Oktoberfest 2026 in Munich: Dates, Program, Prices, and Rules for Tourists

Oktoberfest 2026 will kick off in Munich on September 19 and run for 16 days. This year, a liter of festival beer will cost up to 15.90 euros, and the most popular tents may fill up before noon. Learn more about the festival program, table reservations, admission rules, and travel costs

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Oktoberfest 2026 will take place in Munich from September 19 to October 4. For 16 days, Theresienwiese will welcome guests from around the world who come to enjoy Bavarian traditions, parades, attractions, and festival tents. Admission to the main grounds and most of the tents will be free, but food, drinks, and entertainment must be paid for separately.

More than 6 million people attend the festival each year, so it’s best to plan your accommodations, transportation, and table reservations well in advance. In 2026, a liter of beer will cost between 14.80 and 15.90 euros, and on weekends, some tents may stop admitting guests as early as midday due to overcrowding. Here’s how to prepare for Oktoberfest, how much the trip will cost, and what rules tourists need to keep in mind.

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When and where will Oktoberfest 2026 take place?

Oktoberfest 2026 will run from September 19 to October 4 at Theresienwiese in central Munich. The festival is scheduled to last 16 days and will traditionally begin on a Saturday. You can reach the festival grounds on foot from the central train station in about 10–15 minutes or by subway to the Theresienwiese and Goetheplatz stations.

The official opening will take place on September 19 at 12:00 p.m. in the Schottenhamel tent. The Mayor of Munich will tap the first keg of festival beer and utter the traditional phrase “O’zapft is!” Prior to that, at 10:35 a.m., a parade of tent owners and representatives from Munich’s breweries will wind its way through the city. The following day, September 20, a large procession in traditional costumes is scheduled.

The festival grounds will be open according to the following schedule:

- Monday through Thursday – 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

- Friday – 10:00 a.m. to midnight

- Saturday – 9:00 a.m. to midnight

- Sunday – from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Most of the large beer tents take their last drink orders at 10:30 p.m. Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and Kufflers Weinzelt stay open longer—until 1:00 a.m.—and serve their last drinks at 12:30 a.m.

In our previous article, we wrote about Eurovision 2027 in Burgas: where to stay and what to see in the city.

Highlights of Oktoberfest 2026

The festival program includes the official opening, two large parades, a free concert, and the traditional closing ceremony. The main events will take place on the first and last weekends of Oktoberfest.

- September 19, 10:35 AM – a parade of festival tent owners and Munich breweries. About 1,000 participants will ride through the city center on decorated wagons and horse-drawn carriages.

- September 19, 12:00 p.m. – Tapping of the first barrel at the Schottenhamel tent. After a 12-gun salute, beer will begin to be served in all the tents.

- September 20, 10:00 a.m. – Costume parade from the Maximilian II monument to Theresienwiese. Approximately 9,000 participants from various European countries will cover the nearly seven-kilometer route.

- September 24, 9:30 a.m. – Ecumenical service at the Marstall Festzelt. Admission is free and open not only to festival staff but also to tourists.

- September 27, 11:00 a.m. – Concert near the Statue of Bavaria. About 300 musicians from the festival orchestras will take part. Admission is free.

- October 4, 12:00 p.m. – Closing ceremony with a fireworks display near the Bavaria statue. About 60 participants in traditional costumes will fire salutes using black powder.

You can watch the parades for free along the route. Paid grandstands are also set up for spectators, but seats are not numbered, so you should arrive early.

How much does it cost to attend Oktoberfest 2026?

Admission to the main Oktoberfest grounds and the beer tents is free. Tickets are also not required to watch the parades and the concert near the Bavaria statue. Drinks, food, attractions, souvenirs, and seats in the spectator stands are paid for separately.

In 2026, a liter of festival beer will cost between 14.80 and 15.90 euros, which is on average 2.38% more than last year. Prices are nearly identical in the large tents: at the Augustiner-Festhalle, a liter costs 14.90 euros, while at the Löwenbräu-Festzelt and Bräurosl, it costs 15.90 euros. At Kuffler’s Weinzelt, a liter of wheat beer will cost 18.40 euros.

