So you want to go to Oktoberfest but are realizing how expensive it’s going to be in 2022? You’ve come to the right place. This post has all the tips and resources to help get you to Munich’s Oktoberfest for cheap!
Munich’s Oktoberfest is one of those quintessential travel experiences for anyone who enjoys a beer or ten. It is such a fun festival, attracting partiers from around the globe, who all descend upon Munich each year for the big event.
Unfortunately, Munich’s Oktoberfest was canceled over the past two years. But Oktoberfest 2022 is officially on! Munich mayor, Dieter Reiter, announced on April 29 that Oktoberfest will indeed take place in 2022. The official dates for Oktoberfest 2022 in Munich are:
- September 17 to October 3, 2022.
Yet with pent-up travel demand and an influx of visitors expected in Munich in 2022, Oktoberfest costs are rising. In fact, Oktoberfest beer prices are up over 15% in 2022 compared to Munich’s last Oktoberfest. Now it’s more important than ever to know how to save your beer money and budget for Oktoberfest 2022!
Yet every year in Munich, the huge demand for Oktoberfest accommodation, beer, transportation, pretzels, and traditional Bavarian outfits all helps to significantly drive up Oktoberfest prices. These travel costs add up, making it a very expensive celebration to attend. Oktoberfest expenses can easily exceed €1,000 for a few days of beer drinking in Munich.
But Oktoberfest doesn’t have to be costly if you plan carefully. There are plenty of ways to cut costs and still fully enjoy Oktoberfest, for those who are trying to stretch their travel budget. For example, we even have a tip to show you how to get unlimited free beer during Oktoberfest (for real)!
Yet our core advice for an Oktoberfest on a budget is to spend on essential Oktoberfest expenses while cutting in places where it makes sense financially.
For instance, we strongly advocate spending on the Oktoberfest beer itself. Sure, those beers may seem pricey in Munich’s beer halls. But each delicious sip of those huge liters of beer within this amazing atmosphere is worth every euro. This is what you travel to Oktoberfest for. Drink up, make new friends, and sing along to the oompah band!
Instead of being cheap at Oktoberfest with your beer consumption, you’ll make a much larger dent in your Oktoberfest budget by implementing some big adjustments to what you wear, how you travel to Munich, and where to find cheap Oktoberfest accommodation. Those are the best areas you can really cut back on Oktoberfest costs. Finding an inexpensive place to stay during Oktoberfest can save hundreds of dollars to spend on beers instead!
If you’re trying to do Oktoberfest on a budget in 2022, you can save a lot of money simply by securing reservations as early as possible, even booking a year or more in advance. It’s best to make Oktoberfest reservations as early as possible.
Thankfully, for those who have waited until September to book, there are still some cheap last-minute Oktoberfest options available in 2022!
If you’re considering going to the big beer festival, these Oktoberfest Munich Tips & Travel Guide will show you exactly where to score last-minute Oktoberfest reservations to get the best value on accommodation, where to get free beer, how to dress for Oktoberfest on the cheap, free things to do at Oktoberfest 2022, and so much more!
🍺 Drinking at Oktoberfest on a Budget
🥨 Eating at Oktoberfest on a Budget
🛍️ Budget-Friendly Souvenirs
👕 How to Dress at Oktoberfest on the Cheap
🏨 Where to Find Cheap Oktoberfest Accommodation in Munich
🍻 How to Get 🍺FREE BEER🍺 During Oktoberfest
🚇 Local Transportation in Munich to Get to Oktoberfest
🏰 Munich Sightseeing, Free Things to Do + Inexpensive Tours
🛫 Transportation to Munich during Oktoberfest
Sample Oktoberfest 2022 Budget
During a typical three days at Oktoberfest, you can easily spend €1,500+ per person for a mid-range level of travel, plus transportation costs to Munich.
Yet by applying the following cheap Oktoberfest tips, you could instead be guzzling beer during Munich’s biggest bash all for just a bit more than €100 per day, including your accommodation.
How Much Does Oktoberfest Cost?
Oktoberfest itself is free to attend.
Oktoberfest ticket price: €0. There is no entrance fee to get into Munich’s Oktoberfest. But there are many other Oktoberfest expenses incurred, such as buying beers and food, plus travel expenses and accommodation costs.
So how much is Oktoberfest? That depends on your budget.
It’s possible to get by on a shoestring budget of about €100 per person per day in Munich during Oktoberfest if really scrimping. Yet a more realistic mid-range budget would be €400-600 per person per day to share a hotel, drink many beers, eat casual sit-down meals, and buy traditional outfits. That’s all in addition to transportation costs traveling to Munich, of course.
The table below outlines two different examples showing how much Oktoberfest can cost, staying in Munich for 3 nights (updated to reflect 2022 Oktoberfest prices). The budget-friendly Oktoberfest example is on the left and what Oktoberfest could cost if you’re not careful, is on the right. Note: accommodation prices reflect double occupancy.
Obviously, we recommend the cheap Oktoberfest budget on the left side, showing how you can easily have a great time during three days of Oktoberfest on a budget of under €400, compared to nearly €1,500 per person for a typical low/mid-range Oktoberfest 3-day budget. That’s a savings of over €2,000 per couple!
To convert, this savings per duo is approximately $2,100 USD, £1,700 GBP, or $3,000 AUD. You can see from this sample Munich Oktoberfest budget just how easily Oktoberfest costs can exceed €1,000. Now let’s get into all the strategies to make a cheap Oktoberfest possible in 2022.
Tips for Drinking at Oktoberfest on a Budget
Each of the beer halls at Oktoberfest is completely free to enter. There are no entrance fees, so don’t be scammed if you see something online advertising a ticket to get in. Just show up to Oktoberfest. Go to a beer hall. Find a seat. Buy a beer!
You will definitely want to buy some Oktoberfest beers, of course. For Oktoberfest 2022, expect to pay the beer server about €14+ for each beer. Although this is pricey for beer, understand you’re paying these inflated prices partly for the awesome Oktoberfest atmosphere.
Also, that €14 price gets you a huge beer! Oktoberfest beers are served in those signature liter glasses called a “Maß” (pronounced: “mass”). Each of these liter glasses contains more than two pints of beer!
So consider that you’re getting two pints of delicious Bavarian-brewed beer in arguably the most fun drinking setting in the world for a mere €14. When you look at it that way, this is actually great value.
This is what you traveled all the way to Munich for. Don’t worry too much about your Oktoberfest budget when it comes to the beer. Just drink up and have a blast!
And with most Oktoberfest beers clocking in around 6% alcohol, it only takes a few of those big liters beers to get you singing and dancing along to the traditional Bavarian tunes being played.
That said, there are a few things you can be aware of to help minimize your beer costs at Oktoberfest 2022.
Oktoberfest Beer Prices
How much does a beer cost at Oktoberfest in Munich?
In 2022, a liter of Oktoberfest beer will cost €12.80-€13.80 (plus tip) at the fest halls in Munich.
Beer prices do increase slightly each year. For perspective, during the last Oktoberfest (2019) beer prices ranged from €11.40-€11.80 for a liter of beer at the main beer tents. During Oktoberfest 2022, liter beer prices will range from €12.80-€13.80. So that’s more than a 15% increase in Oktoberfest beer prices on average, in 2022!
Beer prices at Oktoberfest do vary, depending on which beer tent you drink in. Yet with a price difference coming down to €1 per beer, we recommend not letting beer prices sway where you go to get your liters of beer. This small difference in Oktoberfest beer prices won’t play a major role in your overall Oktoberfest budget.
Where to find the cheapest liter of beer at Oktoberfest 2022?
The least expensive of the main Oktoberfest beer halls for Oktoberfest 2022 is the Augustiner-Festhalle. They will be pouring liters of Augustiner beer for €12.80. At 6.3% abv, Augustiner’s Oktoberfest beer provides the best bang for your buck. So go to Augustiner-Festhalle to get the best value on beers during Oktoberfest 2022.
