How Much Does Oktoberfest Cost? Is It Worth It? (2024)

Oktoberfest » Stokepedia

How Much Does Oktoberfest Cost? Is It Worth It? (1)

Oktoberfest is the world’s biggest beer festival, and the original beer fest and so it rightfully has a cemented position on almost everybody’s travel bucket list. We all want to go there, sometime, somehow, but as young travellers we do have to know how much does Munich’s Oktoberfest cost, is Oktoberfest expensive, and overall is it worth it? There’s no denying that the world’s biggest beer festival is most certainly attractive, but is it worth dropping your hard earned, even harder saved, pennies on?

Short answer: abso-goddamn-lutely.

But if you’re still not convinced, let’s break it down for you.

How much will I spend at Oktoberfest? Our guide to doing the beer fest on A budget

This is just a guide, but after 15 years of Oktoberfest we’re in a pretty good position to know how much money you’ll have to put aside for an Oktoberfest budget. Also remember that when it comes to budgets, where you stay for Oktoberfest can have a big bearing on your fortunes.

TRAVEL TO OKTOBERFEST: Depends

So this first financial matter to take into account is a tricky one. Travel to Munich during Oktoberfest can get pretty expensive pretty quickly, depending on where you’ll be arriving from. Planes are the most expensive and most convenient, trains are cool and comfy, but not if you’re coming from a long way, and buses make sense budget-wisse and are reasonably decent for smaller folk. We’ve got Oktoberfest travel tips, tricks and even preferred itineraries from most cities on our Oktoberfest travel guide.

Entry to the OKTOBERFEST BEER TENTS is free: €0

This is by far the best value you’ll find on your travels. Entry to the Therenweisse, where Oktoberfest is held, is absolutely, completely free. From there you can walk the festival’s streets, eyeballing the proud horses that pull the kegs of beer around the grounds, visit the funfair which has rides that are almost Disneyland in quality, and of course enter all the beer halls you want to. The vibe is spectacular, the spectacle is stunning, the place is steeped in history and you can laugh at all the drunks.

OKTOBERFEST BEER: let’s say €15-20 with a tip

So this is a little expensive. The beers themselves come in around €14, or a little over, but you really want to tip your server so they return to your table as often as you need them. Oktoberfest is huge, with beer halls hosting around 10,000 people, so you’ve got to make sure that your Bavarian beer wench knows you, likes you, and wants to keep on serving you. For €14 what you get is a litre (33oz) of perhaps the most delicious beer you’ll ever taste, that is not only bullsh*t free (German purity law allows only water, barley, hops and malt to be added to beer), but damn strong too, coming in at 6% and up. One of these beers will have you nicely buzzed, two will see you dancing on tables, and anything after three, but before five, is where the magic happens – magic that you probably won’t remember.

OKTOBERFEST FOOD: pretzels €3, main €10-20

You won’t have to worry about breakfast or dinner, more about that later, but you will want to buy something delicious to soak up the beer, and just to bloody enjoy the experience. The pretzels are huge and salty, so you can share them between a few of you and scrape some of the salt off. For the mains, well you’ve never seen an array of food better suited to beer drinking. German sausages, sauerkraut, dumplings, roast chicken and the crowd pleasing pork knuckle. These meals are all huge, hearty, and something every visitor to Oktoberfest should consider trying at least once.

Your OKTOBERFEST PACKAGE: Starts at €65

This is almost as good a deal as the free entry to the festival. Stoke Travel Oktoberfest tour will set you back €65 a day, and will include twin share tent accommodation with mats and sleeping bags, cooked breakfasts and dinners, and Stoke Travel’s famous off-Oktoberfest parties with bands, DJs, games, shennanigans and our infamous €15 per-day all-you-can-drink beer and sangria bar. Staying with Stoke you’re guaranteed to be with a group of 100s, if not 1000s on the weekends, of like-minded travellers, all there to meet new people, have fun and, most of all, drink beer. Stoke create the perfect environment for you to start your day with something filling, hearty and warm, have some pre-beer hall beers, and find new crew to drink with by playing beer pong, spinning the Wheel of Misfortune, doing beer bongs, or simply sitting around in our shaded areas and chatting. Then when you return from the beer halls we’ll be serving you a chef-prepared dinner, have live bands, DJs and acts playing and you’ll find yourself in an environment where you can do absolutely whatever you want and be whomever you want to be. There’s no better way to finish up your day at Oktoberfest.

Your Munich oktoberfest on a budget total.

In total, your Oktoberfest stay will cost you around €110-130 per day, depending on how many beers you drink in the beer halls, and how much food you fall victim to. This is the biggest beer festival in the world, the biggest folk festival too, and the original Oktoberfest. It is steeped in tradition, has the most people by far, and the tastiest beers. It’s something that everybody has to do at least once in their lives; you can’t have more fun with a beer in your hand.

Also, when you consider that hostels in Munich during Oktoberfest go up to at least €50, plus breakfast, lunch, dinner and beers, you’ll realise that travelling with Stoke is the most cost effective way to travel. There’s so much included! And you’re guaranteed to meet new, cool, maybe cute, people. What kind of price can you put on that?? (We’ve worked it out and the price you can put on that starts at €65).

