A Complete Guide to Surviving Oktoberfest
So you’re going to Oktoberfest or “Wiesen” this year and probably have done some research on some tips of what to know before you go. This is my guide from someone who booked everything so last minute and also loved the festival so much I flew back to go for a second time in the same year. I always say you have to experience Oktoberfest in Munich at least once in your life.
It is somewhat chaotic to plan and to know where to go at what times, what to wear, where to stay… all the things. I hope this guide serves as useful tips to make sure you have the best time and feel prepared.
About the festival:
The first ever Oktoberfest started in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. It was originally held in a big open meadow to honor the bride and beer concessions were introduced in 1815.
Today the festival is the largest folk festival and hosts over 6 million visitors every year. The festival lasts around 18 days and starts mid to late September all the way to the first week of October. It is truly a sight to be seen and no one does it better than in Munich Germany.
What to Expect:
The festival looks like a massive carnival or fair if you’re familiar with the states. It’s by far the largest festival I’ve ever been to. There are tents scattered everywhere, stands with food and drinks, and carnival rides.
Be sure to walk the premises and see how beautiful the festival is. The stands outside have cheaper food and drinks than inside the tents. I would grab a bite of food before planting yourself at a tent to make sure you get some food in you! Also riding some rides if you want an adrenaline rush before drinking.
Expect to pay around 15 euros per beer which honestly after drinking two was plenty for the whole day. If you get a meal inside the tent it’s around 20-30 euros per meal. I got out around 100 euros per day and that was plenty for me to get the two beers, a meal, and any other random things I decided to purchase.
If you are coming with a large group then you can reserve a table way in advance and each person has to get food and beers while you’re there. We did not reserve a table since only my friend and I went. If you have a small group then don’t reserve a table and rely on getting there early to sneak in at an empty spot.
How Much Time Should I Spend at Oktoberfest?
If you’re also wondering how long you should spend at Oktoberfest I would say it depends on what your priorties are. My friends and I were on a 12 day Europe trip and only spent a day and a half at the festival. I would stay 2 full days is plenty to get your Oktoberfest fix. Any more days than 3 and I would figure it would get old. No matter what the atmosphere is fun, but after 2 days of drinking I felt like I got to fully experience the festival.
Where to Stay
My biggest piece of advice is to stay as close to the festival as possible because taking a train into the festival can be a nightmare. After the festival and after having probably too many beers it’s also best to minimize having to travel far. Hotels do book up in advance so if you already have your flights booked then I would recommend booking a place to stay as soon as possible.
Hostels
These are more legit hostels inside an actual building. They are a little more pricey than the tent hostels, but in my opinion worth the extra money.
Wombat’s City Hostel Haughbanhoff:
this is a centrally located and only a 10 minute walk to the festival. The reviews are solid and seems like a great place to meet people before the festival. It’s around 65 usd per night.
Wombat’s City Hostel werksviertel
This is the another location of Wombats and has a more trendy feel. It’s a bit further from the festival and is around 70 usd.
This hostel is in a historic building and right next to the train station making it so easy to hop around. The hostel is around 30 usd
If you’re looking for a CHEAP hostel and a full on camping experience then this is the perfect hostel. I’m ngl it scared me a little to stay here, but one of my close friends stayed at one of the camping ones and said it was totally fine and more safe than she thought. It’s around 23 usd.
Same exact concept as the central camping hostel. Also around 20 usd per night.
Festnation Oktoberfest campsite #1
Same exact concept as the central camping hostel. Also around 20 usd per night.
Hotels
A cute boutique hotel if you’re willing to spend more money. It’s also a trip advisor choice award so it is a gem for Oktoberfest. It is around 500usd per night.
Another boutique hotel with a mix of comfort, good value, and a great location. The cost during Oktoberfest is around 210 per night so if you split with a friend it’s perfect.
Another mid range hotel around 200 usd and also a travelers choice around through trip advisor.
How to Get Around
As I mentioned earlier, staying as close to the festival as possible is very ideal because we stayed 40 minutes away and it took us over 3 hours to get to the festival because the train shut down.
Train
So many people take the train and expect it to be extremely crowded when going. The wait times are longer and there are 2 times as many people than normal. The stop you get off at is Theresienwiese and then it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the heart of the festival.
S-Bahn to Hackerbrucke
The S bahn train runs every 10 minutes and with any of them it will take you to Hackerbruke. It is only a few minutes walk to the festival from this stop.
Taxi
Once the train shut down everyone was relying on taxis to try and get to the festival. It was so hard to hail a taxi since everyone else also was trying to get one at the same time. It was also way more expensive to get one than the train.
What to Wear
Most people dress up at the festival and to me it’s one of the most fun parts of the festival so make sure to grab your traditional wear before you go! You will be outnumbered if you choose to not dress up!
