Oktoberfest: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.

Where is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is held every year in Munich, Germany (click here to see a map). Munich is the capital city of the province of Bavaria. Bavaria is Germany’s largest province. Located in the southeast corner of the country, Bavaria borders Switzerland and Austria. With a population of 1.5 million, Munich is the 3rd largest city in Germany. Within the city, the festival is held on the fields of the “Theresienwiese” or “d’Wiesn” in Bavarian (click here for our d’Wiesn page).

How do I get to Oktoberfest?

Click here for our travel page. Oktoberfest is held every year in Munich, Germany. Located in southeast Germany, you can fly direct from most major US cities to Munich International Airport. There is also daily high-speed train service from Frankfurt International Airport (Germany’s largest) to Munich. Travel time is 2.5 hours.

When is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is held every year starting the 3rd Saturday of September and ending the 1st Sunday of October.

2009: September 19 – October 4
2010: September 18 – October 3
2011: September 17 – October 2
2012: September 22 – October 7

Why is it called Oktoberfest?

“Oktober” with a “k” is of course the German word for “October.” The very first Oktoberfest or “October Festival” took place on October 12, 1810. It lasted just 5 days. Since 1810, organizers have changed two things to increase attendance: first, the festival now lasts 2 ½ weeks; and second, the starting date is now mid-September when the weather is warmer.

Is the festival just a drunken brawl, like Mardi Gras in New Orleans?

Oktoberfest is very safe, orderly and friendly. Make no mistake, this is a beer festival and the major attractions are the beer tents on the fair grounds. While in the tents, you’ll find a typical beer hall type atmosphere with a German band, long tables, and people clad in traditional Bavarian lederhosen or Dirndl (frilly dresses for the women). At lunch or dinnertime, most people sit down to eat but while drinking and singing. The overall feeling is friendly, welcoming and organized. The festival’s organizers have worked hard to keep Oktoberfest “family friendly” so until 6 p.m. there are noise restrictions on music in the tents. From 6 to midnight, however, the festival is in full swing and you’ll see your share of people who have overindulged.

Do I have to wear lederhosen?

No. Many attend the festival in casual attire.

What is there to do at Oktoberfest (other than drink beer)?

Lots. This is the world’s largest open-air festival with 6 million people attending annually. During the festival, there are endless parades, bands, concerts, competitions, food stands, games and an entire midway to keep you busy. During your tour, you won’t just be at the Oktoberfest fair grounds. We explore the sights around Munich and there are optional day trips as well for example to visit nearby Neuschwanstein Castle (the white hilltop castle you’ve seen on all postcards from Germany).

What is the history of Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest was first held on October 12, 1810 to commemorate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese Saxe-Hildburghausen. It was an elaborate horse race but horse races have not been a part of the festival since 1960. The modern-day Oktoberfest became an annual event in the mid-1800s and the breweries (and beer tents) started organizing the annual festival in 1887.

What is the “Wiesn” or “die Weisn?”

This is a short-form for “Theresenwiese” or “Theresa’s Field.” Oktoberfest was first held on October 12, 1810 to commemorate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese Saxe-Hildburghausen. The location was called the “Theresenwiese” and now just the “Wiesn.”

How many people attend Oktoberfest?

Approximately 6 million people attend the festival every year.

Is Oktoberfest appropriate for families with children?

Yes. During the daytime, you’ll see lots of families attending the festival but the evening (usually after 6 p.m.) is more “festive.” Children are allowed in the beer tents until 8 p.m.

Where is Munich?

Click here for a map. Munich is the capital city of the province of Bavaria. Bavaria is Germany’s largest province. Located in the southeast corner of the country, Bavaria borders Switzerland and Austria. With a population of 1.5 million, Munich is the 3rd largest city in Germany. Within the city, the festival is held on the fields of the “Theresienwiese” or “d’Wiesn” in Bavarian.

How many people live in Munich?

Munich has 1.3 million citizens.

Where should I stay in Munich?

Please click here to see our Munich hotels page.

How do I get around Munich?

On foot, by Spyns van, bike, or train. Spyns has shuttle vans on site during your stay. Munich has an extensive subway, tram, and bus system. The Oktoberfest grounds are located above the “Theresienwiese” station.

I want to stay right next to the Oktoberfest grounds, is this a good idea?

Yes. Spyns reserves hotel rooms all over the city and most are within walking distance of the Oktoberfest grounds. For more information, please see our hotels page.

