By Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
For Oktoberfest, stay in Ludwigsvorstadt (between the Hauptbahnhof and the Theresienwiese) or the Westend: both are a 10 to 15 minute walk from the grounds, so you never need the packed trains. Second choice is anywhere on the U3/U6 or U4/U5 lines, which run straight to the stations around the Wiesn: the Altstadt, Maxvorstadt, Schwabing or Haidhausen. Oktoberfest 2027 runs from Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October, according to the city. The hotel search above opens on the opening weekend, Friday 17 to Monday 20 September 2027. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, on a rate you can cancel.
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• Opening weekend: Saturday 18 September (keg tapped at noon) and Sunday 19 September (costume and riflemen's parade). The city warns of road, bus and tram changes for the parades on both days.
• Middle weekend: Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September.
• Final weekend: Friday 1 to Sunday 3 October. 3 October is German Unity Day, a public holiday, and the last day of the festival.
Our Oktoberfest 2027 guide has the tent hours, family days, bag rules and beer prices.
Distances below come from the city's own Oktoberfest travel page; check the walk from your actual hotel on a map.
| Area | Getting to the Wiesn | Good for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludwigsvorstadt (Hauptbahnhof south side) | Walk: just under 15 min from the Hauptbahnhof; U4/U5 one stop | Arriving by train or from the airport; plenty of hotels near the grounds | Busy, plain streets; noisy late at night during the festival |
| Westend (Schwanthalerhöhe) | Walk from the west side; U4/U5 Schwanthalerhöhe about 10 min on foot | Being close without being on the main route from the station | Fewer hotels; streets near the grounds are closed at busy times |
| Altstadt (old town) | U3/U6 from Marienplatz or Sendlinger Tor to Goetheplatz in about 5 min, then about 10 min walk | Sightseeing between tent visits | The most expensive rooms in the city |
| Maxvorstadt | U3/U6 from Universität or Odeonsplatz to Goetheplatz or Poccistraße | Museums, quieter evenings | A train ride each way |
| Schwabing | U3/U6 direct to Goetheplatz or Poccistraße | A local neighbourhood, the English Garden | Further out; trains are full at closing time |
| Haidhausen | U4/U5 from Max-Weber-Platz direct to Theresienwiese | Bars and restaurants away from the crowds | Across the river; a ride each way |
Ludwigsvorstadt is the district between the Hauptbahnhof and the Theresienwiese. The city puts the walk from the station's south exit at just under 15 minutes, along Bayerstraße and Hermann-Lingg-Straße, and the U4/U5 covers it in one stop. Around the station there are many hotels within walking distance of the grounds, from chains to small guesthouses, and it is the obvious choice if you arrive by train or on the S-Bahn from the airport. The catch: it is a busy, functional area, and during the festival the streets around it stay loud late into the night.
Westend (Schwanthalerhöhe) borders the grounds on the west, around the Bavaria statue. U4/U5 Schwanthalerhöhe is just under 10 minutes on foot from the Wiesn. It is more residential, with fewer hotels and more apartments. The catch: the city closes Schwanthalerstraße west of Theresienhöhe with vehicle barriers at busy times, so a taxi may not reach your door.
S-Bahn Hackerbrücke is also about 10 minutes' walk from the grounds, so hotels around Arnulfstraße and the bus station work too. The city says the bridge itself can be closed or one-way for pedestrians in the evenings and at weekends.
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Altstadt. The U3 and U6 run from Marienplatz and Sendlinger Tor to Goetheplatz in about 5 minutes, according to the official Oktoberfest site, and Goetheplatz is about 10 minutes' walk from the grounds. You get the old town for the mornings and a quick ride out. The catch: old-town rooms are the most expensive in Munich even outside the festival.
Maxvorstadt and Schwabing. Both sit on the U3/U6 to Goetheplatz and Poccistraße, the stations the official Oktoberfest site suggests for families with children. Maxvorstadt has the museums and university; Schwabing is further out, near the English Garden. The catch: trains back fill up when the tents close.
Haidhausen. East of the river, on the U4/U5 from Max-Weber-Platz direct to Theresienwiese. Good restaurants and bars and a calmer evening. The catch: U4/U5 Theresienwiese is the most crowded station at peak times, so you may prefer to walk from the Hauptbahnhof.
MVG runs the U-Bahn through the night on Friday and Saturday nights and before public holidays, so staying further out does not leave you stranded after the tents close. For a general guide to the city's areas, see where to stay in Munich.
Munich hotel prices rise sharply for the festival. Lighthouse's analysis of advertised rates, published in September 2025, put the average standard room at €357 (≈ $397) a night across Oktoberfest 2025, 20% more than in 2024, and €415 (≈ $461) in the peak week, 153% above Munich's annual average. Expect 2027 to be at least as expensive; no 2027 figures exist yet.
Book as soon as your dates are fixed, and choose a free-cancellation rate so you can switch if something closer appears. In Lighthouse's 2025 data the highest rates fell in the middle week, so if you are flexible, compare the opening and final days too. If the city is full, look at towns on the S-Bahn and check the last trains back. For arriving by air, see Munich airport to the city, and between tent visits, what to eat in Munich and day trips from Munich.
Don't drive to the grounds: there is no visitor parking at the Theresienwiese, residents' parking rules apply in the surrounding streets, and the city recommends Park + Ride at the edge of Munich.
Saturday 18 September to Sunday 3 October 2027, on the Theresienwiese in Munich, according to the city.
Ludwigsvorstadt, between the Hauptbahnhof and the Theresienwiese, or the Westend. Both are a 10 to 15 minute walk from the grounds.
Just under 15 minutes on foot via Bayerstraße and Hermann-Lingg-Straße, or one stop on the U4/U5 to Theresienwiese.
As soon as your dates are fixed, on a cancellable rate. Advertised rates averaged €357 (≈ $397) a night across the 2025 festival and €415 (≈ $461) in the peak week.
U4/U5 to Theresienwiese or Schwanthalerhöhe, and U3/U6 to Goetheplatz or Poccistraße, each about 10 minutes' walk. S-Bahn Hackerbrücke is also about 10 minutes away on foot.
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Entry rules change, and they depend on your nationality — always confirm the current requirements on the official government site before you book or apply. Only use official government (.gov) portals; ignore look-alike agency sites.
Check fares to Munich for your dates on Kiwi.com.
