Oktoberfest 2026 runs from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October — the 191st edition of the world's largest folk festival, held on the Theresienwiese in Munich. Entry to the grounds is free, but almost everything else about Oktoberfest works a little differently to a typical festival. The one rule that catches people out more than any other: you cannot get a beer in the tents unless you have a seat.

Here's what you actually need to know before you go: the dates, what things cost, how to land a table, and how to stay in touch with your group once you're standing in a 43-foot-high tent that's too loud to hear your phone ring.

When is Oktoberfest 2026?

The festival runs for 16 days, from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October 2026.

It officially opens at 12 noon on 19 September, when Munich's Lord Mayor, Dominik Krause, taps the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent and declares "O'zapft is!" No beer is served anywhere on the grounds until that moment.

Daily opening hours run to a fairly consistent pattern. Monday to Friday, tents open at 10am, with last beer served at 10.30pm and doors closing at 11.30pm. Saturdays and Sundays follow the same last-orders and closing times, but tents open an hour earlier, at 9am. Opening day itself is the exception: doors open at 9am as usual, but no beer flows until the tapping ceremony at noon. A couple of tents — Käfer Wiesn-Schänke and Kufflers Weinzelt — stay open later than the rest, until 1am, with last drinks at 12.30am.

Where is it, and how do UK visitors get there?

Oktoberfest takes place at Theresienwiese, a 34.5-hectare fairground close to Munich's main train station. There are direct flights to Munich from several UK airports, including London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, City), Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

Once you land, the easiest way to reach the grounds is Munich's public transport network, the MVV. A day ticket covers trains, trams and buses, and drops you within walking distance of the entrances — driving or parking near Theresienwiese during the festival isn't realistic.

Do UK visitors need a visa or travel authorisation?

Short answer: not yet, but check again closer to your trip.

UK passport holders don't currently need a visa for short stays in Germany. However, the EU's new entry system, ETIAS, is expected to launch sometime in late 2026 and will apply to UK travellers, since Britain isn't in the EU or Schengen area. As of now, there's no confirmed exact launch date — so it's entirely possible ETIAS could come into effect either before or after your Oktoberfest trip, depending on when you're travelling within the festival's 19 September–4 October window.

What to do: check the EU's official ETIAS information page a few weeks before you fly, since this is a live, moving target rather than a settled rule.

What does Oktoberfest actually cost?

Entry to the grounds and tents is free, but budget for everything else. A litre of beer (a Maß) runs around €14–16 in the main tents, depending on which one you're in. Food typically costs €12–35 for a meal, with classic dishes like Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) sitting toward the higher end.

Accommodation is where costs really climb: hotels and rentals in Munich typically run €300–700+ per night during the festival, and book out months in advance. Table reservations add another layer — many tents require a minimum group size, often 10 people, plus a prepaid food and drink voucher package, usually €30–80 per person.

If you're travelling from the UK, check a live GBP/EUR conversion close to your trip rather than budgeting off today's rate, since it will move.

Staying connected in Munich

Between the crowds, the noise inside the tents, and simply trying to find your group again after a bathroom queue, phone signal becomes something you actually rely on rather than take for granted.

UK mobile contracts no longer include free EU roaming the way they did before Brexit. Some UK networks still offer inclusive EU roaming as a plan perk, but many now charge daily or per-GB roaming fees, and it's easy to come home to an unwelcome bill after a 16-day festival trip. On top of that, Munich's mobile networks get properly congested near the Theresienwiese during peak Oktoberfest hours, so even a working roaming plan can mean slow or dropped data right when you need to find your tent or text your group.

Setting up a Germany eSIM before you fly means you land with local data ready to go — useful for maps, translating a menu, or getting a message through when a tent's too loud for a call. Our Germany eSIM plan is built for exactly this: local coverage, simple activation before you even board.

How to actually get a seat in a tent

Tents won't serve you beer if you're not seated, and during peak times, they close their doors once full — regardless of whether you've booked a table somewhere else on the grounds.

There are two ways to handle it. The first is booking a table in advance: most tents take reservations directly through their own websites, often opening as early as the November or December before the festival, and usually requiring a minimum group of around 10 people plus prepaid vouchers. The second is arriving early and walking in — tents do hold back unreserved tables, but people start queuing from as early as 8am, especially at weekends. Choosing a weekday over a Friday or Saturday makes a real difference to your odds.

Munich's own "How to Wiesn" advice for visitors backs this up: the festival is calmest on weekdays, and if the main tents are queued out, both Schaustellerstraße (the fairground ride area) and the Oide Wiesn (the smaller, nostalgic "old Oktoberfest" section) are good alternatives with shorter waits.

What to wear

Traditional Bavarian dress — Lederhosen for men, Dirndl for women — is a big part of the atmosphere, and plenty of visitors buy or hire an outfit for the occasion. That said, nobody expects it of you as a visitor. Comfortable clothes and shoes you don't mind standing in for hours matter more than getting the traditional look exactly right.

What to eat and drink

Only beer brewed within Munich's city limits by six breweries — Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten, Hofbräu, Hacker-Pschorr and Löwenbräu — can legally be served at Oktoberfest. The signature style is Märzen, a malty, amber lager traditionally brewed in March and stored for the autumn festival.

On the food side, look out for Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle, the festival's signature dish), classic Wurst served a dozen different ways, Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a skewer, a good option if you want something other than pork), and the enormous salted soft pretzel, or Brezn, that's practically a festival mascot in its own right.

First-timer tips

Go on a weekday if you can — weekends see significantly longer queues for tents, food, and toilets alike.

The Lost and Found office has moved for 2026, now based at the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum on Theresienhöhe, a short walk from the grounds and open daily 1pm–8pm. If you lose something in a tent or on a ride, items typically aren't handed in until the following day, so there's no need to rush over immediately.

There's more than one entrance, too. Crowding tends to build up at the main entrance nearest the train station, so using a quieter one can save real time. And keep Family Days (Tuesdays during the festival) in mind even if you're not travelling with children — reduced ride prices change the crowd mix on those days.

FAQ

Is Oktoberfest 2026 free to attend?

Yes — entry to the grounds, tents, and general festival area is completely free. You only pay for food, drink, and fairground rides.

Do UK citizens need a visa for Oktoberfest 2026?

Not currently, but the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation system for UK visitors is expected to launch sometime in late 2026, with no confirmed exact date yet. Check the official EU ETIAS page shortly before you travel to see whether it applies to your specific dates.

How much does a beer cost at Oktoberfest?

Expect to pay around €14–16 for a litre (Maß) in the main tents, with prices varying slightly by tent and brewery.

Will my UK phone work at Oktoberfest?

It should connect, but UK contracts often no longer include free EU roaming post-Brexit, and networks around the Theresienwiese get congested during peak hours. A Germany eSIM set up before you fly avoids both issues.

What's the best day to avoid the crowds?

Weekdays, and outside the opening weekend, are significantly quieter than Fridays and Saturdays. If tents are full, Schaustellerstraße and the Oide Wiesn are good lower-crowd alternatives.