Average prices for non-alcoholic beverages are also high:

- Still water – 11.13 euros per liter

- Lemonade – 12.35 euros per liter

- Spezi, a mix of cola and orange lemonade – 12.84 euros per liter

Each establishment sets its own prices for food. Before ordering, it’s a good idea to check the menu of the specific tent, as prices for the same items may vary.

There is an admission fee to the historic Oide Wiesn area in the southern part of Theresienwiese. A ticket costs 4 euros; admission is free for children under 14. Each ride on a historic attraction costs 1.50 euros. After 9:00 p.m., you can visit this part of the festival for free.

How do I reserve a table in a beer tent?

No reservation is required to enter the festival or the tents. However, it is recommended for groups, evening visits, and weekend trips. During peak hours, tents may close due to overcrowding, even if there are still some empty seats inside.

There is no single reservation center. Requests must be submitted through the website of the selected tent. Reservations are typically made for an entire table seating 8–10 people, rather than individual seats. The reservation itself is free, but guests must purchase food and beverage vouchers in advance. The average cost of a voucher package per table is about 350 euros. Typically, each person is allocated two liters of beer and half a roasted chicken.

You can also get into the large tents without a reservation:

- On weekdays, at least 25% of seats are kept available for walk-in guests

- On weekends and holidays, 40% of seats remain available until 3:00 PM

- After 3:00 PM, the percentage of walk-in seats drops to 25%

- At Oide Wiesn, one-third of the seats are always available without a reservation

You have the best chance of finding a table on weekdays before lunchtime. On Saturday evenings and October 3 (German Unity Day), available seats may run out as early as the morning.

You shouldn’t buy reservations from private sellers or on unofficial platforms. The tent may cancel a resold reservation. For a safe purchase, use the venues’ own websites or the official exchange portal Oktoberfest-Booking.com, which includes 21 large and small tents.

How do you get to Theresienwiese?

The most convenient ways to get to Oktoberfest are the subway and the city commuter train. During the festival, public transportation runs more frequently, but the Theresienwiese station gets very crowded in the evenings and on weekends.

Main routes:

- U4 and U5 – to Theresienwiese or Schwanthalerhöhe stations

- U3 and U6 – to Goetheplatz or Poccistraße

- S-Bahn lines S1–S8 – to Hackerbrücke, then about a 10-minute walk

- Trams 18, 19, and 29 – to Holzapfelstraße or Hermann-Lingg-Straße

- Trams 16 and 17 – to Hackerbrücke

- Buses 53, 58/68, 62, and 134 – to stops around Theresienwiese

It takes 10–15 minutes to walk from the central train station to the main entrance. During rush hour, this option is often faster than taking a single stop on a crowded subway.

Traveling by car is not recommended. There are no designated parking spots near the festival grounds, and cars left in prohibited areas may be towed. Drivers are advised to use Park + Ride facilities on the outskirts of Munich and continue their journey by public transportation.

When is the best time to visit the festival?

The fewest people are expected on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. According to the official crowd forecast, the quietest days will be September 21 and 28, especially in the morning. It should also be relatively quiet in the mornings of September 23–25 and September 30–October 2.

The largest crowds are expected:

- On the evening of September 19, the opening day

- September 26–27, the festival’s main weekend

- October 3, German Unity Day

- During the day on October 4, during the closing events

You should not visit popular tents between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. without a reservation. During this time, reserved guest shifts change, so the main entrances are often temporarily closed. Waiting in line does not guarantee that visitors will be allowed inside.

Tuesdays, September 22 and 29, have been designated as family days. Until 7:00 PM, many attractions and venues will offer discounted prices. As a result, the entertainment area will be crowded after lunch, although there are usually fewer people in the beer tents than on weekends.

Admission Rules and Prohibited Items

Security checks will be in place at all entrances to Theresienwiese. Visitors may be searched, and permitted bags will be marked with a special tag after inspection.

You may bring a bag or small backpack with a capacity of up to 3 liters and dimensions no larger than 20 × 15 × 10 cm into the venue. Large suitcases and backpacks must be left in the lockers near entrances P1, P5, P8, or P10. The service costs 5 euros, but availability is not guaranteed.

The following items are prohibited:

- Glass bottles

- Aerosol cans containing hazardous substances

- Corrosive and staining substances

- Knives and other items that can be used as weapons

You may bring your own beverages only in unbreakable containers. You are not allowed to bring them into the beer tents or adjacent beer gardens. Medical devices, mobility aids, and umbrellas are permitted after inspection.

