If you're planning your first trip or trying to get the logistics right, here's everything we know.

What Is Oktoberfest and Where Is It Held?

Oktoberfest is an annual festival held in Munich, Germany, the capital of Bavaria in the country's south. It takes place on a permanent festival site called the Theresienwiese, known locally as the Wiesn, in the Ludwigsvorstadt district. The site is easily reached by U-Bahn on lines U4 and U5, and during the festival extra services run throughout the day and evening.

Munich itself is worth knowing a little about. It's a proper city, wealthy and well organized, sitting at the foot of the Bavarian Alps with Austria just over the border. The BMW headquarters are here. The old town is beautiful. And for about 17 days every September and October, the city essentially becomes Oktoberfest's host in the fullest sense of the word, from the hotels to the restaurants to the bars nowhere near the Wiesn that still feel like extensions of the party.

The festival started in 1810 as a public wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. They held a horse race on the fields in front of the city and invited everyone in Munich. It went so well they did it again the following year, and the year after that. The horse races eventually gave way to carnival rides and beer tents. The festival grew into something international. But it still opens the same way every year: the mayor of Munich taps the first keg and shouts “O'zapft is!” which means it's tapped, and then the drinking begins.

When Does Oktoberfest Take Place?

Despite the name, most of Oktoberfest actually happens in September. The festival typically runs from the third weekend of September through the first Sunday in October, spanning 16 to 18 days in total. If October 3rd, German Unity Day, falls after that Sunday, the festival is extended through that date.

For 2025, Oktoberfest runs from September 20 to October 5.

Beer tent hours:

1. Weekdays: 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM (last drinks at 10:30 PM)
2. Weekends: 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM (last drinks at 10:30 PM)

Fairgrounds and rides:

• Daily: 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM
• Fridays and Saturdays: open until midnight

Two tents stay open later than the rest: Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and the Weinzelt, both open until 1:00 AM with drinks served until 12:30 AM.

If you're going with kids, or if you just want a chance at getting a seat without a reservation, earlier on a weekday is the move. Saturday afternoons are the most crowded and the hardest to navigate without a tent booking already in hand.

What to Expect Inside the Beer Tents

The beer tents are not tents in any normal sense of the word. They're massive semi-permanent structures, each one capable of holding thousands of people, with communal picnic tables that stretch as far as you can see and at least one enormous stage, usually two. There are 14 main tents on the Wiesn, each sponsored by one of Munich's six official breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. The beer served inside each tent comes only from that tent's brewery.

Beer is served in one-liter steins, and the servers who carry them are something to witness. My dad warned me before my first trip to build up my forearms, and I didn't take it seriously until I watched a woman carry twelve full steins across a packed tent without spilling a drop, not running, not visibly straining, completely unbothered. It is genuinely one of the more impressive things I have seen in a professional setting.

Inside, bands play a mix of traditional Bavarian oompah music and covers, and people sing along, stand on benches, put their arms around strangers and generally let go of whatever they came in carrying. My entire table somehow ended up on stage my first time there. I still don't know exactly how. That's the energy in there.

Getting a seat without a reservation is possible but not guaranteed. Reservations are made months in advance and cover the main part of the evening. Arriving later, after 10:00 PM or so when people start to leave, is another way in. That's how we got seats one night when we rolled up at 10:30 and found space opening up as the tent wound toward closing. If you want certainty, book ahead.

One thing worth saying clearly: you don't need to drink beer to have a great time here. There is a wine tent. There's food everywhere and lemonade for the kids and the atmosphere itself is the draw. I've been multiple times without touching a beer and left every time wanting to go back.

What to Wear: Dirndls and Lederhosen

Traditional Bavarian clothing is not just for locals. At Oktoberfest, wearing a dirndl or lederhosen is genuinely encouraged and genuinely fun, and you'll feel more out of place in regular clothes than in traditional dress. Most Germans attending actually wear it too, not just tourists.

A dirndl is a dress with a fitted bodice, full skirt, apron and blouse. The apron bow placement actually communicates something, so pay attention:

• Left = single
• Right = taken
• Center = undecided
• Back = server or widow

Dirndl is pronounced “DEERN-dl,” one quick syllable.

One practical note if you're in a dirndl and plan to visit the fun house: there is an air vent at the base of the exit stairs, and there are always a few men with a button nearby who know exactly where it is. Wear something underneath or hold your skirt on the way out. Consider yourself warned.

Lederhosen are the leather shorts or pants with suspenders and a bib front. Dylan's were brown suede leather with a green plaid shirt and we bought the whole outfit in Munich the day before the festival. Buying in Munich is worth it over ordering online. The quality is better and you get to try it on, which matters with leather.

A traditional note: lederhosen are not washed frequently. The stains and wear are considered a record of how many Oktoberfests you've attended. We are not endorsing this tradition, just reporting it.

