find the best Oktoberfest offers here. With these deals, you can get to the Oktoberfest super cheap and the prices for accommodation and more in Munich will certainly not "fox" you, as the Bavarian would say. Strike now and book your Oktoberfest trip at pirate-like low prices.
Worth Knowing About the Munich Oktoberfest
From September, the otherwise dreary Theresienwiese in Munich will be transformed into a colorful venue for the world's largest folk festival. The Oktoberfest attracts millions of guests to the beautiful city on the Isar every year.
"O'zapft is!" - with these words the Oktoberfest starts. Only when the governing mayor of Munich has tapped the first beer keg in the Schottenhammel marquee can the cool beer be served to the thirsty guests. In order to get the best seats, many visitors wait in front of the festival tents hours before the tapping. Around 7.5 million liters of beer are served during the Oktoberfest.
Incidentally, the origins of the Oktoberfest go back to the early 19th century. The occasion was the wedding of the later King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810, which gave its name to today's event location. Today the folk festival begins a month earlier - blame the Munich Sauwette r.
Saving Tips for the Oktoberfest
Anyone who has ever visited the Oktoberfest in Munich knows that hotel rooms are difficult to find during this period. Many accommodations are fully booked months in advance. And the hotel rooms that are still available often cost a lot of money.
So it makes sense to start planning your visit to the Oktoberfest early and maybe look outside of Munich as well. Overnight stays in surrounding towns and communities such as Freising, Ismaning, Dachau, Erding, or Unterhaching often cost a little less.
Overnight Stay During Oktoberfest
You only need a bed to sleep in, during the day and in the evening you explore the Oktoberfest, Munich itself, and go to crazy after-Wiesn parties? Then a simple bed in a hostel is probably the best solution. The rule here is: Book early! If you only look for a bed in a hostel a few weeks before the festival, you will probably get nothing or pay a lot more.
It's even cheaper with your own tent. The Wies'n Camp in Munich-Riem offers space for this. You pay 14 euros per person per night if you set up your tent on the site, but you can also move into a tent that is already set up. The more luxurious variant is the Wies'n Loft for 1-2 people. Here the prices start at 99 euros (~$108) per night. Alpine huts, rental caravans, or containers are also available.
In and around Munich you can also find a lot of accommodation via AirBnB at short notice during the Oktoberfest. You are more likely to find a room if you book accommodation during the week rather than at the weekend.
If you want to combine a visit to Oktoberfest with a short vacation, you can also look for accommodation in Starnberg. There are a few hotels there, but also rustic inns and holiday apartments.
Getting to the Oktoberfest
The easiest way to get to Oktoberfest is to fly directly into Munich. However, flights are known as being quite expensive from the US. Alternatively, you can fly to Berlin or another city in the north of the country with budget airlines like PLAY Air or Norse, and take the train south to Munich.
If you have decided on a hotel or a guesthouse outside of Munich, it is best to use public transport, which will take you quickly and comfortably to the center of Munich. Many surrounding towns have a direct S-Bahn connection to the center of Munich.
When in Munich, the U4 and U5 lines take you directly to the action, get off at the Theresienwiese stop. The Oktoberfest can also be reached on foot from the Schwanthalerhöhe station. It is also a few minutes' walk to the southern entrance of the festival from the Goetheplatz and Poccistraße stops, which are served by the U3 and U6 lines.
Those arriving by S-Bahn should use the Hackerbrücke station. Various bus and tram lines offer other travel options. The best way to find out more is on the website of the Munich Transport Association. Another advantage of using public transport: during the festival, the intervals are more frequent.
Arriving by car is not advisable. Many areas around the festival site are cordoned off or overcrowded, parking spaces in the city center are scarce and the fees in multi-story car parks are often very high. In addition, enjoying a pint of beer is not included, because: Don't drink and drive!
Tips for the Perfect Oktoberfest Outfit
The accommodation is booked and the date for the Oktoberfest visit is set. Maybe there is still a dirndl hanging in the closet from the last carnival that was available in the carnival shop? Then don't be surprised if someone maliciously says "Saupreiß". This is what some Bavarians like to call people who are quickly identified as tourists from northern or eastern Germany.
Oktoberfest Clothing for Women
Smart times are spoiled for choice. The dirndl is probably the number one item during the Oktoberfest season. But be careful, cheap dirndl costumes from the carnival shop have nothing in common with Bavarian costumes and on top of that are often much too short. If you prefer a medium-length or long costume, the girls have a free choice of colors and fabrics. The Wiesn outfit is completed with a dirndl blouse. If you don't feel like wearing a dirndl or feel disguised in it, you can also fall back on short-lederhosen.