The Augustiner-Festhalle is a fun tent too. Augustiner is the only Munich brewery that pours its beer from traditional stags (wooden beer barrels) during Oktoberfest. But with the cheapest beer and this added appeal, the Augustiner-Festhalle tent tends to fill to capacity quickly. So if you want to drink here, be sure to get there early.
Tip to get a seat: Consider going to the Augustiner tent on a daytime session during a weekday. Going early will increase your odds of getting a seat at what is the cheapest main beer hall in Oktoberfest!
Meanwhile, all the other large Oktoberfest beer tents will have liters priced up to €13.70. Here’s the breakdown for beer prices for the 13 large Oktoberfest beer tents in 2022:
- €12.80 – Augustiner-Festhalle
- €12.90 – Fischer-Vroni
- €13.40 – Bräurosl, Hacker-Festzelt
- €13.50 – Armbrustschützenzelt, Ochsenbraterei, Paulaner-Festzelt
- €13.60 – Hofbräu-Festzelt, Löwenbräu-Festzelt, Schottenhamel-Festhalle
- €13.70 – Käfer Wiesnschänke, Marstall, Schützen-Festzelt
Still, there’s one tent where you can get a liter of beer for even less. The cheapest liter of beer at Oktoberfest 2022 is priced at €12.60 and it’s in a small tent.
Consider Small Tents for the Cheapest Oktoberfest Beer
There are small tents at Oktoberfest, many of which have lower beer prices than the big main tents. In fact, for Oktoberfest 2022 there are four small tents serving liters for less than €13.
At Oktoberfest 2022, the absolute cheapest liter of beer can be found at the Museumszelt (Museum Tent), with liters of Spaten for €12.60! But do be aware the museum tent is part of the Oide Wiesn, which charges a modest admission of a few euros to enter.
That small admission into the Oide Wiesn can be worth it, as it not only grants you access to Oktoberfest’s cheapest beer. The entry fee also gets you access to the cheapest ride prices in Oktoberfest – €1 rides! Additionally, the museum tent has interesting historical memorabilia and free children’s events. Note that it does close up early, with no beer sales after 9:30 pm.
Another small tent, Ammer, will be pouring Augustiner beer from traditional wooden barrels for €12.80 – the same as at the Augustiner-Festhalle. Meanwhile, for just €0.10 more, you can find €12.90 liters of beer at Wildstuben and Zur Bratwurst.
But again, it’s really not worth planning your Oktoberfest drinking by the prices at each tent. Just go to whatever beer halls you want to go to. Perhaps more importantly, go wherever you can find an open seat!
Keep Change Handy for Tipping at Oktoberfest
Should you tip at Oktoberfest in Munich?
Yes! Tipping at Oktoberfest is technically not required, but it is customary. You should indeed tip the beer servers who are schlepping those heavy steins by the handful through an insanely crowded beer hall. Don’t be cheap with this at Oktoberfest.
A €1 tip per liter is a good rule of thumb. Yet consider tipping more if the server is very attentive, fun, and/or you want to build rapport with them to help ensure good service throughout a prolonged drinking session. With beer prices at €12.80-€13.80, you may want to simply round up €14 or €15 per beer, allowing the server to keep the change. A euro or two extra is always appreciated.
That said, be sure to bring small denominations of euros so that you can tip accordingly. Servers may not always have change ready, which could force you into an awkward situation of greatly over-tipping or under-tipping. Let’s say you buy a liter of beer for €12.80 and you only have a €20 to pay with. Now the beer server has to find a handful of small change unless you want to leave a huge tip.
You will also have to drunkenly fumble through all of those coins the server has handed back to you and figure out an appropriate tip. The loud, busy, and drunken atmosphere doesn’t help this Oktoberfest tipping situation either. But having a pocket full of one and two euro pieces most certainly will.
So be prepared with €14 or €15 for each beer, allowing the server to keep the change as a tip.
Drink for Cheap (or free) Before You Go to Oktoberfest 2022
If you’re a seasoned drinker, you’ll want to kick back at least two or three liters while at Oktoberfest, and possibly much more. Being that these beers contain roughly 6% alcohol content, you’ll likely be fairly buzzed after downing a few. So there’s no reason to show up to the Theresienwiese already plastered.
Yet if you have a high tolerance and you’re looking for ways to stretch your Oktoberfest budget, perhaps consider kicking back a few brews before or on the way to the big event.
Beers from convenience stores and supermarkets are cheap in Munich. You can find half-liter beers for less than €1. Additionally, it’s perfectly acceptable to drink in public with an open container in Munich, as long as you’re behaving. So if you want to warm up for the big event, go ahead and have a few pre-fest beers to get you started. They’ll be a fraction of the €14+ you’ll be spending on liters once you’re inside Oktoberfest.
In fact, you’ll see plenty of local German guys and broke college students sitting in the grass on the outskirts of Oktoberfest doing just that: drinking cheap cans of beer before heading inside the fairgrounds. This is the “poor man’s Oktoberfest,” which is fine to do for a beer if you must. But you need to get inside those tents and pony up the funds for a few liters to truly experience Munich’s Oktoberfest.
A better way to knock down a few brews before Oktoberfest is if you take our cheap Oktoberfest accommodation recommendation. Staying at our #1 recommended accommodation, you’ll have unlimited free beer to get your party started if you follow our instructions for this special Oktoberfest deal (much more detail all about that in the Where to Stay section). So if you stay there and get this insane unlimited free beer deal, go ahead and drink up a bit beforehand. Then pace yourself while at the Oktoberfest beer halls.
Half-Liter Beers Are Half the Cost
If you are inside one of Oktoberfest’s main beer halls, don’t even think about ordering a half-liter. You order full liters only in the main beer halls. Nothing else is acceptable nor is served in the main Oktoberfest beer tents.
But there are more places to drink at Oktoberfest than only inside the main beer halls. You can find beer gardens and tables that are set up outside of the halls, which sometimes aren’t very busy at all. When all the main beer tents get filled to capacity these less popular beer gardens can come as a relief to have a free table to sit at.
It can be perfectly suitable here to get a half-liter of beer at some of these outdoor tables. They’re called “Halben Liters.” If you happen to stumble across one of the places serving hefeweizen (wheat beer), those are traditionally served in half-liter hefeweizen glasses anyways. So there’s absolutely no shame there to order a “halben liter” of hefeweizen. If you’re unsure, check the menu card on the table and see if halben liters are listed.
Did you know that hefeweizen is traditionally drunk in Bavaria as a breakfast beer? It is! So if you get to the beer tents very early, you could also consider starting your drinking session with a halben liter of hefeweizen.
These half-liters should cost around €7 at Oktoberfest 2022. They’re about half the cost of a liter. So ounce per ounce, there is no savings.
Yet there are occasions when the option of a half-liter does make sense to save some money instead of buying a full liter. For example, perhaps you’re just tired of walking around trying to find a seat in a main beer hall. Then you find some open seats at an outside table, but don’t want to commit to a full liter of beer. The half-liter option can be a nice way to take a beer break and help stretch your Oktoberfest budget.
Tips for Eating at Oktoberfest on a Budget in 2022
It definitely is worth it to eat at Oktoberfest, as there is lots of great traditional German food to devour. It’s also important to go to Oktoberfest with a solid base in your belly. You certainly don’t want to be downing liter after liter of Oktoberfest beer on an empty stomach. Thankfully, there are some great ways to eat at Oktoberfest on a budget.
You simply can’t bypass getting a giant brez’n (pretzel). But where you get them will make a big difference. We saw pretzels being sold in the beer halls for outrageous markups of €5-€10. Meanwhile, those same pretzels can be found priced around €3 right outside the beer hall doors. So at Oktoberfest 2022, be sure to get your pretzels outside the beer halls, not inside. You’ll stand to save about €5 for each delicious pretzel.
Expect to pay €15-€20 (or more) for a decent meal while sitting in an Oktoberfest beer hall. It can be a nice splurge, but you don’t have to. Instead, you can find a huge variety of traditional German food options outside the halls, throughout the Oktoberfest fairgrounds.
