Thunderroad

Purely by dumb luck, my wife and I will be transiting through Munich for about 18 hours on the first evening of Oktoberfest. (Arriving at Munich's airport on 6 p.m. Sept. 20 - from elsewhere in Europe, so no jet lag problem - and departing noon the next day.) We're not huge drinkers, but we do like beer and are interested in checking out the beer and the scene. But I realize it will be very busy by the time we get to the site. We're staying near the Hauptbanhof, which I understand is Munich's Central Train Station (never been to Munich before) and walking distance to Oktoberfest.

I perused some relevant threads here, but still have some questions. Answers to any or all of them would be great.

1. I understand that even though we're unlikely to be able to get into a tent, that there are benches outside the tents where we can sit and order beer. Is this correct?
2. Even if in principle those outside benches are available, might the site be so jammed by the time we get there (perhaps 8 or 9 p.m.) that we're unlikely to be able to get seats there?
3. Is food available at these outdoor benches, or do we need to go to separate food stalls? And are those food stalls likely to have very long lines on that first evening?
4. Notwithstanding the likelihood that the tents will be full, does it nevertheless make sense to ask at some of them whether there are seats available inside?
5. How much is a ticket per person just in case we are able to sit inside?
6. For that matter, if the weather is ok is it actually nicer to sit outside than inside?
7. My wife likes IPA. I like amber ale. What should we ask for in terms of similar German beers, whether in terms of breweries or categories of beer?
8. Though it would be a hassle, there is a small chance that we could change our flights to get to Munich earlier - perhaps even by about 1 p.m., meaning getting to Oktoberfest at 3 or 4 p.m. Is such a change worthwhile, or is it likely to be just as crowded at that time on the first day of the celebration?
9. Of course, any other advice would be very much appreciated!

Thanks for any advice!

linglingfool

1) Yes.
2) Yes (and likely).
3) I believe so, but have never personally tried it. There are dozens of food stalls that offer a much larger variety of food than what you'd be able to order from a tent.
4) The issue is that the tents themselves can be capacity-controlled, such that they are one in, one out. If you can get into the tents, seating is self-service. Walk around until you can find a table to squeeze the two of you into, then ask politely if you can join the group there. It will take some effort, and you will probably be turned down a few times before finding a place to sit.
5) Entrance to the tents is free; the only cost is beer/food.
6) Totally depends on what you're looking for. If you want to enjoy the beer without too much noise, outside will be better, but there is far more space inside the tent, and I personally think a lot of the atmosphere comes from singing along with the band and making friends around you.
7) If you like amber ales, the Oktoberfest style beer (Märzen) is probably up your alley. IPA is a broad category, what does your wife like about them? Hops?
8) Festival kicks off at noon on Friday, so a few hours won't make much of a difference.

If the tents are too crowded, check out Kübler’s Bierstüberl just inside the entrance. They only serve Weißbier, and the area is pretty small, but you can often get a beer there as a last resort if all the tents are full.

linglingfool

While the previous poster* is obviously spam, he does raise a good point: at a minimum, you should bring a blue or red checkered shirt (part of a Tracht), such as the one below, if you want to fit in:



added by moderator
*the previous post was removed

FLYGVA
co-moderator Germany Forum

mattp1987

I've only been to Oktoberfest once, and that was a quick two day trip, but depending on what you want to experience you might consider going to the Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest grounds), walking around to see the tents, and maybe grabbing some food. Then, once you've seen what it's all about, go to one of the breweries for some beer and dinner. They will still be crowded and festive but not nearly as crazy as the tents. A quick Google Maps search shows Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, and Loewenbrau all very close to the Hauptbahnhof. Hofbrauhaus is very touristy but worth seeing once and pretty fun during Oktoberfest as well.

LowlyDLsilver

Not Oktoberfest related, but the Glockenspiel at marienplatz is pretty cool, if you're into that sort of thing.

Thunderroad

Thanks for all of the great information and suggestions, folks!

Yep, she likes hoppy (if that's a word) beer.

What is Kubler's Bierstuberl?

Thanks. I might have something vaguely along those lines.

Great idea! It gives us a good fallback in case we're feeling overwhelmed or can't get into the tents.

Thanks. We might check it out if we have time.

linglingfool

It's one of the few areas outside the big tents that you can get a beer on the Oktoberfest grounds. Looks like so:



Your wife would probably enjoy a Pils (Löwenbräu makes a pretty hoppy one), but there isn't a huge selection of beers in each tent -- usually one with alcohol, one without, and then a shandy (Radler) mix. You might have to step outside your comfort zone and just drink local

I'll endorse mattp1987's suggestion if it's too crowded. When we tried to get into a tent on German Reunification Day (think 4th of July) 15 minutes before the official open, all of them were already full. We wandered around for a bit and then did the 15 minute trek to the Augustiner-Keller, which is my favorite beer garden in Munich. If the weather is nice, it'll allow you to experience a more authentic atmosphere in a far less crowded environment.

offerendum

3rd October

LondonElite

Yes, correct. But there are always people coming and going. You may get a place inside. With nice weather, outside is not bad, but of course you only stand on the benches and sing inside.

I've always found space outside. Just ask people to scrunch up (it's normal).

Same food is brought outside as inside, with full service. It's delicious.

Yes, see (1).

No charge.

Depends on what you like. Atmosphere and singing inside, good weather and (relative) quiet outside.

You're going to have to go local. A special beer is brewed for Oktoberfest and you'll go with the flow. It's very good.

I'm not sure it's going to make much of a difference, but more time at Oktoberfest is usually better than less.

My pleasure. I can't wait until the end of September!