Oktoberfest Clothing for Men
As Herzbuam one wears Lederhose, Loferl and Janker. Um, what?
Anyone who goes to Oktoberfest as a man is well dressed in genuine leather trousers and a traditional shirt. These are joined by Loferl, i.e. the stockings that are worn on the calf, and when fresh a jacket is thrown over. This is what a hip-length jacket is called, traditionally made of sheep's wool.
That Way the Loop is in the Right Place
Bow on the left: If you are single and want to flirt, it is best to tie the bow on the left
Loop right: Would you prefer to be left in peace? Whoever wears the bow on the right is taken.
Bow at the back: If you wear the bow at the back, don't be surprised if someone orders your measurements. At this point, waitresses in particular wear the bow - or widows.
Hairstyles for the Oktoberfest
Not only the right clothes but also the hairstyle - especially for women - should be an eye-catcher. It has to match the dirndl and be particularly smart. Braided hairstyles, such as the peasant wreath, are particularly popular. Alternatively, you can also put on a colorful wreath of flowers. This is also perfect for shorter hair. Are you looking for inspiration? Pinterest is recommended for this.
Eating & Drinking at the Oktoberfest
Chicken, knuckle, pretzel. These delicacies are among the classics at the Wiesn. Half a chicken is particularly popular with a mug of beer. Fish lovers should try the Steckerlfisch. Behind it is trout, which is traditionally cooked over an open fire. Other classics are rolls with bratwurst or liver cheese, roast ox, and Obazda, a wonderfully flavorful mixture of butter and camembert that also gets vegetarians in the Oktoberfest mood. In any case, Bavarian cuisine also offers many meatless dishes, including Käsespätzle, a large selection of dumplings, or Kaiserschmarren. The range of vegan dishes has also increased in recent years.
Our pirate tip: If you want to order white sausages, it is best to order them for breakfast or lunch. In Bavaria, white sausages are traditionally only eaten until 12 noon. Anyone who orders them later will quickly be exposed as a tourist.
However, it is not cheap to feast on the typical Bavarian cuisine at the Wiesn. We, therefore, recommend that you visit the lunchtime Oktoberfest. Between Monday and Thursday, many tents offer a discounted lunch menu. In addition, it is often easy to find a free table on the marquee.
Everything About Beer at the Wiesn
The beer at the Oktoberfest comes exclusively from Munich breweries, which have presented their newly brewed Oktoberfest beer many weeks in advance. Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten are served at the Oktoberfest. By the way, our recommendation goes to the Augustiner. The brewery is the only one still using traditional 200-liter wooden barrels for storage.
And What About the Beer Prices at the Oktoberfest?
With the Oktoberfest there are also annual discussions about the beer prices. In 2022 you will have to pay between 12.60 and 13.80 euros for a pint of beer. That's a good 15% more than in 2019, and a tip is also considered good manners. You also have to dig deep into your pocket for non-alcoholic drinks. The liter of table water is 9.67 euros on average, for the Spezi it is 10.85 euros.
Our pirate tip: If you are at the Oktoberfest, you should drink a beer. After that, however, it is cheaper in the surrounding inns.
Which Marquees are there at the Oktoberfest?
16 large and 22 small tents are open to visitors to the Munich Oktoberfest, each of which is very individual. The younger crowd is mainly to be found in the Hacker-Pschorr-Festzelt, where people like to sway even at midday and dance to pop and party music on the beer benches.
The Augustiner Festhalle is family-friendly and traditional, and the waitresses are said to be the friendliest on the Wiesn. You can celebrate like back then in the Tradition marquee that you will find at the Oidn' Wiesn and where everything is a little more comfortable.
You are not a beer drinker? Then have a look at Kupfer's wine tent. Sitting on wooden benches, one is reminded of a Franconian vineyard.
Where and How Can You Reserve a Place in the Oktoberfest Tent?
Getting a place in the marquee is not that easy. During the week around noon, your chances are still pretty good. At the weekend you may have the chance in smaller groups early in the day, the festival grounds open at 9 a.m. If you see space at one of the benches, ask if it is possible to sit down.
You can be on the safe side with a table reservation. The reservation offices open in spring. Many tables are already reserved for regulars, but if you're quick, you can be lucky. You can usually book the tables online and book menus or meals at the same time. However, the tables are always allocated as a whole and offer space for 8 to 10 people. The price for this is around 350 euros, usually including a beer and a dish per person.
Don't Feel Like Pitching a Tent? Off to the Oktoberfest Beer Gardens
You will probably be lucky to find a seat in the beer gardens around the tents and on the festival grounds - the seats are even nicer in good weather because it can quickly get very stuffy in a full tent.
In addition, half a liter is sometimes served - perfect for all those for whom the beer is too much.