There are sandwiches, snacks, sausages, baked goods, and meats priced around €5 each. Don’t think twice about chowing on a delicious schnitzel sandwich – so good! For the uninitiated, schnitzel sandwiches are deep-fried chicken cutlets in between fresh-baked German bread. It is pretty much the perfect hearty fare to chow down on after a few liters of Oktoberfest beer.
Yet at least once during Oktoberfest, you should consider ordering a traditional Oktoberfest meal while sitting in the beer halls. A “Wiesn-Hendl,” is one of the most popular traditional meal options at Oktoberfest and it can be among the more economical too.
A Wiensn-Hendl meal is a half-roasted chicken including sides, which typically costs around €15-€20. But that can be a lot of food for one person! So for a budget-friendly Oktoberfest move, you can consider splitting this huge chicken meal with a friend. That way you’ll leave room in your stomach for more beer and extra cash in your wallet to buy that next beer.
Souvenirs at Oktoberfest on a Budget
There are several souvenirs to consider buying at Oktoberfest, so you may want to budget for that. Why not grab a few keepsakes to remember this once-in-a-lifetime party?
A good yet cheap Oktoberfest souvenir recommendation is to buy a traditional liter Maß stein. You can find them throughout the festival, selling for about €10 per liter stein. Don’t even think about stealing a stein from a beer hall, as you’ll get a hefty fine in addition to an unpleasant run-in with security who is specifically watching for this.
Also, if you’re buying a few of these steins and you’re flying out of Munich, be sure to take note of your baggage weight allowance. Those steins are heavy and may cause you to pay for an overweight baggage fee if you haven’t accounted for the added weight.
Instead, consider small knick-knacks and mementos that can fit in your pocket. There are plenty of little souvenirs, such as pins and plushes, to consider. Sure, they may be cheap, both in price and quality. But if an inexpensive trinket makes you happy and will bring back fun memories of Oktoberfest once you’re back home, then go for it.
It’s wise to consider shopping for any souvenirs before entering the beer halls. Once you’ve had a few liters, you could be compelled to make drunken souvenir purchases that you end up regretting when waking up the next day.
What shouldn’t you buy at Oktoberfest? It’s our opinion to not bother with the novelty felt hats you’ll see being sold everywhere. Those hats can be fun. But you’ll be spending your Oktoberfest funds to look like a tourist, as those hats are not traditional.
And definitely do not buy a cuckoo clock at Oktoberfest. That would be a horrible drunken purchase! Authentic cuckoo clocks will set you back hundreds (even thousands) of euros. Such fine craftsmanship is the last thing you’ll want to be carrying around millions of drunk people. You can find cheaper clocks being sold at Oktoberfest, but those are all made in China. So beware. You’ll be the cuckoo if you buy one of these clocks during Oktoberfest!
Tips on How to Dress for Oktoberfest on a Budget
Buying a nice complete set of authentic lederhosen or dirndl can cost well into the €200 price range. Wearing the traditional outfit can be a lot of fun and something you should certainly consider splurging on. But if you’re really trying to do Oktoberfest on a budget, then forgoing the lederhosen and dirndl can also be a great way to cut costs. Here are some suggestions on what you can wear and how you can find authentic, yet cheap, Oktoberfest outfits.
Don’t Buy Cheap Costumes for Oktoberfest in Munich
You can buy cheap costume-type dirndl and lederhosen online, but we recommend against it. No one wears that. If you do, you will get laughed out of Oktoberfest 2022. It may be okay for your Halloween costume back home, but not at Oktoberfest in Munich. Just don’t.
You either have to spend on the real authentic dirndl and lederhosen or come to terms with not wearing any at all. And that’s okay too.
How to Dress for Oktoberfest Without Dirndl and Lederhosen
If you don’t want to splurge on an authentic outfit that you’ll probably only wear once in your life, just know that it can be perfectly acceptable not to wear the traditional German dirndl or lederhosen at Oktoberfest. Still, there are ways you can, and should, spruce up your style to help get into the Oktoberfest spirit.
What Guys Can Wear If Not Splurging on Lederhosen
For the fellas, wear a blue-checkered shirt. These are called trachten shirts. You’ll fit right in with the signature Bavarian colors of blue & white. Yet, unlike lederhosen, these blue-checkered shirts are something you can wear again for any occasion.
Amazon has nice trachten shirts for cheap, depending on where you’re searching from. Check sizes and availability for this blue checkered shirt.
For the Ladies Who Aren’t Buying Dirndl
Girls, consider giving yourself a Bavarian hairstyle and tossing a light blue bow in your hair. While it’s fun to wear the dirndl if you can afford it, that extra €100 you’re saving will buy you a lot of liters during Oktoberfest. But if you do forgo the dirndl, just be sure to still show you have Oktoberfest spirit. Bavarian-style braids can be fun if you have long hair.
Yet if you’re single and want to find a nice German guy to gift you a Lebkuchenherzen (gingerbread heart necklace), then you’ll need to splurge for the authentic dirndl! The suggestions below offer a few ways to get good yet cheap Oktoberfest outfits.
Rent Dirndl and Lederhosen for Oktoberfest
There are companies in Munich who provide daily rentals of both dirndls for women and complete lederhosen outfits for men. These Oktoberfest outfit rentals cost €40-€50 per day for high-quality authentic clothing. This may be an okay solution to avoid spending on an expensive get-up, but these rentals have their drawbacks too.
You do have to go through the hassle of picking up and then returning the clothing, which is not at the same location as Oktoberfest. You’ll also need to be extra careful while you’re drunk not to spill things like beer or mustard on your rental outfit. Otherwise, you may be forced to buy it. Also, know that these outfits get reserved well in advance. So your particular size may be sold out on the dates you’re looking to attend Oktoberfest 2022.
Despite this forethought, you may find Oktoberfest clothing rentals to be a good alternative to spending on dirndl or lederhosen. If so, Bavarian Outfitters is a reputable organization in Munich that offers this clothing rental service.
Where to Buy Inexpensive Dirndl and Lederhosen for Oktoberfest
While walking around Munich during Oktoberfest, the least expensive we ever see any decent dirndl (for girls) is in the low €100+ range. A good lederhosen outfit (for guys) will cost even more. Sorry lads!
Most of the department stores around Munich do sell a wide variety of different authentic Oktoberfest clothing options but most are not cheap at all, both in terms of quality and cost.
Instead of buying this clothing new, we recommend considering secondhand dirndl or lederhosen. Try checking on eBay before Oktoberfest 2022 in an attempt to find a used outfit at cost savings.
If you stay with Stoke Travel (see: Cheap Oktoberfest Accommodation section of this article), they’re selling dirndl for €56 and complete lederhosen sets for €72 during Oktoberfest 2022. It’s actually the least expensive dirndl and lederhosen we saw anywhere around Munich!
How to Find Cheap Accommodation for Oktoberfest in Munich 2022
This is the easiest part of an Oktoberfest budget to cut costs. If you’re looking for cheap places to stay during Oktoberfest 2022, here’s what you have to work with:
- Self-camping
- All-inclusive glamping or camping including meals & free beer (*our pick 👍)
- Hostels
- Apartment rentals
- Hotel (expensive)
If you have money to burn (or hotel points), then you’ll be most comfortable in a hotel room at Oktoberfest. But there are far more budget-friendly Oktoberfest options to crash in after a full day of drinking. Securing cheap Oktoberfest accommodation is one of the biggest and easiest ways to save on overall expenses.
When looking for a cheap place to stay at Oktoberfest, we found Stoke Travel to be the best option for its cost. That is exactly what we’ve used ourselves and we can now highly recommend this “experience.” The €65 per night not only gives you a place to crash, but it is also a festival within the festival that can include …all the free beer you can drink if you follow our instructions (no joke!)
More on how to get that free beer in a minute, but let’s take a closer look at each of these cheap Oktoberfest accommodation options (and expensive ones too). We’ll start with the most budget-friendly and work our way up.
Self-Camping at Oktoberfest
There are campgrounds within Munich where you can pitch your own tent for about €40 per night. This can be a cheap place to stay at Oktoberfest if you already have your own camping gear, you have a car to drive, and/or you happen to live in or around Germany.