Dirndl
You can tell right away which is a costume vs a traditional dirndl. The rule of thumb is the dress is supposed to be below the knees. I was living in San Francisco at the time and found a decades-old vintage shop called held over, that sold used dirndls so I bought two of them for around 150 usd. I recommend buying one used to save on the cost since they can be pretty pricey. You can buy or rent one when you are there, however it is somewhat stressful to shop around the day before. They are also way more expensive near the festival so to ensure you are all set I would buy one before and pack it with you!
There are traditional shoes you can wear, but most females wore sneakers and as long as they’re closed toe then you should be good to go!
Lederhosen
I obviously didn’t wear one of these so I don’t know as much, but a lot of the guys I talked to said they ordered theirs online from traditional websites. I’ve heard of looking for ones with hand stitching and colors that reflect a tradition.
What tents to go to
I went to 3 different tents for the three different nights I was at the festival. Once you get into one you have to stay there cause it’s nearly impossible to tent hop and find a seat in a tent especially past 5pm. The tents we went into were Hacker, Augustiner, and Hofbrauhaus.
Hacker Festzelt: This tent was so stunning and they had a live band playing rock and roll music. The inside looks very angelic with the clouds and decor. This was the most fun tent during the day! We also visited during the day and it had such a great vibe!
Augustiner Festhalle: More local Germans go to this one and they play a bit more traditional music in the evening. It’s also known as more family friendly especially during the day!
Hofbrauhaus: this tent was also stunning and has the most international vibe. They play some classic American music so it’s easy to dance to and sing along. It’s also the second largest tent out of the whole festival. In my opinion this was the most fun tent for the evening time.
Armbrustschützenzelt: The special event held at this tent is the national crossbow championships. It is also a very traditional feel inside the tent where you'll find more locals.
Festzelt Tradition: this is the largest tent at Weisen and has brass music, dance floors, and stone mugs. The inside is less vibrant and boasts a more cozy family friendly feel.
Fischer-Vroni: If you are looking for a fish on a stick, why wouldn’t you? Then this is the tent for you! The second Monday is the busiest time to visit this tent since it’s the biggest party.
Käfer Wiesn-Schänke: This tent provides a rustic atmosphere and has champagne if you’re sick of beer. The tent stays open until 12:30 so a bit later than the other tents which are typically done at midnight,
Kufflers Weinzelt: They serve wheat beer and wine at this tent which makes for a more vineyard feel when you enter. This tent ends at 1am so a lot of people take advantage of the extra hour here.
Löwenbräu-Festzelt: The giant lion is what makes this tent stand out. It attracts a lot of Italians.
Marstall Festzelt: this is the youngest tent and is beautifully decorated, has great food, and friendly service. The big bar at the back of the balcony is the most crowded.
Ochsenbraterei: more than 125 oxen are eaten here during the festival. If you’re priority is roast chicken then come to this tent
Paulaner Festzelt: This was another tent I really wanted to try. You can see the band from any seat. They can pour up to 15 pours per tap a minute so they really crank out the beer here.
Pschorr-Festzelt Bräurosl: This is the highest of all the tents and has a lot of green to withhold the traditional color of the earlier tents.
Schottenhamel Festhalle: This is the oldest tent at Oktoberfest. The tapping at noon is the beginning ceremony to the start of the festival.
Schützen-Festzelt: another very traditional atmosphere and is famous for its south side facing balcony which gives views of the ferris wheel. There’s an organized Oktoberfest shoot here.
Volkssängerzelt Schützenlisl: If you want to experience what OKtoberfest was really like in the 1800’s then come to this tent. There are mainly locals and families at this tent.
Overall you can’t go wrong with any big tent around the festival so don’t fixate too much on which one you can or can’t get into. I loved Hacker to meet people from all around the world and be able to know all the music playing. There are also a ton of beer gardens to sit and enjoy the weather outside. Lastly, there are smaller tents if the chaos of the larger tents aren’t for you.
My top tips
Don’t bring a large bag or backpack
It’s not allowed at the festival
The less stuff you have the better!
Get cash the day before so you don’t have to wait in a long line the day of
Everything in the festival is cash only
Drink a lot of water in between and the day before!
It was hard to find water so take advantage of every opportunity to stay hydrated
Get food outside of the large tents to save money!
If you’re a female and single tie your apron on the left side
The right side means your married
Get to the tents around 1pm if you want to secure a spot for the night
Most Tents close between 10:30pm to midnight
Go to Kafer before 10:30 if you want to stay until 1am
Try to get into any big tent and don’t fixate as much on which one since they are all so fun, have music, and lot of beer
Go to Oktoberfest during the week! It will still be crowded, but not like the weekends… trust me it was wild
Each day and weekend has a theme like the second weekend being Italian weekend which is also when we went
Pace yourself so you don’t end up at the puke hill, trust me you don’t want to be seen there
Have a system with your friends so you can find each other if you get lost
Explore the old town if you have time before or after the festival
Have the best time of your life!!!
Prost!
