Oktoberfest 2026 Flights to Munich, when to book and what to pack

It's not too late to experience Oktoberfest 2026. If you're flexible about when you fly, where you sleep and which days to attend, a last-minute trip is still possible.

Every September, Oktoberfest (or Wiesn as the locals call it), turns the Bavarian capital into the stomping grounds for the world’s largest folk festival, characterised by beer tents, ‘oompah’ bands and thousands of people in traditional Bavarian dress.

For UK travellers, getting there is straightforward. Munich has direct flights to various UK airports and the festival takes place right inside the city. Plus, you don’t even need a ticket to enter the main Oktoberfest grounds. 

This guide covers everything you need to know for planning a trip to experience one of Europe's most iconic autumn festivals, so all you have to do is remember to cheers, Prost!

A photo of people in one of the tents at Oktoberfest

In 2026, Oktoberfest runs from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October 2026, giving travellers just over two weeks to plan a last-minute trip. 

Ceremoniously, the first beer will be tapped at noon sharp on the Saturday to officially open the festival, and in the following days, expect a riflemen's parade, a concert, and the traditional gun salute on the final day to close the festival.

When picking dates, keep the following in mind: 

  • If your priority is atmosphere, opening weekend and the final weekend are the dates you should be there.

  • If your priority is keeping costs down, look at travelling from Sunday to Thursday. Another advantage to a midweek visit is beating the crowds. While the official festival confirms that some tables in the large tents are kept available for people without reservations, it’s best to arrive earlier in the day to improve your chances of finding an unreserved seat, as tents can reach capacity during evenings and weekends.

For UK travellers, direct flights to Munich Airport are available from various airports. Once you land, Munich's S1 and S8 S-Bahn trains run straight into the city centre, taking around 40 minutes from the airport to Hauptbahnhof. Both lines run alternately and there is normally a train around every 10 minutes. 

The Lufthansa Express Bus is another option which takes around 45 minutes, and runs from the airport to Munich Central Station every 20 minutes. Don’t be fooled by the name though. You can use it regardless of which airline you flew with.

From central Munich, you can get to Theresienwiese, where Oktoberfest is held, via the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, bus and tram.

Tips for finding cheap flights for Oktoberfest

  • Compare flights from various UK airports via Skyscanner’s nearby airport filter

  • Use Skyscanner’s Whole Month Search tool to compare flight prices for Friday-to-Sunday against Saturday-to-Monday, or Sunday-to-Tuesday if you’re looking for the cheapest fares for a short break in Munich.

  • Use Skyscanner’s filters to compare fares including checked baggage against hand-luggage-only fares so you get a better idea of the total trip cost. 

  • Compare flight and hotel prices together vs. flight only. You could be saving £30 on a flight, only to add £200 to the total once you’ve booked your accommodation. 

Also, it’s best to remember that while flights in mid-September technically fall into ‘shoulder-season’, Oktoberfest can create a surge in demand. This is why being flexible can offer you more options to choose from and help you secure the best deal for your trip. If you want more tips like this, read our playbook on finding cheap last-minute flights.

Where to stay for Oktoberfest 

If prices around the festival grounds are high, try broadening your search away from Theresienwiese to open up more accommodation options to choose from. This is a great tactic for Oktoberfest as Munich's efficient public transport network means you don’t need to sleep within walking distance of the festival.

The most convenient areas are around Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt, Hauptbahnhof and the southern edge of Munich's old town, where you can walk or take a short public-transport journey to Theresienwiese.

Useful areas to compare include:

  • Haidhausen and around Ostbahnhof: These are well connected, with plenty happening away from the festival too.

  • Sendling: This is a convenient base for Theresienwiese without necessarily commanding the same premium as its immediate surroundings.

  • Schwabing: Staying here is a good option if you want restaurants, bars and neighbourhood life as well as Oktoberfest.

  • Neuhausen-Nymphenburg: Staying here promises a quieter stay as it's farther from the festival, but well connected and useful for visitors who don't want their entire Munich break to revolve around beer tents.

Top tip

A 20-minute U-Bahn journey may be a much better trade-off than paying a huge premium simply to walk to the Wiesn.