If that doesn’t apply to you, the expenses involved with self-camping may end up costing even more than other accommodation options in Munich. If you have to buy camping gear, then this option isn’t worth bothering with at all.
Even with your own gear, you’ll have to consider the costs involved in transporting it all. If you are flying into Munich on a budget airline, you’ll likely end up spending hundreds of euros in baggage fees alone, just to get your tent and sleeping bag to the campground.
Then you’ll have to deal with securing a site among the city’s campgrounds that get swarmed during Oktoberfest dates. It ultimately can end up being more trouble than the savings are worth, depending on your circumstance.
All-Inclusive Oktoberfest Glamping & Camping (with Unlimited Free Beer)
Stoke Travel does an all-inclusive camping package that we experienced first-hand at Oktoberfest. It was such a blast and we now recommend it as the best option for value at Oktoberfest!
For as little as €65 per night, Stoke Travel sets you up with everything you need at this “festival within a festival.” These €65/night Oktoberfest packages even include hot breakfasts/brunch and all the camping gear that is completely set up for you. If you’re not the camping type, they now have super comfy glamping and teepee options for an added cost. Whichever option you choose, you’ll be staying right in the middle of one big awesome party that even includes unlimited free beer (enter code ROAMING at checkout) during your entire stay if you book using the link and info below.
Here are all the details…
Stoke Travel Oktoberfest Reviews
When we were searching for affordable Oktoberfest accommodation, Stoke Travel seemed like a good option, but we couldn’t find many reviews. So here’s a brief Stoke Travel Oktoberfest review from our experience, which was a really fun time and we can now totally recommend it. Just know what you’re getting yourself into beforehand.
It is camping after all. So don’t expect the Ritz. But we found camping with Stoke Travel to be comfortable, crazy good value, and great fun. Tents, sleeping bags, and air mattresses are all provided and set up for you. Just show up and grab a complimentary welcome beer. Then a Stoke staff member will escort you to your tent.
The camping equipment Stoke uses is mostly of good quality. From our experience, sleeping bags were very clean (like new) and warm. Their tents completely kept the rain out during the one night we got rained on. Some of the air mattresses were a bit leaky. But they had plenty. So when we found that one of our air mattresses wasn’t holding its air, we were easily able to exchange it for a good air mattress that didn’t leak.
We found their camping setup to be comfortable for us. But they also now have a cool glamping option that is more luxurious. The glamping option uses big tents you can stand up in, plus a bunch of extra amenities, such as turn-down service, power & lighting, a bedside table & mirror, free wifi, and more.
The campground Stoke uses in Munich is a nice setting, with lots of trees. It doesn’t even feel like you’re in the city, even though it’s just a short ride from Oktoberfest. In fact, the campground is still within Munich’s Inner District. Onsite are clean bathrooms, wifi near the front, and food & drink options. There are even vending machines that will make you hot fries (which is all-too-convenient after a late night) and there’s a beer vending machine too! Stoke has a charging station for phones and other small electronics, which allowed us to keep our batteries powered up for when we went out to Oktoberfest.
A full hot breakfast/brunch each morning is actually included in the price too! The camp food was surprisingly good and filling. Sometimes the breakfast lines got long, but there was never any wait to get a free beer. Never. Priorities!
Oh, so you want to know about the free beer?
💡 Big Tip: How to Get Unlimited FREE BEER during Oktoberfest 🍺
Stoke Travel offers a package that includes unlimited beer & sangria from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm every single day of Oktoberfest. Before paying €14+ for each liter at the actual Oktoberfest, Stoke gives you the ability to drink as much as you want at their “festival within a festival” which takes place daily at the campgrounds.
It really is unlimited beer. We never had to wait to get a beer and they kept it flowing all day long. Just give your cup to the friendly beertender, drink, and repeat. Stoke uses decent German beer too.
The unlimited beer & sangria is normally an extra cost of €10 per day. That’s a bargain in itself! But we contacted Stoke Travel to see if they would offer our readers any discounts. They actually decided to give you the unlimited beer & sangria package for free!
To get the free beer included, just use this link and enter ROAMING during the checkout process and you’ll have unlimited beer to drink at the Stoke Travel campsite throughout all of Oktoberfest.
Let’s break that down: For the price of about four beers at Oktoberfest, you can get hooked up with unlimited beer, plus a place to stay, plus breakfast, and a massive party. It’s such an incredible deal!
⚠️ Book now – before sold out! At last check (mid-September 2022), they’re about 80% full, with some last-minute accommodation availability left and most travel packages already sold out. During the past few years, Stoke has sold out completely on many days and certain packages.
Check to see if spots are left for your travel dates.
What is Stoketoberfest? A Festival Within a Festival
Doing the all-inclusive camping with Stoke Travel is so much more than just a cheap place to stay at Oktoberfest. There are thousands of people who camp with Stoke to have fun at the festival they throw at camp each day. They called it Stoketoberfest. At the campground, there’s a big stage with a DJ and other live performances, and it doesn’t take long in the morning to get everybody dancing. The MCs and all the Stoke crew keep the party vibes going strong all day long.
Yet, thankfully, it’s all quieted down by around 11:00 at night, enabling us to get a night of good sleep to get ready and start the party all over again the next day.
What makes for a great experience here is the 65 different nationalities who all came together at this campground in Munich to get fueled up on the free beer before and after going to Oktoberfest. It’s a beautiful thing. And with enough beer and such an international crowd of fun-loving people, you can only imagine the hilarious conversations and situations that play out. It’s such a blast!
Arguably, the most fun was the infamous wheel of misfortune. What is this you ask? You’ll have to go to Stoketoberfest and give it a spin to find out! Expect lots of laughs, beer, and possibly some nakedness!
It’s really difficult to even attempt to describe what it’s like to stay with Stoke for Oktoberfest. So take a look at their video from their last Oktoberfest event, which helps to convey the fun and craziness you’re ensured to experience if you go.
The Best Oktoberfest Value in Munich?
Stoke really does provide an all-inclusive experience. The only other thing you’ll need to spend money on at the Stoke campgrounds is the hot showers which run an extra €1 per shower. Those who need wifi can spend €2 for 10 hours of usage. Virtually all other expenses are accounted for within the €65 per night price. The inclusion of your breakfasts and the Stoketoberfest party with unlimited free beer (by entering ROAMING at checkout) makes the modest price point what we think is the best value for Oktoberfest in all of Munich. If you’re looking for cheap accommodation at Oktoberfest 2022, this is it.
Overall our Stoke Travel Oktoberfest review is definitely a good one! You can certainly find much nicer places to stay in Munich during Oktoberfest. But Stoke, by far, the best value. And we’d say it’s the most fun too!
While at Oktoberfest, we were explaining to some German guys there how much fun we were having back at the Stoke campgrounds. They were staying at a hotel and were considering leaving their room to join the party back at the Stoke Travel campgrounds. We kept in touch with them after Oktoberfest and they messaged us to let us know they stayed with Stoke Travel the next year and had the best time ever.
And for added value staying with Stoke, if you’re going to stay in Munich for at least four nights anyways, then be sure to book the Ultimate Oktoberfest Adventure option. It still comes out to €65 per night, but they also throw in freebies like a free boozy bike tour of Munich, lunch vouchers for every day, and 10% off swag like traditional German outfits. (Of course, there’s still the unlimited free beer too, when entering ROAMING during the check-out process.)
How to Maximize Your Time & Money if Staying at Stoke All-Inclusive Camping
Getting from the campgrounds to Oktoberfest using public transportation is easy. Since the Stoke campground is located within the Inner District, the cheapest public transit ticket will cover you from the campgrounds to Oktoberfest. Team up and get a group (5 people) transit ticket to get to Oktoberfest and back, which works out to about €3 per person each day. There are Stoke Travel “guides” that can show you how to do this and help you make your way to the Oktoberfest grounds. Yet you don’t need any directions. Just follow a drunken guy in lederhosen. He knows.