Do I need a passport to travel to Germany?

Unless you are a citizen of a European Community country, you will need a passport to travel to Germany.

How much money should I bring to Oktoberfest / Munich?

We recommend bringing 250-300€ cash (approx $450) on your tour and taking about 50-100€ with you to the fair grounds.

What is Spyns?

Spyns (pronounced ‘spins’) is an active travel company. We organize luxury tours to Spain, Italy, France, Ireland and Morocco to events like the Pamplona Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Oktoberfest, the Palio Horse Race in Siena, and the Tour de France.

Where is Spyns located?

We’re a Canadian company located in Whistler, British Columbia with an office in Beaujolais, France.

How do I contact Spyns?

Call 1-888-825-4720 or email info@spyns.com. For our international clients, you can use our live chat feature or call us through Skype “spyns.com”. For instant answers online, you can also use our online chat button at the bottom left of this page.

How long have you been in business?

We’ve been organizing tours to Europe since 2003.

What services do you provide?

We provide guided luxury tours for small groups to festivals and events throughout Europe. Everything but air. We can arrange for hotels, train tickets, or rental cars at no extra charge.

Do you provide airfare?

No. We do not book flights.

Can you reserve rental cars, hotels, or train tickets before or after the tours?

Yes. We can arrange for hotels, train tickets, or rental cars at no extra charge.

How much are your tours?

Click here for our dates/prices page. A Spyns tour will usually cost approximately $500/day but this can vary depending the kind of hotel you select.

What are your dates and prices?

We organize our tours around the Palio races held every year on July 2 and August 15. For each tour, you can choose your hotel and level of service depending on your budget. For a list of dates and prices, please click here.

What are your terms and conditions?

We require a US$350/person non-refundable deposit followed by full payment 90 days before you travel. Click here for our terms & conditions.

What if I have to cancel, do I get my deposit back?

No. Once paid the deposit is non-refundable.

When should I reserve my tour?

A good rule of thumb is at least 6 months before your tour although our trips do tend to sell out quickly, particularly for Oktoberfest’s first weekend.

For your active tours, how difficult is the cycling?

The cycling is optional and if you don’t want to ride, take the van or one of our electric mopeds. If you do want to ride, the rule of thumb is if you can handle 2 hours of flat riding, you can do any of our cycling tours. However, you should keep in mind that there may be hills.

Do I always have to stay with the guide or group?

Only if you want to. Our tours are like a great meal, we provide you with a menu, and you pick and choose what you want. Our guides are on-call to make your trip effortless and unforgettable. If your perfect holiday is going it alone, no problem. If you want to explore Siena with your guide, we’d love to have the company. We give you an itinerary, and you have the freedom to pick and choose what you want to do.

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Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.

When is Oktoberfest?

The question we most often hear from prospective clients is: "When is Oktoberfest?" Loosely translated, "the October Festival" actually begins in September. More info is available on our website: www.oktoberfest-germany.com.

Oktoberfest begins on the 3rd Saturday of every September and ends on the 1st Sunday of October. It’s called Oktoberfest because the first festival was held on October 10, 1810, to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese Saxe-Hildburghausen. Organizers changed the annual festival to September because the weather is warmer. Here are dates for the next 5 Oktoberfests (more info is available on our website - www.oktoberfest-germany.com):

2009: September 19 – October 4
2010: September 18 – October 3
2011: September 17 – October 2
2012: September 22 – October 7
2013: September 21 – October 6

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Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.

Getting to Oktoberfest: Where is Munich?

Oktoberfest is held every year the Bavarian city of Munich (see map). Bavaria is Germany’s largest province. Located in the southwest corner of the country, Bavaria borders Switzerland and Austria. With a population of 1.5 million, Munich is the 3rd largest city in Germany. Within the city, the festival is held on the fields of the “Theresienwiese” or “d’Wiesn” in Bavarian. Detailed information is available on our website: http://www.oktoberfest-germany.com/.

How to get to Oktoberfest (Munich)

Flying

Lufthansa (Germany’s national carrier) has non-stop flights to Munich (Terminal 2) from the following cities: Beijing, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Delhi, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Newark (NJ), San Francisco, Sao Paolo (Brazil), Seoul (Korea), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Tokyo and Washington.