An image of snacks you can find at Oktoberfest

How much does it cost to attend Oktoberfest 

Oktoberfest itself is free to enter. There is no general admission ticket to visit the Theresienwiese grounds or the main beer tents. However, the Oide Wiesn charges €4 admission for visitors aged 15 and over, while children aged 14 and under enter free.

This is the historic area, widely considered the family-friendly section of the festival which recreates the traditional event dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Time travel through historical exhibits, old show booths and activities that delve into the origins of the Oktoberfest here.

Additional costs to budget for include paying for the beer itself. The official 2026 price list specifies in the main large tents, the range is €14.90 – €15.90, with the average at €15.61. Plus, food costs sit on top of that.

Remember to include tips in your cash budget too as tipping your beer server is customary. Rounding up the bill or adding around €1–€2 per Maß (pronounced like ‘mass’) is common, or tipping between 5–10%.

If saving money is the priority, though, the biggest gains are usually made before you reach the festival grounds through smart travel planning to find cheaper travel dates, sensible accommodation and avoiding unnecessary taxis.

Top tip

Oktoberfest regulars point out that looking after your server tends to make the very busy ordering process smoother.

Do you have to wear lederhosen or a dirndl to Oktoberfest?

No. Traditional Bavarian dress is common at Oktoberfest, including among visitors, but it isn't a requirement. If you do want to dress traditionally though, the two garments to be aware of are:

  • Lederhosen: These leather breeches are traditionally associated with Bavaria and other Alpine regions, including parts of Austria.

  • The dirndl: This is a dress or bodice and skirt worn with a blouse and apron.

For those who want to join in, Munich still has plenty of specialist Tracht shops where you can buy your own, ranging from long-established outfitters such as Angermaier to independent boutiques. Moser Trachten also has several branches in and around Munich, selling everything from dirndls and lederhosen to waistcoats, shirts, traditional shoes and accessories.

Here’s where you’ll find them:
Angermaier stores

  • Landsbergerstr. 103, 80339 

  • Rosental 10 am Viktualienmarkt, 80331 

Moser Trachten stores

  • Wasserburger Landstraße 234, 81827 

  • Kistlerhofstrasse 243a, 81379 

  • Taunusstrasse 51, 80807

What should you pack for Oktoberfest?

While traditional garments are optional, what absolutely matters is footwear. Oktoberfest can involve hours of walking and standing, so pack smart. This is not the occasion to break in new shoes!

Also remember that Munich weather in late September can move quickly between pleasant autumn sunshine and cold or wet conditions, so bring layers and a waterproof jacket.

It’s also worth knowing that Oktoberfest has strict bag restrictions. Bags and backpacks may have a maximum volume of three litres and must not exceed 20 x 15 x 10cm in size. However, while large luggage is not allowed inside the festival grounds, paid luggage storage is available at several entrances.

A photo of a server with a trayful of typical nibbles you'll find at Oktoberfest

Tips for first-timers and what you can expect at Oktoberfest

Official reservations are useful, particularly for groups, evenings and weekends, but you don’t need a reservation to enter Oktoberfest or its beer tents. In fact, portions of the large tents are kept for visitors without bookings. Capacity can still fill, especially at peak times, so arriving earlier is better.

There is also an official reservation resale platform covering many tents, where unused reservations can be resold at their original price. 

Tipping your server is expected. Rounding up the bill or adding a euro or two per order is common practice and having cash makes this much easier in a busy tent.

You may see people standing on benches as the music gets going but tables are an entirely different matter.

It might sound like a strange thing to do but standing on a table, raising a full Maß and attempting to chug it for the crowd is a notorious but unfortunately common Oktoberfest faux pas, and is likely to get you removed by security.

Also, it’s worth knowing that Oktoberfest beer is served by the litre and it can be stronger than British lagers, so make sure to eat and pace yourself as well as  keep hydrated with regular visits to the free drinking-water fountains on the festival grounds.

Oktoberfest attracts millions of visitors, so naturally, the densely packed tents, queues and public transport can create the perfect opportunity for lost or stolen belongings.  Official Oktoberfest advice recommends taking valuables with you if you leave your table, but if you need it, it's worth knowing that the festival has its own police station, security staff and lost-property service.

For 2026, Oktoberfest’s ‘Lost and Found Office’ has moved to the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum, a short walk from the festival grounds.