To maximize your value and time, we’d recommend eating a good breakfast at camp and starting your day of beer-drinking there. Beers will be free for you at camp and they start flowing early there, so go ahead and take advantage of that before you’re paying €14 per beer at Oktoberfest.
But don’t linger at the Stoke campground for too long. The actual Oktoberfest is what you came to Munich for, so go start making your way over there for a day session when seats are easier to come by. Eat some lunch too. After your fill of liters in the Oktoberfest beer halls, come back to the campsite to party more, take advantage of those unlimited free beers, and take a spin at the wheel of misfortune.
Check out Stoke’s Oktoberfest page – Stoke Travel Oktoberfest Packages – for full details and to check if they still have availability.
And don’t forget to get yourself hooked up with the unlimited free beer by entering ROAMING at checkout.
Again, they do tend to fill up, so be sure to make your reservations in advance. Check up-to-date Stoke Travel camping and glamping availability here.
Hostels During Oktoberfest Can Be Costly
Hostels are a logical choice to find cheap Oktoberfest accommodation. But you may be deceived. If you book super early, you may be able to find hostel beds starting at around €100 per night for a bed in a mixed dorm. But even if you’re lucky enough to find one, you have to consider the fact that you’ll be sharing a room with 10 drunken strangers. Just pray that the big guy in the top bunk doesn’t get sick.
You’ll find other hostels price gouging even further, charging €150+ per night for a bunk bed in a shared room. We’ve even seen hostels charging over €300 per night just for a bed in a shared dorm. This is ridiculous! Don’t do it. This is not worth it. There is far more reasonably-priced budget accommodation for Oktoberfest.
But if you’re a solo traveler who wants to sleep indoors and can book early at a reasonable rate, a hostel bed could be worth the splurge.
At last check (Sept 2022), the best prices we could find on a dorm bed in a decently-rated hostel (7+) within Munich’s inner district, during Oktoberfest 2022 dates are as follows. Plug in your dates for up-to-date pricing and availability:
- MEININGER Munich Olympiapark – €84/bed
- Wombat’s City Hostel Munich Werksviertel – €106/bed
- MEININGER Munich City Center – €118/bed
- Jaeger’s Munich – €128/bed
If you’re looking for a private room in a hostel in Munich during Oktoberfest, rates start closer to €250 per night, per person based on two people. So that comes out to about €1,500 for a couple to stay three nights in Munich during Oktoberfest. At that price, you can likely find hotel rooms that are less expensive. In our opinion, it’s not worth it to stay in a hostel for Oktoberfest with all of the price gouging going on.
Ultimately, we suggest looking at other options that offer better value. Also, beware that many camping copycats are now listed on hostelworld (with bad reviews or no reviews). If you’re going to do the camping thing, be sure to book directly through Stoke so you don’t get scammed with a poor experience.
Apartment Rentals and Airbnb at Oktoberfest
If you book early enough, you may be able to find a decent Airbnb room during Oktoberfest. It’ll be a step up above camping, but you’ll likely have to start splashing the cash for anything decent. In the last update to this article (June 2022), the average price for a bedroom in central Munich was €240 per night, while private apartments were averaging €550 per night.
Those are the price averages, so you will find some crash pads that are lower (and higher) than this. But be careful. All the best places are the first to be booked up, leaving some questionable, unverified, and extremely overpriced rooms left.
We’ve regularly found many hosts even being bold enough to list their spare rooms for over €400 per night, waiting to cash in on last-minute Oktoberfest bookings. And that’s just for a room, not the entire apartment. See the listings below for example. They look like nice places to stay in Munich for Oktoberfest, but ouch, it’s way too much for crashing in someone’s spare bedroom!
If using Airbnb, be sure to check for three things:
- a track record of good reviews,
- a good location relative to public transportation in which you can easily get to Oktoberfest, and
- read the complete description if there is one.
Some of the cheaper apartments are not within walking distance of a metro or bus route, which can become very problematic. Factor expensive taxi fares into your budget. And rooms without any reviews or a lack of description can be a total gamble, even if they look pretty in the pictures.
But if you are going to splurge on an Airbnb during Oktoberfest, be sure to read the fine print to know exactly what you’re getting into. We were considering using Airbnb for Oktoberfest and found a nice looking inexpensive room to stay in a great location, very close to Oktoberfest. But after reading the listing closely, we noticed it was just a room with a hard, oddly-shaped couch. You were required to bring your own sleeping bag, blankets, and pillows. At that point, for our euro, we found Stoke’s all-inclusive camping to be a far better option.
Finding Cheap Oktoberfest Hotels in Munich
Hotels can be a nice splurge but they certainly are not a cheap place to stay at Oktoberfest. There are some ways you can attempt to cut costs, but you’ll still have to pay a premium.
If you want to book a cheap hotel for Oktoberfest in Munich, the best strategy is redeeming hotel points that you may have accumulated from prior stays at popular hotel chains or by using a credit card linked to a hotel group (such as Starwood Amex card). Hotels obviously hike up their prices during Oktoberfest, but some hotel loyalty programs have no blackout dates or point increases during special events. So if you’ve built loyalty with any hotel group, Oktoberfest may be an opportune time to finally redeem those points for a free room!
If you have no hotel loyalty points, be prepared to spend a lot on a hotel.
Consider these strategies to help lessen the financial hit of a hotel during Oktoberfest:
- Book super early (one-year in advance, if possible)
- Book a hotel on the outskirts of town (although ensure there are public transit options)
- Avoid the first week of Oktoberfest
- Avoid weekends
You’ll need to book a room early to find any reasonable rates. Booking one year in advance is best. But at the very least, you should lock in a reservation before summer starts.
If you’re looking for a hotel anywhere near Munich City Center during Oktoberfest 2022, you’ll likely be shelling out at least €300 per night. Although nightly rates soar well beyond €500. If you’re okay with staying further away, if you’re lucky and book early, you might be able to find rooms under €300. Again, be sure to check that there are public transport options from the hotel to Oktoberfest. Also, the further out you stay, the more your public transit ticket will cost, so build that into your Oktoberfest budget too.
Hotels during the first week of Oktoberfest tend to sell out more quickly, so consider going during one of the later weeks. Also, try to book during the weekdays if possible. You not only might find lower rates, but you’ll also have a less crowded experience at Oktoberfest.
But no matter what, a hotel in Munich during Oktoberfest 2022 is going to cost you a lot. You can take an up-to-date look at all the inflated room rates using the hotelscombined.com widget below, which searches all of the top booking sites (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, etc.) to find the lowest rates among whatever hotels may still have available rooms left in Munich.
Local Transportation to Get to Oktoberfest Grounds
Oktoberfest is located at the Theresienwiese, the Oktoberfest fairgrounds. Most accommodation within walking distance of Theresienwiese is crazy expensive, so you’ll likely need to figure out how to get to Oktoberfest on your own. Your options are:
- Public Transit
- Uber
- Taxi
- Horse and beer carriage (no, not really an option but you’ll see them trotting around.)
Using Public Transportation to Get to Oktoberfest on a Budget
Munich’s public transit is the most affordable transport option in Munich. The rapid rail system, tramways, and buses remain running frequently and on time during Oktoberfest. The only difference is they tend to become more crowded during Oktoberfest time. Yet space always seems to be available. But if hitting the rails in Munich, there are some money-saving tips to be aware of regarding what type of ticket is best to buy.
Munich’s public transport system works on the honor system. You buy a ticket, get on and validate the ticket. Ticket-checkers do come by to ensure you’re not stealing a free ride, but it’s not a frequent practice. Still, we wouldn’t recommend risking a hefty fine if you were to get caught on Munich’s public transport without a ticket.
Single tickets for one zone within Munich are priced at €3.50 in 2022. So that would be €7 to get to Oktoberfest and back. And if that’s all you’re doing, single tickets could make sense. But most visitors during Munich’s Oktoberfest also make side trips into Munich city center, the English Garden, a bierhall, or elsewhere throughout this awesome city. All those single trips could easily add up to €15-€20+ per person per day, to potentially cost a couple nearly €100 during a 3-day trip to Munich.