Smoking is permitted in open areas and in the beer gardens, but not inside the tents. The use of cannabis is prohibited throughout the entire Oktoberfest grounds. It is also not permitted to be on Theresienwiese between 1:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.

Where to stay during Oktoberfest?

Hotels near Theresienwiese are usually booked several months before the festival. For a trip in September 2026, you should start looking for accommodations now, and before paying, check the cancellation policy and the distance to the nearest subway or S-Bahn station.

The most convenient neighborhoods:

1. Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt – within walking distance of the festival, but the selection of accommodations is limited

2. Schwanthalerhöhe – located on the west side of Theresienwiese and has direct access via the U4 and U5 lines

3. Sendling—a few metro stops from the festival; usually offers more accommodation options

4. Maxvorstadt and the Hauptbahnhof area—convenient for those arriving by train who want to stay closer to the city center

5. Neighborhoods along the S-Bahn—a practical option outside the city center, as all major lines pass through Hackerbrücke

If there are no suitable options left in Munich, you can consider the suburbs with direct train connections. However, be sure to check the last train time. The subway runs until about 1:00 a.m. on weekdays and until approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Visiting Oktoberfest with Children

The best days for families are September 22 and 29. On these Tuesdays, until 7:00 PM, many attractions, shops, and restaurants offer special prices. A separate family area, Familienplatzl, is located on Straße 3/Ost. There you’ll find places to rest, children’s attractions, and restaurants with kid-friendly menus.

Strollers are permitted on the festival grounds until 6:00 PM. On Saturdays and October 3, they are completely prohibited due to the large number of visitors. You cannot bring a large bag for children’s items along with a stroller, so you’ll need to pack essentials into a compact bag of the permitted size.

Separate restrictions apply to minors:

- Children under six years old are not allowed to remain in the beer tents after 8:00 PM, even with their parents

- Visitors under 16 years old may only remain at the festival after 8:00 PM if accompanied by an adult

- In Germany, teenagers 16 and older are allowed to purchase beer and wine; spirits may only be purchased starting at age 18

Families are advised to arrive in the morning on weekdays. At this time, it’s easier to pass through security, find a spot in the tent, and avoid lines at the attractions.

Safety During the Festival

It’s best to keep your documents, phone, and bank cards in an inside pocket or a small bag in front of you. In crowded tents, don’t leave your belongings on benches. If a visitor goes outside, it may be impossible to re-enter due to a temporary closure of the entrance.

A police station is open 24 hours a day in the service center on the western side of Theresienwiese, beneath the Statue of Bavaria. In case of danger, call 110; to call an ambulance or the fire department, dial 112.

For women and girls, a Safe Space will be available at the service center behind the Schottenhamel tent; the entrance is marked “First Aid.” There, assistance is provided to people who have lost their group, experienced harassment, or do not feel safe. The center is open:

- Daily from 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM

- On Friday, Saturday, Sunday, as well as October 2 and 3 – from 3:30 p.m.

- Phone number during the festival: +49 89 890 57 45 188

Before ordering, be sure to check the payment methods accepted at each specific tent. Augustiner Festzelt, Bräurosl, Löwenbräu, and Ochsenbraterei accept cash only. ATMs are located near the entrances and in some tents, but due to long lines, it’s best to have part of the amount ready in advance.

What kind of beer is served at Oktoberfest?

The festival sells beer exclusively from six Munich breweries: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. The beer must be brewed within Munich in accordance with the German Beer Purity Law and meet the requirements of the protected geographical indication “Oktoberfestbier.”

Festival beer is stronger than most regular lagers. The alcohol content varies by brewery and is typically around 6%. A standard Maß serving contains one liter, so even a single glass is equivalent to several regular servings of alcohol.

Non-alcoholic beer is available in all large tents. The menu also includes water, lemonade, and Spezi. Wine is served primarily at Kuffler’s Weinzelt and in select small establishments. Visitors are not allowed to take festival mugs home: stealing them is considered a misdemeanor, and souvenir versions are sold separately. The official 2026 collector’s mug costs 34.90 euros, and the version with a metal lid costs 54.90 euros.

Are you preparing for a trip abroad in 2026?

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