The grounds are fenced, entrances are checked, and Munich police patrol the festival. In fact, you’ll see more than 2,000 security staff operating across the grounds and tents.

There is also a dedicated Safe Space for girls and women in the Service Centre behind the Schottenhamel tent.

Fun facts about Oktoberfest

The original Oktoberfest was held in October 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The couple married on 12 October, with several days of public festivities held in celebration. The event proved so popular that organisers decided to repeat it the following year, transforming what had been a one-off royal wedding celebration into an annual tradition.

From there, Oktoberfest gradually grew into something much bigger. Small beer stands developed into the large brewery tents that now define the festival, while fairground rides, games, parades and other attractions were added over the years.

One of the biggest changes was the timing. The festival was gradually moved forward into September, when Munich generally enjoys warmer weather and longer days. The name, however, remained. Today, Oktoberfest usually begins in September and ends on the first Sunday in October, preserving a name that points back to its original timing more than two centuries ago.

Though the festival has inspired celebrations outside of Bavaria, Munich's Oktoberfest is the original.

In fact, Oktoberfest 2026 marks the 191st edition of the festival and in keeping with tradition, will be held at the Theresienwiese festival grounds in Munich, where the original royal wedding celebrations took place more than two centuries ago.


Oktoberfest isn't intended as a showcase of the diversity of German beers, but instead, as a celebration closely tied to Munich’s brewing heritage. This is why only six traditional Munich breweries are permitted to serve at Oktoberfest:

  1. Augustiner-Bräu

  2. Hacker-Pschorr

  3. Löwenbräu

  4. Paulaner

  5. Spaten

  6. Staatliches Hofbräuhaus München

Different tents serve beer from different members of the six Munich breweries, so moving between tents can mean trying a different beer as well as experiencing a different atmosphere.

Food does not take a back seat at Oktoberfest. In fact, roast chicken known as ‘’Hendl’, pork knuckle, ox, fish cooked on sticks known as ‘Steckerlfisch’, and pretzels and sausages of course are among the staples you can expect.

Then there is the clothing. Dirndls and lederhosen belong to the broader tradition of ‘Tracht’, a regional dress associated with Bavaria and other Alpine areas. 

If you have extra time, not spending it exploring Munich and wider Bavaria is a miss if you see nothing beyond the inside of a beer tent.

Must-dos in Munich include walking through Marienplatz to get to the old town, sampling the goods at the food stalls of the Viktualienmarkt and visiting the royal Residenz, the opulent former palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria.

With more time on your hands, must-visit spots in the region include: 

Neuschwanstein Castle

King Ludwig II's 19th-century retreat, which famously inspired the Disney castle, rises above the Bavarian landscape near Füssen. One look and it's no wonder why it has become one of Germany's most recognisable landmarks.

The Bavarian Alps

A trip here offers a complete change of pace after a crowded day at Oktoberfest, with lakes, mountain towns and hiking trails all within reach of Munich.

Salzburg

Austria’s Sound of Music capital is also easily accessible from Munich by rail for travellers who want to turn the trip into a double-city two-countries in one trip type break.

FAQs

Think less ‘beer festival’ and more of a folk tradition. During Oktoberfest, Theresienwiese fills with enormous decorated beer halls, smaller tents, fairground rides, food stalls and crowds ranging from Munich families to international visitors who have crossed continents to be there.

In 2026, there will be 14 large and 21 small tents, plus three festival tents at the Oide Wiesn, each with its own atmosphere and specialities.

Absolutely! Beer is a central part of Oktoberfest, but it isn't the whole event. The festival remains deeply connected to Bavarian culture, from its traditional dress and music to its parades, and regional culinary heritage, so going tea-total won’t mean missing out.. Drinking-wise, non-alcoholic beer is widely available, as is lemonade and a local soft drink called Spezi.

For a more old-fashioned version of the festival, visit the Oide Wiesn, a historical section inspired by earlier Oktoberfests with traditional entertainment and nostalgic rides. Its rides cost €1.50 in 2026.

Yes. The festival features family-friendly activities at the Oide Wiesn, including fairground rides and historical displays, so if you are planning on attending with children, aim for weekday daytime visits, which are generally quieter festival periods. 

However, note that prams are prohibited all day on Saturdays and on German Unity Day, 3 October, and after 6pm on other festival days.

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