Instead, visitors can purchase discounted all-day passes, group passes (covering up to 5 people), and multi-day tourist cards that are good for all of Munich’s public transportation systems (U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and busses) in addition to discounts on area attractions.
Each of these tickets can be easily purchased at the ticket kiosks located at each station. You should just be informed in advance of which ticket to buy. There are dozens of different tickets and passes to consider, based on your group size (solo or multiple people) and the number of days you’re using Munich’s transit.
For more information on these different public transport passes in Munich you can visit: the official Munich Traffic & Tariff department website, which provides all the fare and route information you’ll need to get around the city. Munich transportation ticket prices during Oktoberfest 2022 are:
- Single-day ticket – €8.20 each day within Munich (Zone M, 1 Zone)
- Group day ticket – €15.60 each day within Munich (Zone M, 1 Zone)
Since a group day ticket covers up to five people, sharing this cost among a group of five brings the per-person cost to only €3.12 each day for unlimited transit. Even two people can save, as it drops the cost to €7.50 pp. So unless you’re rolling solo, a group ticket is the way to go.
The prices mentioned above are for the Inner District. If you are staying on the outskirts of Munich, you’ll need to purchase a ticket that includes zones further out. So to save time and save money, it’s best to try and stay within the Inner District when considering cheap accommodation in Munich for Oktoberfest.
Yet of even more value than these transit passes is Munich’s City Multi-Day Tour Cards. When buying in advance, it is the same price as the transit passes and also includes the same transit benefits to get around using Munich’s public transit system. But The City Tour Card further includes loads of discounts on attractions, stores, and restaurants all around Munich. It’s nice not having to queue up at the kiosks at the train stations to buy your ticket, which is confusing to navigate the automated system to find the exact ticket you’re trying to purchase. Instead, we suggest buying the Munich City Tour Card on GetYourGuide and picking up the card once you arrive in Munich.
Consider Taking Uber in Munich during Oktoberfest
Munich does have Uber, which will be cheaper than a traditional taxi, but it won’t be as economical as using public transport. For example, a 7.5-kilometer uberX ride in Munich is estimated to be about €18. That’s not particularly cheap.
Beware: You also have to take into consideration that Munich’s roadways will likely be congested with traffic as you near the Oktoberfest grounds, which will add to the cost estimate and will take longer to get a ride. You must also consider Uber’s practice of surge pricing, which inflates rates during popular events such as Oktoberfest, based on the inevitable increased demand. See the Uber Munich site to get fare estimates, but know that those estimates will not account for heavy surge pricing.
If you do use Uber during Oktoberfest 2022 and you notice that surge pricing is 2x or higher, it may be less expensive to take a taxi. That is, if you can find one.
Using a Taxi to Get to Oktoberfest
Taking a taxi in Munich is not a budget-friendly Oktoberfest means of transportation. Use it as a last resort to get to Oktoberfest. Expect to pay nearly twice as much as an Uber during non-surge-pricing times. And a taxi during Oktoberfest will cost way more than a ticket to use public transit. But if you’re unable to use public transportation for some reason and if Uber has a heavy surge pricing (2x or more), then a taxi’s standard rates will be less.
Budget-Friendly Sightseeing While in Munich During Oktoberfest
If you’re in Munich for a few days, you should take at least one day away from Oktoberfest to walk around and sightsee in this wonderful city. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to do in Munich on a budget.
Free Things to Do in Munich During Oktoberfest
If you don’t do anything else in Munich, we highly recommend taking the free walking tour. These tip-based tours will take you around all the main sights in the historic city center as you nurture your hangover with interesting facts about Munich. Meet at the Marienplatz in front of the large column at 10:45 and 2:00. More info here: Munich Free Walking Tour.
There are tons of free sights and attractions in Munich’s city centre. Be sure to check out the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel. While you’re there, go just a few blocks around the corner to Frauenkirche Cathedral where you can see the devil’s footprint inside the grand cathedral. The walking tour goes to both, but you can also go there on your own.
We also recommend a visit to Englischer Garten, a vast park in the city center. Here you can visit one of Munich’s most famous beer gardens for lunch or a beer. The Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) can be a great alternative place to go and have a beer on days when the Oktoberfest grounds are packed. And with the Chinese Tower beer garden containing 7,000 seats, you may actually have an easy time finding a table to sit at (unlike Oktoberfest). If it’s a sunny day in Englischer Garten, you’ll also see the oddly intriguing sight of a bunch of old naked men strutting around the park grounds or sunning themselves. Another highlight to do within the park is watching the many people surfing on the stationary wave in the Eisbach River.
And no beer-centric trip to Munich is complete without an obligatory visit to the famed Hofbrauhaus. So be sure to drop in for a liter.
Inexpensive Tours in Munich During Oktoberfest
From tours of Munich to day trips out into the Alps countryside, there are some great excursions you can take during your stay in Munich while breaking up all the Oktoberfest fun. Taking such day trips during Oktoberfest dates is also a great idea to do on Saturday to avoid the heavier weekend crowds that will be swarming Oktoberfest. It’s a nice way to balance out a beer-filled trip by adding a bit of Bavarian culture and history into the mix. After all, when you’ve come all the way to Munich, you’ve got to consider further venturing into the Alps to see Sleeping Beauty’s Castle!
Many of the tours are quite costly, of course. So we suggest forgoing the expensive 1-hour segway tour to instead pedal your way across Munich on a 3-hour bike tour. That’ll help you work off some of those beer calories, will be way more fun, and way cheaper too!
We’ve hand-picked these well-priced tours and day trips that you can reserve before you get to Munich. And you should book such tours in advance, as they tend to book up full during the busy Oktoberfest dates:
- Munich 3-Hour Bike Tour – This is a great option to cover much more ground in Munich than the walking tour. Take to two wheels and pedal your way across town and through Munich’s parks and beer gardens. You can book this 3-hour bike tour for only €29 on GetYourGuide. But if you stay with Stoke Travel, they offer a similar bike tour for €25.
- Dachau Memorial Site – Take a somber break from Oktoberfest with this half-day tour of the notorious former concentration camp, including a visit to the crematorium and the gas chamber. Book on GetYour Guide for €30.
- Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour – What better time and place to learn all about Bavarian beer and food (€47). This highly-rated tour provides private access to the Oktoberfest museum, followed by generous amounts of beer and German food, to learn all about the local traditions, all while enjoying the beer. No wonder it gets such great reviews. See latest reviews and check availability on Viator.
- Neuschwanstein Castle – Take a ride into the Alps to see the famed castle that became the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty. This is arguably the best day trip you can take from Munich. Many tours go out to this scenic site, yet we found the most affordable option to be this €59 tour on GetYourGuide, which currently boasts over 1,000 excellent reviews!
Transportation to Oktoberfest on a Budget
To have some money left to spend on beer, you’ll need to find an affordable way to get to Oktoberfest 2022. Luckily if you’re already in Europe or the British Isles, there are plenty of cheap ways to get to Oktoberfest. If you’re coming from another continent, don’t worry, you may still be able to score a cheap flight to Oktoberfest too.
Getting from Elsewhere in Europe & UK to Oktoberfest on a Budget
Your main transportation options to get to Munich Oktoberfest 2022 include:
- Bus, 🚌
- train, 🚆
- or flight. ✈️
Bus Travel to Oktoberfest is Usually the Cheapest Way to Munich
You can arrive from virtually anywhere in Europe and get to Munich during Oktoberfest cheaply by coach. You can find bus tickets from many European destinations to Munich as low as €15-€50 each way. We find the bus network connecting Europe to be a great travel bargain and an underrated way to buzz around the continent.
While smaller regional bus lines exist, the two main bus options in 2022 that go to Munich are:
Again, secure your bus reservations to Munich early for Oktoberfest 2022. Buses will sell out.
Train Travel to Oktoberfest Can Get Costly
Train travel to Oktoberfest can get pricey. You can find reasonable regional rail rates from nearby Austria and within Germany. But if coming to Munich from further afield, you’ll be much better off using a bus if trying to get to Oktoberfest on a budget. If considering train travel to Munich, use the Bahn website to find timetables.
