Hotel Bayerischer Hof
A grand, family-owned Munich classic on Promenadeplatz, with a rooftop spa and a famous bar scene.
- Where
- Old town
- Best for
- Old-world glamour
Munich for Oktoberfest
Tent reservations and hotels go a year ahead. Here’s how to plan 2027, and how to add Salzburg or the Alps on the way out.
By the Global Escapes travel team · Updated
- Oktoberfest 2027
- Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3
- Trip length
- 3 nights in Munich, 4 to 6 more beyond
- From Atlanta
- About 9 hours nonstop to Munich or Frankfurt
- Munich to Salzburg
- About 1.5 hours by train
- Weather
- Mild days, cool evenings. Bring a layer.
- Book by
- Hotels now; tents when they open in spring
The 2027 dates, and how they’re set
Oktoberfest 2027 runs from Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3, according to the City of Munich.
The rule behind it is simple. The festival opens on the Saturday after September 15 and closes on the first Sunday in October. If that Sunday falls on October 1 or 2, it stretches to October 3, Germany’s national holiday. In 2027 the first Sunday is October 3 itself, so you get the classic sixteen days.
The opening Saturday is pure ceremony. The tent hosts parade in on horse-drawn brewery wagons, and at noon the mayor taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent with the words “O’zapft is!” The next morning brings the traditional costume and riflemen’s parade through the city, one of the loveliest sights of the whole festival. Both days are wonderful and very full, so we often suggest arriving for the opening weekend and staying into the calmer weekdays that follow.
How tent reservations work
There’s no single booking office. Each beer tent is run by its own host, and each one takes its own reservations.
Most tents open bookings for the coming festival in spring, by April or May at the latest, and announce the date on their own websites. You can’t book right after this year’s festival closes, so the real planning work now is choosing your days, your tents and your hotel.
A reservation is usually for a whole table of around ten people, for a set time window such as lunch, afternoon or evening. The table itself is free, but you prepay vouchers for food and drink, typically two liters of beer and a roast chicken per person, which you redeem inside the tent.
Traveling as a couple or a small group? The big tents keep part of their seating unreserved for walk-ins. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are the easiest time to settle in. On Friday evenings and weekends, tents often fill and close their doors early in the day. Smaller tents, like the wine tent, have a cozier feel and are lovely for a long lunch.
Your Oktoberfest timeline
- NowPick your dates and book Munich hotels
- WinterChoose tents and time slots, plan the add-ons
- Spring 2027Tent reservations open, usually by April or May
- SummerBook Neuschwanstein tickets, trains and dinners
- September 18O’zapft is!
Where to stay in Munich
Stay in the old town, a short taxi or subway ride from the festival grounds, and you get the best of both: the tents by day and Munich’s quieter side by night. Rooms go early and rates rise during the festival, so book as soon as your dates are set.
Mandarin Oriental, Munich
An intimate hotel steps from the Hofbräuhaus, with a rooftop pool and views over the old-town roofs.
- Where
- Old town
- Best for
- Quiet luxury, rooftop views
Rosewood Munich
One of the city’s newest luxury hotels, set in historic buildings in the heart of the old town.
- Where
- Old town
- Best for
- Contemporary style
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski
A Munich landmark on elegant Maximilianstrasse, close to the Residenz and the opera.
- Where
- Maximilianstrasse
- Best for
- Shopping, culture
Add Salzburg or the Alps on the way out
Two or three days at Oktoberfest is plenty for most people. Then the mountains are calling, and late September is a beautiful time to answer.
Salzburg is about an hour and a half away by train. The summer festival crowds have gone, and the old town, the fortress above it and the Sound of Music countryside are at their calmest. Stay at Hotel Sacher Salzburg on the river, or Hotel Goldener Hirsch on the old town’s main lane, then continue to the lakes around Hallstatt or on to Vienna.
For mountain air, head south to the Bavarian Alps. Schloss Elmau is a serene retreat in a high valley near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with spas, concerts and hiking from the door. Along the way, Neuschwanstein Castle needs timed tickets, which we reserve ahead, and Lake Königssee near Berchtesgaden is a quiet boat ride into the peaks.
Easy connections
- Munich to SalzburgAbout 1.5 hours by train
- Munich to Füssen (Neuschwanstein)About 2 hours
- Munich to InnsbruckAbout 1 hour 45 minutes
- Salzburg to HallstattAbout 1.5 to 2 hours by car
- Salzburg to ViennaAbout 2.5 hours by train
Good to know
The small things that make the Wiesn, as locals call it, feel easy.
Dress the part
Plenty of visitors wear a dirndl or lederhosen, and Munich has wonderful shops for them. We can point you to the right ones and leave time for a fitting.
Travel light
Large bags and backpacks aren’t allowed on the festival grounds. Carry only a small bag and leave the rest at your hotel.
Go early on weekends
On Saturdays and Sundays, the grounds are busiest from midday on. Arrive in the morning or plan your weekend around a reserved table.
Visit the Oide Wiesn
In most years, the festival’s historic corner has old-time rides, brass bands and a slower pace, for a small entry fee. It’s a favorite with families.
Carry some euros
Cash is handy for rides, snacks and tips to your server, who will look after your table all day.
Pace yourself
A liter of festival beer is stronger than most. Order water, share a pretzel and take a break on the Ferris wheel.
Planning the whole trip?
Our Germany & Austria guide
Month-by-month weather, train times, Christmas market season and the places our travelers love most, from Munich and Salzburg to Vienna.
See the Germany & Austria guideLet’s plan your Oktoberfest
Tell us when you’re thinking of going and who’s coming along. An advisor will take it from there.