Departure From Recommendation
United States/Canada Fly directly to Munich although you may have to catch a
Australia/New Zealand connecting flight via Frankfurt or Dussledorf.
Asia South America

United Kingdom Fly directly to Munich
European Community

Distances and estimated travel times to Germany

International Air

There are direct flights to Munich from the following cities:

Departure City Arrival City Airline(s) Flight Time

Atlanta Munich Delta 9 hrs 15 mins

Chicago Munich United 9 hours

London Munich BA/Lufthansa 2 hours

Montreal Munich Air Canada 8 hrs

Newark Munich Continental 8 hours

New York Munich Delta 8 hrs 10 mins

Philadelphia Munich US Airways 8 hrs 15 mins

Toronto Munich Air Canada 8 hrs 5 mins

Low Cost Flights to Munich

There are a number of low-cost carriers that operate from Munich international airport. Here is a brief list of companies that fly direct to Munich.


Airline Low-Cost Flights to Munich from:

Airtransat Canada (Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal & Toronto)

Airberlin.com Austria (Innsbruck, Vienna); Canada (Vancouver); China (Beijing);
France (Nice, Paris); Germany (Berlin, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Hamburg);
Italy (Milan, Rome); Spain (Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid); US (For Myers, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/JFK).

Easyjet.com UK (London, Manchester)

Trains to Munich
Getting to Munich by train is relatively easy and the advantage is that you arrive in the city center. The city’s main train station, the Hauptbahnhof, is right in the center of town. Germany has an excellent rail system with a number of national and international high-speed lines. Here are travel times and distances between Much and other major European cities.

Traveling From Distance Train Car

Prague (Czech Rep) 380 km 6 hours 3 hrs 37 mins

Berlin (Germany) 590 km 5 hrs 42 mins 5 hrs 24 mins

Frankfurt (Germany) 395 km 3 hrs 10 mins 3 hrs 41 mins

Hamburg (Germany) 776 km 5 hrs 35 mins 6 hrs 55 mins

Paris (France) 840 km 6 hrs 10 mins 7 hrs 33 mins

Strasbourg (France) 376 km 4 hrs 19 mins 3 hrs 32 mins

Stuttgart (Germany) 232 km 2 hrs 19 mins 2 hrs 15 mins

Vienna (Austria) 437 km 4 hrs 10 mins 4 hrs 14 mins

Venice (Italy) 549 km 7 hours 5 hrs 32 mins

Zurich (Switz) 312 km 4 hrs 25 mins 3 hrs 28 mins

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Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.

Oktoberfest Beer Tents 101

Oktoberfest’s 14 beer tents are the festival’s main attraction. An Oktoberfest fixture since 1887, Munich’s largest breweries own and operate these semi-permanent structures built especially for the festival. For more information, please visit Spyns Oktoberfest website: http://www.oktoberfest-germany.com/. The tents are:

1. Armbrustsschutzenzelt
Owned by the Paulaner brewery, this tent’s name means “Bullseye” in German. With capacity for 7,430, the tent features the Unterbrunner brass band. By day, they play traditional Bavarian music but by night, they tear the tent down.

2. Augustiner Festhalle
Owned by the Augustiner Brau brewery, this tent holds 8,500. Known as a family-friendly establishment, Tuesday is kids day during the festival (at least until 6).

3. Braurosl
Hacker-Pschorr owns this tent with capacity for 8,200. Expertly managed by the Heide family for the past 7 generations, this is the only tent to have its very own yodeler. Between yodels, the Luwig Thoma band and Sud Tirol Spitzbaum keep the beat.

4. Fischer Vroni
If you’re tired of pig’s knuckles for lunch, this tent owned by the Augstiner brewery is a welcome change. With capacity for 3,395, it serves fish, fish and more fish on 45-ft long skewers. Sepp Folger and his band keep your toes tapping.

5. Hacker-Festzelt
Nicknamed “Bavarian Heaven”, the Hacker-Pschorr brewery owns this tent. With capacity for 9,300, it’s the place to be during the festival. If you’re tired of the same old music, every night at 5:30, Cagey Strings rock ‘n roll band gets the party started.

6. Hippodrom
Owned by the Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau brewery (that’s a mouthful), this tent can hold up to 4,200 and attracts a younger crowd. Lots of VIPs and singles in this tent.

7. Hofbrau-Festzelt
Popular with American and Australian tourists, the Hofbrau tent can hold a whopping 10,608 revelers. The party starts early and ends late in this raucous tent owned by Hofbrau Munchen.

