5 Tips for an unforgettable first visit to Oktoberfest

If you're looking for genuine tips on how to prepare for an unforgettable time at Munich's Oktoberfest, then you've come to the right article!

Here you'll learn everything a festival newbie needs to know!

1. Be prepared to spend quite a bit

Oktoberfest is the trip that can blow any frequent traveller's budget. Everything at this annual celebration comes in one size – and that's large – while prices, on the other hand, are significantly inflated!

For every beer you consume at Oktoberfest, expect a price ranging from 10.70 Euros to 11.50 Euros (2018 prices) and each year prices increase by approximately 3.57% from the previous year's prices. These prices are for “The Mass”, the large one-litre glasses you've surely seen everywhere.

As for meals, prices vary considerably between the tents. A pretzel can cost you 4 to 5 Euros, while a regular meal can range from 10 to 20 Euros per person.

The total cost for 2 people and a 2-day visit to Oktoberfest, including only 4 glasses of beer, pretzels, one meal, and water-snacks, can reach approximately 100 Euros.

Within 3.5 days in Munich, you might need to spend up to 900 Euros for 2 people – accommodation included!

If you think about it more broadly, both we and you have spent up to 2 weeks with the same money in other – naturally more affordable – destinations.

It's a lot of money to spend in such a short period, but the Oktoberfest experience is truly unique!

On the website Oktoberfest.de you can see detailed beer prices in all tents, both small and large. There are two columns listing the 2018 prices and the prices that applied at the 2017 festival.

2. The earlier you arrive, the better

The tents at Oktoberfest operate on a 'first come, first served' basis for everyone who hasn't made a reservation. Only those seated at a table will be served beer, and finding a table is very difficult, becoming even harder in the evenings and at weekends.

Furthermore, if a tent is full, they won't even let you in.

At weekends, make sure you're there at least 10 minutes before the tents open. They operate from 09:00 until midnight, so aim to be there by 08:50 if you want to find a table, especially if you're a group of more than 2 people.

Be prepared to encounter long queues. Up to 6000 people can be waiting to enter each tent. You might get lucky and find a table that is reserved for a later time and sit there, but you'll have to leave as soon as the reserved party arrives.

Many tents stop letting people in after 12:00 because, naturally, they are already full.

On weekdays and early in the morning, you'll be able to find a table with relative ease. The kiosks open at 10:00, so if you arrive by 11:00 or 12:00, you shouldn't have any problems. After 14:00 is peak time when all tents start to reach full capacity.

See on this page the exact operating hours of the tents and from what times beer is served. You will also find answers to many frequently asked questions regarding the festival's operation and policy.

3. Reservations are ideal for large groups

We highly recommend making a reservation for each day you wish to attend the festival if you are a large group of people. Reservations are available from most tents, but their policies may differ.

Most will require a deposit as payment for the food and drinks you will consume.

Typically, deposits range quite high, corresponding to one meal and two drinks for each person in the reservation.

If you are part of a large group, this is the only way you will manage to sit in a tent, especially on weekends when all tents fill up early in the morning.

If there are only two of you, you'll manage relatively easily to 'squeeze in' at a table and, of course, make new friends!

If you want to visit the festival during the afternoon and evening hours or on weekends when the crowds multiply, then a reservation is your only option.

TRAVELO Tip:

We suggest making your Oktoberfest reservations several months in advance. As soon as you book your hotel, immediately proceed to make your festival reservations too.

On the official Oktoberfest website, you can find all the large and small tents and information on reservation charges.

4. Book your hotels in advance

It's the time of year when all hotels, hostels, Airbnbs and even campsites are guaranteed 100% occupancy. A price of 300 Euros per night for a room in an affordable hotel, 75-100 Euros for a bed in a hostel, and 50-75 Euros for a night in a campsite is not unheard of.

For relatively better prices, search sites like Booking and Airbnb at least 6 to 8 months in advance.

Even searching 3 months before the festival, you won't find prices better than 150 Euros a night for a room, which is still an excellent price given the circumstances.

Consider that you'll be spending a lot of money to attend the festival anyway; is it worth ending up in a hostel or having to spend your night with a crowd of other people in a campsite?

You'll have to answer that yourself, depending on your available budget.

Search for hotels on Booking for Oktoberfest!

5. Oktoberfest iPhone App

During your stay at Oktoberfest or even earlier, you can download the app from the Apple Store.

This application provides information about the event, including descriptions of the tents, what they offer, and much more.

However, the most useful tool of the app is the real-time information on whether a tent is open or closed!

You won't have to put in much effort to find out which tent is operating and has available tables to head towards it.

Finding a strong Wi-Fi signal at Oktoberfest is almost impossible, so make sure to sort out your mobile data in advance – now with the new roaming policy, you can use your data and free talk time in all EU countries!

To find the app, simply type “Oktoberfest” into the Apple Store and download it completely free of charge.

Conclusion

In our opinion, these are the most important things you need to know before you start planning your trip to Munich and your participation in Oktoberfest.

Now, whether you drink a lot or a little, and how much you spend, depends entirely on you.

Everything we mentioned above is what you need to know to be prepared and not be taken by surprise, especially regarding charges and reservations.

“Oktoberfest 2018 is the 185th to be held from 22/9 to 7/10/2018”

Book your flights to Munich directly from Athens and Thessaloniki with Aegean Airlines at TRAVELO, to take part in the largest beer event that has been held annually for over 150 years in Germany. Prices start from 150 Euros per person for a return trip.

For your accommodation in Munich during Oktoberfest, see all available rooms on Booking here.