Oktoberfest 2017
Important information for visitors to the Munich Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest in Munich
It’s time again to get out your Tracht – Oktoberfest is upon us once again. Spanning over two weeks, the traditional Bavarian festivities offer something for the whole family. If you are planning to make the best of what the “Wiesn” has to offer, do your research beforehand, check out our travel advice for useful information and follow our new Brits in Germany Facebook page, which we will be posting useful information for all Brits visiting, living and working in Germany.
The first beer barrel will be tapped by the Mayor of Munich on 16 September. From late morning up until 22:30 each day the Oktoberfest will be open to visitors wishing to immerse themselves in Bavarian traditions. The festival ends on 3 October when organisers will almost immediately start taking reservations for next year.
Similar to last year, the Munich police have a security concept in place. When visiting the festival site, follow all advice given to you by the police or the authorities.
- a fence surrounds the festival area and entry and exit is only available through certain ‘gates’
- large rucksacks, large bags or heavy bags cannot be brought onto the site. Leave these in your hotel or hostel, best in a locked cupboard
- there will be security checks at each gate and police might check inside smaller bags
- those bags which have been checked will be tagged with a security check band
- all visitors arriving at the U-Bahn station ‘Theresienwiese’ will go through a security check
The majority of the visits to the Oktoberfest are trouble-free but consular officers from the British Consulate-General stand ready to offer assistance where it’s needed. We have been liaising with the local authorities to ensure that British visitors know how to access help in the event of an emergency. This year there is the Oktoberfest 7s Rugby tournament so there’s plenty to do in and around Munich!
You can make the most of your visit if you take some simple precautions and follow the advice of local authorities. You should:
- take out comprehensive travel insurance before travelling to Germany, even if you’re only going for a few days
- keep on your person a separate record of your passport details, preferably a photocopy of the details pages with the next of kin details, and the name, address and telephone number of your accommodation
- take care of your personal possessions at all times. Crowded areas such as the Oktoberfest can attract pick-pockets. Remember, large bags and rucksacks are not permitted
- and remember, the beer served during the event is much stronger than most beer served in the UK (typically around 6%) and the traditional Stein glass holds nearly two pints. So please bear in mind the consequences and risks of overindulging which can lead to accidents and difficulties with the local authorities
If you are visiting, have a good Oktoberfest 2017. For further information please visit the below websites and follow our updates on Twitter.
British Consulate-General, Munich
Get the latest consular information from our new Facebook site, Brits in Germany