8. Kafters Wiesen Schanke
Owned by world-famous Paulaner breweries, Kafters is the smallest of the tenst with space for just 2,900. It’s a bit more exclusive than the other tents and in the evening has bouncers. In the daytime, they serve higher end food (at higher prices) and it’s not unusual to see the odd German celebrity hanging around.

9. Lowenbrau-Festhalle
Adorned with a 12-ft high lion – and yes it roars - the Lowenbrau brewery tent can hold a respectable 8,500 people. It has a reputation for friendly service and a fun crowd.

10. Ochsenbraterei
Impossible to miss with its oversized “bull turning on a spit”, this tent is a vegetarian’s nightmare. Everything on the menu is part of an ox. The music is traditional Bavarian brass and the atmosphere is typical of Oktoberfest: a lot of people sitting at long tables, singing, drinking and having a great time.

11. Schottenhamel
This tent, owned by the Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau, hosts Oktoberfest’s opening ceremony. At 12 p.m. on the festival’s opening day, Munich’s mayor taps the first keg and declares, “O’zapft is!” or “It’s tapped!” Following the ceremony, all the other tents may begin service beer. Schottenhamel had humble beginnings. Back in 1867, it had just 50 seats but can now accommodate up to 10,000. It’s a favorite among the young party set.

12. Schutzen-Festhalle
Also called the Shutzen-Festzelt, this smaller tent seats a respectable 4,442 and is owned by the Lowenbrau brewery. Its specialty is pig roasted in malt beer and served with coleslaw. Vegetarian’s beware!

13. Weinzelt
This isn’t a beer tent, but a wine tent. Co-owned by Paulaner & Nymphenburger, the tent seats 1,900 and serves a selection of 15 different wines. It also serves “Sekt” a sparkling wine similar to champagne. It attracts a well-heeled crowd.

14. Winzerer Fahndl
The grand-daddy of Oktoberfest tents, this Paulaner-owned behemoth seats 10,900. The tent is known for two things: its friendly atmosphere and famous sing-alongs. You may not speak German, but after a few beers you’ll definitely try with the excellent Blaskapelle Ruhmannsfelden (a Bavarian Men’s Choir) cranking out the hits.

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Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.

OKTOBERFEST: The beer, the history...the beer

Oktoberfest is a 16-day beer festival held every year in Munich, Germany (see map). It is the world’s largest annual fair with 6 million people from all over the world attending. Although called Oktoberfest, this beer festival begins every year on the 3rd Saturday in September and ends 16 days later. Oktoberfest was first held on October 12, 1810 to commemorate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese Saxe-Hildburghausen. It was an elaborate horse race but horse races have not been a part of the festival since 1960. The modern-day Oktoberfest became an annual event in the mid-1800s and the breweries (and beer tents) started organizing the annual festival in 1887. For more information, please visit our website www.oktoberfest-germany.com.

The First 100 Years

Oktoberfest has had a troubled history. The first festival took place in 1810 however it was cancelled in 1812 because of the war between France (under Napoleon) and Bavaria and was again cancelled in 1835 because of a cholera epidemic. A carnival (or modern-day midway) became part of the festival in 1816, parades were added in 1835, and the beer was served in glass steins (or “Mass”) in 1892. Organizers cancelled Oktoberfest during the world wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945). There have been 24 cancellations since 1810 although the festival has gone uninterrupted since 1946. For more information, please visit our website www.oktoberfest-germany.com.

Munich History

Munich’s history has two foundations: monks & beer. Founded in 1158, it was initially a settlement for Benedictine Monks. Granted city status in 1175, it was a fortified city and spent the next hundred years under the control of dukes or bishops. Munich was and remains the capital city of Bavaria - a duchy (with a Duke as head of state) in the middle ages. Present-day Bavaria is Germany’s largest province. Through war and royal squabbles, Bavaria was divided and then reunited in the 16th century. The ducal Wittelsbach dynasty ruled Bavaria from Munich until 1918. The ducal family fled in 1918, revolutionaries declared a soviet-style republic which failed in May 1919. Bombed during the second world war, the city was rebuilt in the post-war period and the city has prospered ever since. The city’s population passed the million mark in 1957. For more information, please visit our website www.oktoberfest-germany.com.

Our next article will be about Oktoberfest's beer tents.

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Spyns is an active travel company offering small group tours to Munich's Oktoberfest festival. For more information about Oktoberfest and our company, please visit www.oktoberfest-germany.com or contact us info@spyns.com or toll-free at 1.888.825.4720. Copyright Spynstours Ltd. 2008-2012.