Oktoberfest

m83

Travelling around Europe this Summer, gonna give Oktoberfest a go. Anyone been and got some advice? What's the deal with tickets, it seems to be free entry but you have to reserve them early by all accounts

Random

Get to the tents for 10 or 11 in the morning. Arrive after 2 and you won't get in anywhere.

Accomadation is usually packed out but if you haven't got any planned get on it now. It won't be as easy as you think.

You don't need tickets. You can reserves spots at tables but I wouldn't bother.

m83

Thanks Random! We'll probably be camping, must sort it out soon anyway.

Prost!

ob

Avoid Saturday and Sunday, no chance of getting in without reservations.

During the week, just turn up early. I was there in 2005 and before 2 was fine for the big tent, before 4 for the smaller tents. Maybe it's different now though.

m83

Thanks ob, we've adjusted our dates now thanks to that handy info.

Cheers!

finbarrk

Do a search here. Loads of discussions about Oktoberfest on here over the years.

domcq

There's lots of cheap camping at metro stop Thalkirken. Stayed there the last 2 years and didn't book in advance or anything.

If you don't have tickets, then the wknds are best avoided. Sundays are a good day to get into most tents. Never been on a week day so I couldn't comment on those.

Great festival - rest your liver up well beforehand.

Gaelic32

It mad craic and well recommended - but not for the liver - been 5 times and most i could handle was a 4 day bender - took 2 months to recover!! - as already said weekends are mad - especially the weekend at the end of "Italian Week" when all the italians come in their thousands due to an italian holiday period - its super hectic at this stage. Get to tents EARLY thur / fri / Sat - mid week should b grand and sundays are usually no problem. Weather has been excellent for 4 out of the 5 times ive been but the one that wasnt meant everyone wanted out of the rain and into tents. Disaster. - final advise take a tri-colour or an ACDC flag / t-shirt and the Germans will lov ya!!!

munchkin_utd

Its all random but the best advice really is to avoid the weekends if at all possible. Thats when theres a fairly high chance you wont get into a tent.

The fest is very very lively every day of the week so avoiding the weekend doesnt mean you arent going to have the crack!

John C

Oktoberfest 2009 was quieter than usual. There was a hint of a terrorist attack on it.
Police searched bags at every entrance. That put some people off coming.
There was less money circulating in Munich. Some companies had gone on short time.

A few seats in some Bierzelts (beer tent) were available after 16:00h at weekends.

In principle reserving a table is a good idea. In practise it does not always work out. Once Frau Schmidt from LL Donnelly GmbH phoned and reserved three tables for 17:00h. Production staff arrived at 17:00h. The harried waiter said there was no reservation. Eventually it was located under Ponnelly. At 18:00h office staff had not come. The beer tent owner reassigned two of the three tables. It was 40 persons for 1 table when office staff arrived.
Summary:- reserving on the phone is dodgy with a name unfamiliar to Germans.
- reserved for one hour = 60 minutes.
- 3 tables reserved = 3 full tables.

In Munich- Marienplatz und Rathaus, the Marian Square, Munich's main square and city hall.
- Frauenkirche (women's church ). From one tower there is a panorama of Munich
- Nymphenburg Park, Englisher Garten
- BMW Museum, Deutsches Museum

In Munich's S-Bahn area (rapid local railway )
See=Lake: Starnberger See, Ammersee ( Herrsching )

Further out:
- Die Schlösser (castes) are Schloss Neuschwanstein, Linderhof und Herrenchiemsee.
- Monasteries and churches: Wieskirche bei Steingaden, Kloster Ettal, Benidiktbeuren

B/B in the S-Bahn area is optimal. Towns: Erding, Freising, Tutzing, Dachau, Geltendorf, Nannhofen und Petershausen and many more.
Guesthouse = Pension, B/B = ÜF Übernachtung mit Frühstück
übernacht = overnight, Frühstück=breakfast. Zimmer = room, Bett= bed.