Oide Wiesn: The Quieter, More Traditional Side

Oide Wiesn (pronounced “OY-duh VEE-sen”) means Old Oktoberfest and it's a separately ticketed section within the festival grounds that recreates the atmosphere of the original event. Brass bands, folk dancing, vintage carnival rides, smaller beer tents and a noticeably more relaxed crowd. The entrance fee is around €4 and it's genuinely worth it.

If you're going with younger kids, with older family members or if you just want to experience the cultural side of Oktoberfest before the main event overwhelms you, start here. It gives you a real sense of what the festival actually is underneath all the international noise.

Getting to Munich for Oktoberfest

Munich Airport (MUC) is well connected to major European cities and has transatlantic routes from the US. From the airport, the S-Bahn S1 and S8 lines run directly into the city center, taking about 40 minutes. Once you're in Munich, U-Bahn lines U4 and U5 stop at Theresienwiese and run on expanded schedules during the festival.

Munich is also an excellent train destination if you're already in Europe. Direct connections run from Vienna, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Zurich, Frankfurt and Paris among others. If you're based anywhere in central Europe, the train is often easier than flying.

Tips That Actually Make a Difference

• Book your hotel the moment you decide you're going. Months out, not weeks.
• Tent reservations go just as fast. Some popular tents open bookings in January for the following September.
• Wear comfortable shoes. You will be standing on benches, walking on cobblestones and doing both for longer than you planned.
• Bring cash. Food stalls and smaller vendors still prefer it and some tents do too.
• Go earlier in the day on weekdays if you want to explore without the full crowd.
• Don't skip Oide Wiesn. Even 30 minutes in there changes how you understand the whole festival.
• The party continues after the Wiesn closes. Hotel bars and the streets around the grounds all absorb the overflow.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oktoberfest Munich

Is Oktoberfest free to attend?
Entering the festival grounds and most beer tents is free. You pay for food and drinks inside. The Oide Wiesn section has a small entrance fee of around €4. Rides and carnival games cost extra.

Can you go to Oktoberfest with kids?
Yes. Oktoberfest is more family-friendly than most people expect. The carnival area is great for kids and families are a normal part of the daytime crowd. Children are generally welcome in the tents during the day though the atmosphere shifts later in the evening. Going earlier on weekdays is the best approach with younger children.

Do you need reservations for the beer tents?
You don't need a reservation to enter the tents, but without one you're competing for whatever seats open up. Reservations are held until a certain time in the evening after which unreserved seats become available. If you want a guaranteed spot at a specific tent, book well in advance.

What is the best day to go to Oktoberfest?
Weekday afternoons are the most manageable if you want space to move and a decent chance of getting a seat. Saturdays are the busiest and most chaotic. The opening weekend has a particular energy but also the biggest crowds.

How much does beer cost at Oktoberfest?
A one-liter stein typically costs between €13 and €15 inside the main tents. Prices increase slightly each year.

What is the difference between Oktoberfest and Oide Wiesn?
Oktoberfest refers to the full festival on the Theresienwiese. Oide Wiesn is a section within that festival that recreates the atmosphere of the original 19th century event, with traditional music, vintage rides and a quieter, more cultural feel. It requires a separate entrance ticket.

Is Oktoberfest only in Munich?
The original and largest Oktoberfest is in Munich. There are similar festivals in other German cities and internationally, but none come close in scale or atmosphere. When people say Oktoberfest, they mean Munich.

What should I do in Munich besides Oktoberfest?
Munich's old town, the Marienplatz and the Frauenkirche cathedral are all within easy reach. The Englischer Garten is one of the largest urban parks in the world. The Deutsches Museum and the BMW Museum are both worth a visit. If you have extra days, the Bavarian Alps and Neuschwanstein Castle are a short drive or train ride away.

One More Thing Before You Go

If there's one thing every Oktoberfest trip has confirmed, it's that the festival has a way of exceeding expectations no matter how many times you've been. Not because it's perfect, but because there's nothing else quite like it. Six million people, all there for the same reason, all willing to stand on a bench and sing with strangers. It's good-spirited in a way that's hard to manufacture and impossible to fake.

Go once. Dress up. Eat the pretzel. Stay for the oompah band. And if you happen to be in Munich with a kid who just turned 10 and looks incredible in lederhosen, know that the locals will absolutely celebrate him for it.

The full episode of the getAwayZ Podcast goes deeper on all of it, including what it's like to go in your 20s versus going as a parent, the ride that went very wrong and the moment we discovered a possible connection between my last name and a German accordion dynasty. (There is not one.)

👉 Listen to the Oktoberfest episode on The Getawayz Podcast

And if you've got your own Oktoberfest story, leave it in the comments. We'd love to hear it.

Want to explore Germany? Explore all our Germany blog posts for city guides, castles and cultural tips.