If you’re still not convinced then you need to sort out your priorities! The world’s biggest beer fest! It’s so, so worth it. Stoke Travel has plenty of space, but we do sell out on the weekends, so you’d better consider booking sooner rather than later.

How Much Does Oktoberfest Cost? Is It Worth It? (2024)

FAQs

How much does it cost to go to Oktoberfest? ›

The Oktoberfest doesn't cost to enter; anyone can wander through the venue without needing a ticket. The reason there are sometimes queues at the entrance is that security personnel check visitors' bags so that everyone at the Oktoberfest can feel safe and relax.

Is Oktoberfest really worth it? ›

It was definitely worth a visit, so many colorful and beautifully decorated tents. Overall, it was an experience that would remain in our memory every October when we see the Oktoberfest sign!! This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

How much money should I bring for Oktoberfest? ›

We recommend you budget around EUR80-EUR100 per day.

How much money does Oktoberfest make? ›

Oktoberfest, a world-famous annual traditional German festival, is not just about beer and fun but is a major source of the city's economic growth. It's actually a €1.25 billion economic powerhouse for Munich while contributing up to 2% to its GDP.

Is 1 day at Oktoberfest enough? ›

Tourists generally stay longer, but to be honest, one can only consume so much beer and wurst! Booking out one or two days to spend at the Oktoberfest Festivities in Munich is more than enough.

Can I just show up to Oktoberfest? ›

The average Oktoberfest visit does not include a table reservation, hence, without one, you're in good company. All the large tents, except the Weinzelt and Käfer, are obliged to keep large sections unreserved. As many struggle to find free seats nonetheless, we'd like to offer some tips to you.

Is Oktoberfest worth it if you don't drink? ›

You ABSOLUTELY can enjoy Oktoberfest if you don't drink beer! The vibe of the whole festival is just SO fun and lively, and you don't have to pay a penny to enjoy that.

What is the bad side of Oktoberfest? ›

The potential dangers of festivals

Dehydration and hangovers: The diuretic effect of alcohol can lead to dehydration, causing symptoms like fatigue, dizziness and dry mouth, while hangovers, characterised by headaches, nausea and confusion, are a common aftermath of binge drinking.

Can you get drunk at Oktoberfest? ›

While you don't have the be drunk at Oktoberfest, when you go to a beer festival – the world's largest, in fact – chances are you'll enter some state of inebriation. Probably pretty frequently. We've done our fair share of Oktoberfest festivals and far, far more than our fair share of drunken nights.

Is Oktoberfest cash only? ›

Oktoberfest tents are cash only! Germany is a big cash country, so plan to carry euros with you.

Do you have to pay for beer at Oktoberfest? ›

Oktoberfest reservations themselves are free, but to reserve a table you must purchase food and drink vouchers for each of the “10” people attending. These vouchers typically include 2 litres of beer + 1 wiesnhendl (half chicken) per person, but each tent has its own requirements/kickass Oktoberfest food.

Is water free at Oktoberfest? ›

Free drinking water stations on the festival grounds

They are located on the outside walls of the WC facilities in the central delivery street (behind the eastern beer tents). Visitors to the Oktoberfest can tap into fresh Munich drinking water free of charge.

What are the costs of Oktoberfest? ›

The good news is that you don't need a ticket to visit Oktoberfest. It's only at the Oide Wiesn (the most traditional spot at the festival) that you'll need to buy a €4 ticket for entry. After 9 p.m., however, you can enter for free.

Is Oktoberfest worth going to? ›

It's literally millions of people drinking millions of litres of beer and all singing songs that seemingly no one knows the words to. It's got everything you could want from a vacation/beer festival/honeymoon/Friday night/etc. Literally just fill any occasion into that sentence and Oktoberfest is perfect for it.

Why is Oktoberfest such a big deal? ›

Oktoberfest is an annual festival held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The festival originates with a party held in celebration of a royal marriage. On October 12, 1810, Kronprinz Ludwig (later King Ludwig I of Bavaria) married the Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Munich.

How much are the tickets for Oktoberfest 2024? ›

There is no admission cost to get into Oktoberfest 2024 or 2025. Entering the festival and the Wiesn is completely free—no tickets whatsoever are required. There is also no admission cost to get into the beer tents. You can just walk right up into a beer tent, no tickets, no fees, no guests lists needed.

Do you need to buy tickets to go to Oktoberfest? ›

Are reservations for the Oktoberfest mandatory? Short answer: No. You don't need tickets nor reservations to visit the Oktoberfest and its tents. The vast majority of Oktoberfest goers don't have any reservation at all as the large tents are obliged to offer large unreserved sections.

How much is beer during Oktoberfest? ›

Beer prices at the Oktoberfest 2002-2023

In 2023, beer at the Oktoberfest in Munich in Germany cost from 12.6 to 14.9 euros. The highest value recorded an increase of more than one euro versus 2022. The Oktoberfest did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

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