I will be leaving Germany on a trip with guests in 2 weeks and won't be returning until Sept. 10. I have just learned my two adult sons have put their heads together and decided to have a little family reunion and pay us a visit for the week of Sept 24 through Oct 2nd. We are delighted they are visiting.
Naturally, they want to take in Oktoberfest and they want to do it "as a family", which is a sweet idea, but I am totally clueless. The official website has a ton of information but isn't very helpful on actually how someone who doesn't speak German "books" a tent, even if some still have availability. We have a car, but don't want to hassle with driving into Munich, dealing w/parking etc.
At this late date, even if we could find a Munich hotel, we need 2 rooms and probably couldn't afford the hotel's premium prices. My husband is 68 and doesn't enjoy walking or standing for long periods of time. Neither of us are true beer drinkers or likes crowds, though our sons are true afficionados. Sons just want to go check things out and enjoy themselves, not get blitzed or have a wild and crazy time (I found this out when I told them they should just do this together, without dragging their parents along. I tried to tell them they'd have mor fun, but no dice, they want to do it with us.) My husband and I are okay with experiencing Oktoberfest as a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event but don't know how to go about organizing this. Also, since this is a sudden unplanned "second vacation", sort of, we need to do this on as much of a shoe string budget as possible, but still have a good time.
In my mind, part of the "wow" factor might be to experience Oktoberfest at night with all the lights. We would be coming from the Karlsruhe/Mannheim area, Should we just do a really long day trip via train?
We were looking at perhaps training in and out the same day on a lander ticket via a "visit-worthy" town near the Baden-Wurrtemburg border. I was thinking, we drive the morning to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, visit it a little, check into a reserved hotel. Take the train to Munich. See the sights have a few beers and head back to Rothenburg to finish the evening. Problem is, it looks like the train will take 3 hours each way--with just 4 hours of Oktoberfest that would make it a 12 hr day probably. Four hours doesn't seem like very much time.
Ulm is 2 hours from Munich. Is there some smaller town with a good, frequent transportation link closer to Munich that is interesting and that still might have affordable rooms available?
(I had suggested the Stuttgart volkfest, which would be much easier to put together, to them but they really have their hearts set on Munich)
Any suggestions would be most appreciated!!!
Sudden Change in Schedule - Oktoberfest - Help!!!
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I had the same questions about Oktoberfest the first time I went. The truth is that you can just show up and walk around the grounds without needing tickets for a tent (tickets are very hard to get, and a lot of them are sold to corporations, which then give them out to employees, clients, etc).
There are several tents that don't require reservations, and those are a good place to go and have a beer or get some sausages and other traditional foods. There is also a carnival with amusement park rides that is open to all.
Here is a guide you can use for more details: http://www.visitingeu.com/western-europe/germany/2009/10/oktoberfest-guide.html
Basically, just go and have a good time walking around. If your husband wants to sit, get there early and set up camp at one of the tents that doesn't require reservations. You can use that as a base for the day.
Enjoy!
We stayed in Ulm in May and loved it! They have the highest Cathedral in the world (spire, that is.) The stained glass in the Cathedral is really special and there are some wooden busts that are really a joy to look at. We walked from the train station down a pedestrian street to the hotel, which was just beside the Cathedral. If you choose to stay in Ulm, it deserves a look around for itself. It is lovely with walkways along the Danube and canals with lots of outdoor restaurants.
Our hotel was the Ulmer Spatz and was, I think, 90 euro for a double. I recommend it highly and their restaurant was good also. Have a great time.
If you have a choice of day for going to the O'fest, go the first Sunday to see the traditional parade. One of the best parades I have ever seen (of course, that was 26 years ago.) Enjoy your trip. CJ
Agree with the first 2 posters. We stayed in Ingolstadt ($90E plus.) and trained to Munich for the festival. Sunday is a great day with the parades and then on to the grounds for the experience. We were able to secure entrance into the tents without a reservation as we were only a party of four thirsty males. (I believe that reservations are taken for only groups of 6 but not sure on this point.)
The first Saturday is almost impossible to enter the tents but found Sunday much easier. Lines start early and there is a mad scramble when doors open on Saturday. However, outside the tents, you can walk easily to see the festival. You should see the tents to gain a total perspective for Oktoberfest.
Additionally, getting a tent reservation at this point would be very difficult.
I agree with training in AT NIGHT and doing the walk-around. Look at staying somewhere close such as Augsburg
You're in luck. From Karlsruhe you are just a stone's throw from the "other" Oktoberfest, the Canstatter Volksfest, near Stuttgart!
http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/index.php?id=2&L=1
http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/index.php?id=19&L=1
It will take a tad over one hour each way to take the train from Karlsruhe to the festival grounds, via Stuttgart, in Bad Canstatt.
Augsburg is a good option to stay in. We almost stayed there, but decided to just extend our stay in Salzburg. They had decent priced hotels about a month ago available.
I don't think you will be able to get reservations for a tent, but if you arrive early, especially during the week, you should be able to get into one.
Make sure not to go during a weekend, especially friday evening and saturdays are really impossible.
For your group I think it is the smartest to go on a weekday afternoon, when it is not that rowdy. Go at around 1PM and try to find some spots at a table. The young guys can stay until the end of the evening, when things are getting more crazy, you might want to leave around 7PM.