For more complicated routes, consult the Munich page from the Man in Seat 61.
You can also try searching rome2rio which will give you some good ideas and estimates across planes, trains, and automobiles.
For Cheap Flights to Munich for Oktoberfest: Book Super Early
Book far enough in advance and you may be able to snag a seat on a budget airline into Munich within €100 each way. If you search early enough, you can actually find sub-€100 tickets from Paris and other cities within Germany to Munich. A handful of other European locations also have sub-€200 tickets each way. But you’ll only find those low fares to Oktoberfest if you search very early. Realistically, you can expect to pay at least €400+ for roundtrip tickets to Munich during Oktoberfest time.
Check Skyscanner to seek out cheap airfares.
How to Get from the US to Oktoberfest on a Budget
The USD to Euro exchange rate is doing quite well for Americans in 2022. This economic sleight of hand will help to make a 2022 Oktoberfest trip even more affordable for those with USD! Even though Oktoberfest prices are up, the exchange rate is down. So those with dollars will be able to exchange them for more euros in 2022.
You just need to find a cheap flight from the US to Munich Oktoberfest. This will likely be the biggest expense to your Oktoberfest budget. Flights from the US to Munich can be very expensive, particularly during Oktoberfest. Search for a roundtrip ticket from anywhere in the US to Munich during Oktoberfest and you may find prices well upwards of $2,000 – yikes!
Thankfully, there are ways to save and score a cheap flight toward Munich. It is very possible to find flights from the US to Munich for under $400, each way.
You can find surprisingly cheap flights from the US to Munich during Oktoberfest if you get creative and spend the time to search them out. Here are our top tips to score a low fare from the US to Munich during Oktoberfest:
- book far enough in advance (*most important!),
- be flexible with your departure/arrival cities,
- use low-cost airlines,
- try searching for one-way flights to fly different airlines for outbound and return flights,
- be flexible with your travel dates,
- consider outbound flights departing Wednesday and Sundays for lower rates,
- consider flying a few days before Oktoberfest begins or returning days after it ends,
- consider flying to a nearby European city (with low fares), then transferring to Munich by bus or train.
Flight prices change constantly and it would be a nearly impossible task to keep track of all the different routes and prices. While $400 (and under) fares do currently exist at the time of this update – they will rise and likely sell out getting closer to Oktoberfest 2022 dates. Book ASAP! Flight prices to Munich will only go up at this point, not down.
Cheapest Flight Routes US to Munich Oktoberfest
For 2022, we’ve been seeing the cheapest airfares to Munich on TAP, a Portuguese airline, with short layovers in Lisbon. Flights from O’Hare (Chicago), Dulles (DC), MIA (Miami), and Newark (New York City) are a few airports where you can find flights on TAP to Munich for around $400 per person, each way.
If you really want to save some cash, have some extra time, and are willing to go through some extra hassle, then you can often find similarly cheap flights from the US to Dublin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and other cities within Germany. Fly to one of those cities and then use one of the methods discussed above to get to Munich. Doing this will add time to your trip but you stand to save hundreds of dollars and will get an opportunity to explore another city before or after your Oktoberfest trip.
Dublin can often be among the cheapest point of entry from the US. So consider having a few pints of Guinness as a prelude to the big beer event in Munich. Or consider a flight to Frankfurt or Berlin, which have relatively close (4-5 hours) and easy connections to Munich, within Germany.
We’ve found some of the best airfare prices to Munich during Oktoberfest on Skyscanner.com. Get creative with your searches and score an Oktoberfest flight deal!
Oktoberfest on a Budget Recap
We hope this article helps plan your epic yet cheap Oktoberfest trip. Maybe we’ll see you at Oktoberfest 2022! 😉 If this post was helpful or if you have your own Oktoberfest budget tips, let us know in the comments. Or if you have any questions, give us a shout!
Whatever method you use to get to Oktoberfest and wherever you stay, be sure to go and experience this awesome centuries-old Bavarian tradition! Don’t let your budget hold you back. If you can figure you can get to Europe on the cheap and scrounge up four hundred euros for beer/food/accommodation, you’ll be in great shape to have an incredible three-day bender at Oktoberfest on a budget. Prost!
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I heard a lot about these fest but didn’t get any chance to be there and previously i didn’t have any Interest. But after reading your way of exploration. I’m planning for a trip to Bavaria for next Oktoberfest.
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work.
WOW,just found this and am now planning for next year! Thought it was out of budget but can’t wait. A few questions;what was the included food(american(eggs,sausage,potatoes-hearty)or european(just toast and coffee) and dinners,lunches?,tents-single or double(extra for single?),may make 10+day european trip(London,Amsterdam,Cologne,Paris,Vienna). Any suggestions?
Yes, it was a full and hearty american-style breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee. Sometimes the breakfast lines were long but it always tended to be worth the wait and we were very satisfied. Usually it was a bunch of Aussies cooking up some good stuff. They don’t have lunch, as most people our out at Oktoberfest during that time. Dinner was good and filling too. Although to be perfectly honest, we were usually pretty far gone from all beers to truly appreciate it. But it was always filling and I have a big appetite. They do charge a single supplement upcharge for those going solo.
Sounds like a it could be a great trip and great itinerary to see a the great European cities + Oktoberfest!
Could not agree more! I was just at Oktoberfest with Stoke Travel last year and highly reccommend it to anyone who is ready to have a good time, drink loads of beer, eat German drinking food, dance on table tops and be up for non-stop partying both at the beer halls and Stoke’s campsite. It’s a super affordable package with everything sorted for you!
Couldn’t have said it better! Soooo. much. fun. Thanks for chiming in! 🙂
Thank you so much for the great information!!! ill be there because of you, just one doubt. When i put your pr— c—, it doesn’t work, help please!
Yay, glad it helped and hope you have a great time at Oktoberfest! Strange to hear that it’s not working for you. I just tried to enter it myself and it’s still working for me. And just checked with Stoke and they said it’s all good on their end too. Be sure that you’re entering it on stoketravel.com and not some other website. And make sure that you’re entering: ROAMING If for some it’s still not working for you, perhaps try contacting Stoke Travel directly. You definitely want to get that free booze included! 🙂
Wow! I love Oktoberfest! If you’re coming from London I can recommend that you take the train together with Stoke Travel. I can recommend them a lot because they are the biggest tour operator at Oktoberfest in Munich! They also have a huge international crowd, which means you’ll be meeting tons of new people from different nationalities. They’re also one of the cheapest out there, which gives you a chance to spend all your money on other things!
Well, we certainly agree with all that. We had sooooo much fun with Stoke! Can only imagine the craziness on the train ride from London to Munich – sounds awesome! We hold firm that Stoke has the best value Oktoberfest package for a place to stay. Best to spend money on more important things. …like liters of beer!!
Do we know if this is a complete round trip from London to Oktoberfest?
This definitely seems like the best option out of everything for a group of 4!
Yup, it’s complete roundtrip from London to the Oktoberfest campgrounds and back. The Stoke party train leaves London on Sept 21, 28th, and Oct 5 for three crazy nights in Munich before chugging back to London.
Hey the Oktoberfest sounds great I will surely go this year or maybe next year I have read more article about it I and my friends will visit lately.thanks for sharing this wonderful article.
Hope you make it – it’s such a great time! It’s not too late to join all the fun this year. Can’t believe it’s just a few weeks away. But whether this year or next, go! 🙂
Hi Guys
I’m interested in coming to Oktoberfest in 2019 but have a question. We will be travelling further after Munich so we’ll have a bit of extra luggage. Will it be safe / practical in the tents, or should we store our excess baggage somewhere in town ?
We’re also traveling long-term while visiting Oktoberfest, so were in the same situation. We simply kept our luggage in the tent, which is what most everyone does. As an overly cautious measure, we did put a small luggage lock on the zipper of our tent to help ensure no unexpected visitors. If you’re really concerned about something of value, you could maybe have the Stoke folks hold it for safe keeping. But the environment there felt safe to us.
