If you have already been to Frankfurt’s Oktoberfest tent and left wanting more, bigger and better, then I’m sure you have thought about going to Munich to see the real thing. But I know it can seem off-putting when you think of the time money and logistics.

But it doesn’t have to cost the earth and it really is doable without spending hundreds on a dubious and smelly hotel room.

I’m writing this from Munich on the last day of Oktoberfest so that you can plan well ahead for next year. Admittedly, I only organised the trip 2 weeks ago though …

Itinerary

8:53 : Frankfurt HBF direct train to Munich

12:20 : Arrive in Munich

12:50 : Arrive on foot at Oktoberfest fairground to eat, drink and use rides

16:00 : Enter tent for reserved table

23:30 : Oktoberfest closes. Stagger out of tent and head to Munich BHF on foot

00:03 : Train back to Frankfurt, changing in Mannheim (set alarm for 4am)

05:48 : Arrive back in Frankfurt well refreshed and ready for work (or maybe just bed again)

Costs

This is going to depend on partly on whether you have your Lederhosen/Dirndl or not which train choices you have and what experience you want at the festival, but here are my costs:

Outfit : €150

Train : €112 + €10 seat reservation

Tent entry/table : €45 per person deposit which you get back as vouchers for food and drink. Entry is actually free

Baggage storage : €5

Outfit / clothes

Dressing in traditional clothes is absolutely optional and no one will say anything if you come in jeans and T-shirt. Outside the tents at the fairground is mixed 50/50 and plenty of people don’t bother. However, inside the tents you’ll be in a very small minority, you’ll feel like a foreign loser, and your photos will be a bit naff.

You can buy everything brand new at a specialist store in Frankfurt, or at regular clothe stores Galeria for example which have Wiesn during the season. It will cost easily €500 for a basic outfit (socks, lederhosen, shirt, waistcoat) or a couple of thousand for something really nice. But there are far cheaper options, directly at the stalls in Munich HBF in case you are happy doing it last minute. There is also a very reasonable second hand shop with plenty of choice just near the station in Munich if you don’t want something really thin and cheap looking!

What to buy:

For girls, there aren’t many short cuts. Dirndls and the suitable blouse are pretty specific. For boys there are options:

Lederhosen – they look weird and uncomfortable but there is no getting around it

Grey or cream knitted socks – they could be specifically for Oktoberfest, but no one will notice

Shoes – don’t buy something special unless you are going to be a regular. You’ll immediately save €100+ from your bill. You just need hiking boots or brown leather shoes. But actually anything will do as no one will look that far down!

Shirt – white or checked blue shirt is good. If you are going in warm weather, best to buy a proper patterned shirt since it will be visible. If you are adding a waist coat on top, any white shirt will do.

Waist-coat – this is hard to fake so best get a proper on. It will really make the whole outfit look good

Jacket – if you are going in cold weather (Munich evenings can be nippy in October) then you could consider this. But all jackets that look slightly nice and fitted are expensive (starting around €200). And when you get inside a tent there will be no where to hang it. So my advice is, drop your normal jacket and bag at the luggage storage and walk quickly to your tent!

Baggage storage

Which brings me on to the baggage issue. There is a strict bags policy to the Wiesn/fairground: handbags and mini-rucksacks only. And inside the tents, any personal belongings need to be left on a table/bench or wedged under the table legs.

So realistically, once everyone is bouncing up and down on benches and splashing beer and food around, you don’t want any personal belongings on the floor. Only take what you can carry.

The first option is to leave your bags/extras at the main station. There are lots of lockers for €4-6 but lots of demand. It can be a bit of a free-for-all finding a free locker and no shops will give you change. Plus it’s a 20 minute walk to the fairground.

Second option is one of the 4 baggage storage tents at the entrances to the Wiesn. Sometimes they fill up but it’s worth staying warm as long as possible. It only costs €5. I dropped my bag, went around the outdoor events and then came back to add my coat before heading to a beer tent hands free.

Tents

Getting into a tent is important. It’s where the real fun happens. Tent access is actually free, but getting in is difficult. Regular bookers can reserve their regular table early in the new year. If they don’t, it goes to the open market for the rest of us. If you know someone who has a table, that’s awesome, but if not, go to the individual tent website to book directly. Don’t use any of the irregular ticket booking sites, there are many scams, just use the official pages. The deposit for booking is normally the price of about three beers which you get vouchers for.

If you want to risk it last minute, many tents have space for people without tickets, but there will be a queue and you may not find a bench. You’ll need to go around asking if places are free, but it’s worth it towards the end of the evening as many people do have to leave a little early.

Which tent, you ask?

A great question. There are 17 big tents and each serves a different set of drinks and has a different experience. Experts will tell you that there is a difference and that some are better, but I have never noticed. Being in a tent is better than being outside. They all have entertainment and after 2 beers, no one cares anyway! But if you want some insights, this blogger did a good job (if you can ignore all of her affiliate ads!)

Accommodation

Try to avoid it. I did. Basic rooms are between €200-500 per night. It might seem good if you are drunk, but a train is also ok so long as one of you can wake up when you get to Frankfurt! Set an alarm.

Have fun!