The most important things you need to know about the Oktoberfest on one page.
Dear first-time-visitor, congratulations on having decided on a trip to felicity. Especially if you’re not familiar with the Bavarian Volksfest-culture, you’re most likely to have misconceptions about the largest folk festival in the world. But even if you’ve already been to the festivals in Straubing or Rosenheim or smaller ones, you should read this short guide, as many things are different in Munich.
What is Oktoberfest?
The Oktoberfest is a festival which has been celebrated since 1810 at the Theresienwiese (Therese’s Meadow) in Munich. It dates back to the horse race as a part of the public celebration of the wedding between crown prince Ludwig and his Therese on October 17, 1810. Due to its tremendous success and the search of the young Kingdom of Bavaria for points of identification, the festival has been repeated ever since. It’s usually visited by more than six million every year and is said to be the largest fair in the world. It's neither a holiday nor a season or a type of event.
Admission and Reservations
Let’s begin with a misconception many foreigners share: Admission to the Munich Oktoberfest is free. Commercial “Oktoberfest”-events which have sprung up like mushrooms outside of Bavaria in the last couple of years usually want you to buy tickets in advance, which is not the case at the original. There is no such thing as Oktoberfest tickets. Even table reservations are in general for free; only a number of vouchers have to be purchased in advance.
The circumstance that shady scalpers are able to charge four-digit prices for table reservations (often called tickets in that context) results from the fact that the beer tents at the Oktoberfest are regularly closed for overcrowding on Friday nights and Saturdays, while a reservation guarantees admission. Such a reservation is never obligatory to enter the large beer tents. Twelve of the large 14 beer tents and the three at the Oide Wiesn all have to keep large areas of their tents free from reservations. We have some tips on finding free seats for you and maintain a list of available reservations.
What you need to plan beforehand
Planning an Oktoberfest trip isn't that hard. The most important thing is to choose good dates. Due to the huge crowds, the slower days are more enjoyable, which is why avoiding Saturdays is the most important piece of advice we can give. If you want to visit the Oktoberfest on a weekend, Sundays are preferable. The first Sunday is considered the most beautiful day by many, thanks to Trachten- und Schützenzug. Family days feature reduced ride prices.
The second very important aspect is booking accommodation early. Even though Munich's hotel capacity is huge, rooms are still scarce during Oktoberfest time – and not really cheap. Read more about good hotel locations and all other aspects in our trip planning guide. On top of that, we have an overview of all hotels within walking distance of the Oktoberfest.
On-Site Orientation
The Oktoberfest takes place at the Theresienwiese and can be accessed by foot and public transport using multiple entrances.
The Munich Oktoberfest is mainly divided into two areas: On the right (west) side, seen from the main entrance, you’ll find the Wirtsbudenstraße with most of the large beer tents. The Schaustellerstraße (Showmen Street) on the left (east) side is home to most of the large rides. They are connected by multiple cross-ways, the largest being the Matthias-Pschorr-Straße in front of the Bavaria statue. On all streets, you'll find plenty of food stalls, some weißbier bars and on Wirtsbudenstraße even some liquor bars.
In most years, the Oide Wiesn takes place south of that street, behind the Ferris Wheel. This is another separate festival offering three more large beer tents and several historic attractions. Although actually a pretty new event, the Oide Wiesn offers a way calmer and more traditional atmosphere than the actual Oktoberfest. Every four years, however, the Oktoberfest ends at the Matthias-Pschorr-Straße as the Central Bavarian Agricultural Fair will then take place in the south part of the Theresienwiese.
How Much Is It? Do I Need Cash?
You can check the menus of the big tents and the ride prices to get an idea of how much money you'll spend in a day. Expect to tip between 5%-10%, which is about one or two Euro per beer. Keep in mind that the waiters don't have a base salary. They get a commission on anything they sell and your tip.
While rides have started to accept credit cards, you'll still need cash in the big tents, as you'll pay every time you order something. Only if you have a reservation and pay for everything at once at the end of the day, you can pay by card.
It's best not to rely on the ATMs on the fair grounds itself, as most of them are not run by banks and charge significant commissions and the better ones, like the Sparkasse ATM at the entrance at Esperantoplatz usually have long lines. If you travel from a non-Euro country, it's usually cheapest not to acquire Euros at home, but to get them from a bank-run ATM (i.e. not Euronet) in Munich.
Authentic Oktoberfest-Originals
Even if you have enough time to see everything, you may still simply overlook some attractions or simply not understand what they’re about. This is only a short list of the most famous classic Oktoberfest attractions:
Schichtl
An old-fashioned vaudeville theatre dating back to 1867. It is legendary for its parade, which can be seen for free on the outside and the execution of a visitor by a guillotine on the inside.
Bavaria
The large statue can be climbed up on the inside, offering an overview of the Oktoberfest. Another, even better possibility of getting an overview is offered by the tower of the Paulskirche, the church north of Theresienwiese. If you are lucky, you may even get to see spectacular views with the Alps appearing right behind the Ferris wheel.
Krinoline
The Krinoline, built in 1924, may not be the oldest Oktoberfest ride, but still, it is one of the most charming ones, as it is the only one with a traditional brass band playing for its guests.
Teufelsrad
Maybe the most beloved ride among the locals is the Teufelsrad. Since 1908 its visitors have competed against each other to stay on a spinning disc as long as possible. By paying once you can stay in there as long as you like.
Toboggan
Especially after dawn, hundreds are watching the Toboggan riders failing to climb the slide’s tower using a really tricky treadmill.
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