Visit Oktoberfest
If there’s one thing beer and party lovers associate October with is Oktoberfest, no doubt, locally also known as Wiesn. The world’s largest annual folk festival and funfair is the ultimate event with more than 6 million visitors every year coming to Germany from all parts of the world.
Oktoberfest is held in Theresa’s meadows, outside of the Munich city center, from late September until early October, lasting for 2 weeks. Although more than 7 million liters of beer are being consumed per year, the festival is definitely not all about beer. Traditional Bavarian food is being served such as pretzels and grilled sausages, ideal for soaking up the beer, and the program is consisted of traditional Bavarian folklore, parades, music and dance.
Besides the fun in the tents, some of the biggest attractions of the festival are Riesenrad (a giant ferris wheel) and Olympia Looping (world’s largest five-loop rollercoaster).
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Tickets and entry fee
You can choose between 17 large and 21 small tents, book your desired tent here. Prices and requirements vary from tent to tent. When booking a table, you have to book an entire table regardless of how many people are in the group. Reservations are not obligatory, but then you risk not getting in the tent due to overcrowding. There is no such thing as an entrance fee, visitors can freely visit the area and purchase drinks.
Oktoberfest 2019
This year’s 186th Oktoberfest takes place from 21st September till October 6th 2019. Tents open at 9 am and when you hear “O’zapft is!” the beer is served and the festival can begin!
From Monday to Friday tents are open from 10 am to 11:30 pm, during the weekends, the beer is served from 9 am. Several tents are open till 1:00 am.
If you didn’t manage to reserve your tables, the good news is that there is a number of tables which do not need a reservation, but have in mind that due to overcrowding you might not be able to get one, or even enter the tent.
How to get to Oktoberfest
By car
Getting to Munich by car can be done by several directions. Once you get there, there are many ‘’Park + Ride’’ stations or parking lots connected to public transport. Park your vehicle and continue using Munich’s public transport system to get to Oktoberfest.
By plane
Being the second busiest international airport in Germany, Munich Airport offers numerous flights from larger cities in Europe and the world. The airport is located 40 kilometers from the city center which you can reach by shuttle bus.
By train
A large number of cities in Europe is connected to Munich by train such as Vienna, Florence, Cologne, Frankfurt and many more. The main railway station, Munich Central Station, is located in the central parts of the city, around 15 minute walking from Marienplatz.
By bus
Munich has bus connections with numerous European and German cities. The main bus station in Munich is located right next to the train station. Here are some of the most popular bus routes to Munich you can find on Getbybus:
| Vienna to Munich | Berlin to Munich | Ljubljana to Munich |
| Zagreb to Munich | Sarajevo to Munich | Frankfurt to Munich |
By public transport
During this period, public transport is more frequent due to a doubled number of passengers. No matter how you arrive to Munich, continuing by using public transport to get to Oktoberfest is the simplest way. You can choose between U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses.
- U3 (orange), U4 (green), U5 (yellow) and U6 (blue) take you from the city center to Theresa’s meadows in a few minutes.
- S1 and S8 take you to Hackerbrucke from where you need additional 10 minutes walking.
- Tram lines 16/17 take you to Hackerbrucke and lines 18/19 take you to Holzapfelstraße or Hermann-Lingg-Straße.
- MetroBus lines 53, 58, 62 and StadtBus line 134 take you straight to Theresa’s meadows.
Food and drinks at Oktoberfest
As already mentioned, food and drinks (read: beer) are the most important parts of this festival and, obviously, drinking beer during Oktoberfest is acceptable at any hour of the day. Whole Oktoberfest beer arrives from several famous Munich breweries such as Paulaner, Augustiner or Lowenbrau. If, by any chance, you don’t like beer and still want to visit Oktoberfest, don’t worry, there are other non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks such as cider and wine on offer.
Here you can check the list of drinks by the tent for 2019.
Tip: If you decide to act like a local, drink beer by the liter and don’t even dare to ask a pint.
Traditional Bavarian food goes perfectly hand in hand with all that beer. The most famous food of German cuisine is a pretzel, and these ones are huge and ideal for breakfast or as a snack. Roasted chicken or pork is a classic meal and the crispy meat seasoned with ‘’secret’’ spices is an absolute delight. Another Bavarian trademark is Wurst or a sausage, and Oktoberfest offers a whole variety of them. Try Weisswurst (a white sausage), amongst the favorite ones. The list goes on with Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Knödel (dumplings), Steckerlfisch (fish on a stick) and many more.
What else to do at Oktoberfest
The most common thing to do on Oktoberfest is definitely enjoying gallons of beer and tons of food along with dancing to some traditional folk music. But besides that and going around exploring the tents, there are few more interesting things to do on Oktoberfest. The first weekend opens with parades so try not to miss the river of creative costumes and marching bands as a part of an incredible experience. Also, the festival is family-oriented too with a tent that offers fun shows and exciting games for the youngest visitors. To take a break from the crowds, the best place to enjoy a walk or a bicycle ride, spot some animals and simply relax in a beautiful surrounding in the English Garden. We already mentioned Riesenrad and Olympia Looping, but think twice when deciding to go for a ride so you don’t regret it in a combination with drinks. In the end, use this opportunity to explore the city of Munich in breaks from partying, one of Europe’s most beautiful and cultured cities.
Accommodation
There are many options of various types of accommodation in the closest vicinity of the area where Oktoberfest is happening. You can check the nearest accommodation in Munich below. For those who would like to stay in nature camping is also possible at several campsites near the location.