I really like this post, very comprehensive and informative. You may do all this for less? That pretzel and that will beer and that entire Oktoberfest experience. Wow!
Yup, you don’t necessarily have to spend a ton to have a tasty pretzel and a bier at Oktoberfest in Munich!
Its amazing the number of countries you have been through. The oktoberfest sure looks like fun…
Hi (name),
I’m Alicia, and I’m a writer for a student website.
I have recently read your article about and I really enjoyed it!
I am currently writing an article about the best cities to live in as a student. Munich is of course on this list. Unfortunately, I have never been personally to Munich and I was therefore wondering if I could ask you for your opinion? A brief quote about your time at Munich would be great. The idea is to include your quote in the article and we will of course include a link to your blog if you wish so.
I would really appreciate your help.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Alicia
Sure, we’d be happy to send you a quote and will email you now.
This is such a great guide! All my questions have been answered and I’ve even got some ideas for other things to do while in Munich. Thanks so much.
We’re so happy you found our tips helpful! Have a fantastic time exploring beautiful Munich!
I’m a bit embarrassed we’ve lived in Germany for two years and still haven’t been to the Munich Oktoberfest. We plan to go next year, though, so thanks for all the good info!
Well sounds like there’s still time to go! 🙂 Hope you finally make it to Oktoberfest in 2018 and have an awesome time!
Hello! Booking through Stoke travel now and trying to use ROAMING, I type it in then it says “you get: booze”. Then the next page has you select how many people are doing the unlimited beer & sangria and when you select it it adds $10 to the price per person anyways. Do I just not select it since it says I already get booze? Or will the price be taken off at payment?
Yes, exactly. I just double-checked with Stoke and if you enter ROAMING and it confirms “you get: booze,” then there is no need to add the beer & sangria package to your order. If you do add it, you will charged for it. Instead, just leave it off your order and you will receive the booze package automatically by entering ROAMING.
This was so helpful! I am actually really exited that camping is an option and seems like it will not only be really fun but probably cheaper than a hostel. I do have a couple questions, are all tents set up for two people? How far in advance do you recommend booking with stoke travel? Oh and if we are backpacking Europe, and have stuff with us, is there a place at the campsite to keep our stuff safe and secure while we are at the festival?
Thanks!
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the comment and questions. The tents are set up to sleep two people. As far as when to book, I’d say it depends on which dates you’re looking to attend. The first week and last week of Oktoberfest are the most popular. You can check the Stoke website to check the current vacancy, but if you want to play it safe, we’d recommend booking a few months in advance.
There isn’t any storage at the campsites. Attendees kept their personal belongings in their tents. We felt safe doing so, but also bought a small luggage lock to keep our tent secure while we were at the festival. We were also traveling long term while attending Oktoberfest and had a lot of luggage. We slept comfortably in our tents by stacking our bags to one side and that provided enough room for the two of us to sleep.
Enjoy Oktoberfest!
Heather, thank you very much for your tips and detailed information. Can’t wait for the Oktoberfest season to start!!!!
I just want to add one advice for those who pretend to go there in a bigger group: You definitly should book a table in advance because especially on the weekends it’s really crowdy and nearly impossible to even get into one of the beer tents. Usually the reservation fee already includes vouchers for beer and food, so it’s a fair deal.
Have a nice trip!
Hi Babsi, thanks for the comment and sharing your advice about reserving a table for large groups. Prost!
Thanks for awesome info! Planning on making our first Oktoberfest journey in 2017!
Hey Becca, thanks so much for the comment. We have no doubt that you’ll have an incredible time at Oktoberfest! Prost!
I am about to hold up a oktoberfest for my friends. Before reading this, I am sure that I dont know what I really want to go with. Thank you so much for sharing this article as it gives me the idea of oktoberfest under budget.
Please keep it up.
Hi May, thanks so much for the comment and kind words! It is certainly possible to enjoy Oktoberfest on a budget. You’re doing everything right by thinking about it and planning with your friends early. Please let us know if you have any questions when planning what will be an epic time.
Prost!
I’ve been to Oktoberfest with Stoke Travel a couple of times and couldn’t recommend it enough. As long as you have an open mind and like to party!
Yup, I think that is key! Definitely must like to party, and I think that is probably what Stoke does best! Such crazy fun for those who can roll with the punches. And if you don’t like to party… well then, definitely don’t go to Oktoberfest! 😉
Holy crap, this is a very informative post! You’ve worked hard on this! I wonder how long it took you to gather all the information and type this down.
I haven’t been to Germany and really would love to attend the Oktoberfest! I heard how amazing and crazy it can be. The only problem is that I personally don’t like any taste of the beer….so far! I’m still looking for a beer that I’ll like, haha. I remember one that wasn’t so bad, but now I can’t remember that. I also know that beers is something I need to get used to, or so some friends said. Anyways, I do hope to find some and get used to it to prepare for Oktoberfest in the future 😉 this is a very informative post, and I’ll share this!
Thanks so much Stacey for the kind words Stacey 🙂 And thanks for spreading the word!
It really is an amazing and crazy festival. You should deafinitely go if you get a chance 😉 It’s so much fun! If you don’t like the taste of beer, some of the halls serve wine mixed with sparkling water called “Weinschorle.” Or you can try a “radler” which is half beer, half sparkling lemonade. But you’ll at least have to give the Oktoberfest beer a try 🙂 We hope you make it to Germany and to Oktoberfest!
Thanks for the cost breakdown, it’s always good to know realistically how much everything around something like Oktoberfest is going to be because you always end up spending more than you had planned. Thanks for the great tips too, this will come in handy when I go 🙂
Wow! Thank you for putting so much time into putting all these info together. SO useful! Definitely book marking this. Oktoberfest isn’t so pricey anymore if you stick by your recommendations!
We are more than happy to share our findings! Yeah, we think it’s pretty amazing how easily you can save at Oktoberfest by making a few adjustments.
Awesome tips, I haven’t yet made it to Germany for Oktoberfest, but I have many friends who have, and they’ve spent a huge amount of money each time! So I’ll definitely be utilizing these tips for when I finally manage to make the trip myself. €11 for each beer does sound quite pricey, though you think that without realizing how huge the glasses are! So I agree that it’s pretty good value in the end.
Glad to know that you can experience Oktoberfest on a budget – it really is one of those bucketlist events!!
Thanks Meg! Yes, it’s so easy to overspend at Oktoberfest if you’re not careful. So glad to hear you’ll be utilizing some of these recommendations when you finally make it. See you there in 2016?
Yeah, we thought the €11 beers were quite pricey at first too but they’re so big and it only takes a few before you realize how slaphappy you are! 🙂
Really useful information. I know I am going to make it to Oktoberfest one day. I have heard so much about it, but this post really painted the complete picture. Love the budget tips, you can really save big time and enjoy more beers with the savings.
Thanks so much for dropping us a line to let us know! That’s the key – save more money on the other things to be able to enjoy more beer 😉 We hope you cross Oktoberfest off your bucket list soon and put some of these budgeting strategies to use!
Thanks for sharing! My brother and his girlfriend are heading to Oktoberfest this year, so I’ll forward this on to them.
Great! I hope that they find some of these tips to be helpful for their upcoming trip!
I love this post, very thorough and informative. You can do all this for cheap? THat pretzel and that beer and that whole oktoberfest experience. Wow! Definitely bookmarking this
Yes indeed! 🙂 Oktoberfest doesn’t have to be expensive. Those pretzels and beers are waiting for you in Munich. Come and get it!
330 Euros for Oktoberfest sounds like a steal. I don’t know why I never put it on my list but I’m considering it for next year.
Yeah, we always thought it would be cost prohibitive to go to Oktoberfest too until we realized all these budget-saving ways to go about it. Hope you do make it to Oktoberfest and put some of these tips to use. It’s so much fun! 🙂
Wow, that’s a ton of information! Perfect because we’re going to Oktoberfest this year for the first time. I’ve read through all of your recommendations and will be all ready to go for sure.
Awesome! Hope you have a fantastic Oktoberfest full of lots of beer, pretzel, and fun! Enjoy it to the fullest! Prost!