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In this guide14 sections
- The short answer
- Oktoberfest 2027: dates, hours and tables
- Getting to the Theresienwiese, and what the transport operator says
- Munich’s hotel tax: 7% VAT, and no city tax
- Theresienwiese, Westend and Ludwigsvorstadt: the grounds on foot
- Altstadt: sights, and a short trip to the tents
- Schwabing: quieter streets and the airport bus
- Haidhausen: a residential base on the S-Bahn
- Augsburg: a calmer base outside the city
- Getting in from the airport
- How to book Munich for Oktoberfest
- All 12 at a glance
- Before you go
- Frequently asked questions
Munich’s hotel bill has an unusual feature for a big European city: no city tax. The city council voted in March 2023 for a 5% levy on room prices, but Bavarian law forbids it, and the courts have so far upheld the ban. What you pay on top of the room rate is German VAT, 7% on the room itself. The real cost of Oktoberfest week is timing, because the best rooms near the grounds go first and at least one hotel group was already selling 2027 festival rooms in autumn 2026.
This guide covers five areas, from the streets beside the Theresienwiese to a calmer base in Augsburg, 12 hotels, the dates and tent rules the city publishes, and how to reach the grounds. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.
The short answer
| If you want… | Stay in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| to walk to the grounds | Theresienwiese, Westend and Ludwigsvorstadt | Four hotels within a short walk, one of them about three minutes away by its own account |
| sights and a short walk to Marienplatz after the tents | Altstadt | Four hotels in the old centre, from a historic inn to two splurge addresses |
| quieter streets and the airport bus | Schwabing | Two hotels on Leopoldstraße, with a bus stop outside one of them |
| a residential base with an S-Bahn line to the centre | Haidhausen | One boutique hotel, four S-Bahn stops from Marienplatz by its own account |
| a calmer evening away from the crowds | Augsburg | A five-star hotel 25 minutes by direct train from Munich Hauptbahnhof |
Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.
Oktoberfest 2027: dates, hours and tables
The official Oktoberfest site says the 192nd Oktoberfest will take place from 18 September to 3 October 2027 on the Theresienwiese, so it opens on a Saturday and ends on a Sunday. Its opening-times page says the tents open at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday, non-alcoholic drinks are served from 10 a.m., and at 12 noon it is “O’zapft is” and the tapping begins. Cocoon, a hotel group, describes the pattern as the Saturday after 15 September to the first Sunday in October, but not before 3 October; that is the hotel’s wording, not the city’s.
The same page lists the festival site’s hours: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 9 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. In the large beer tents it says the last beer and the music are at 10.30 p.m. The page also mentions the 2026 festival in places, so confirm the 2027 times nearer the date.
What the official site says about tent tables:
- You do not have to reserve. Entry to the beer tents is free of charge, and a quarter of the seats in the big tents may not be reserved. At weekends and on public holidays, 40 percent of seats are exempt until 3 p.m., then 25 percent.
- Reservations go through each tent. The site says there is no central booking desk, and reservations are made with the tent’s host.
- Timing. For most beer tents the reservation option for 2027 will be activated by spring, at the latest in April or May.
- Cost. The reservation itself is free of charge, but you must buy vouchers in advance, which the site says are tokens for items such as two litres of beer and half a chicken per person.
- Crowds. The site warns that in the evenings and at weekends a tent can close because it is full.
Getting to the Theresienwiese, and what the transport operator says
The city’s site says there are no designated parking spaces for cars anywhere in the Oktoberfest area, and cars parked in prohibited areas may be towed, so plan to arrive by public transport or on foot. The MVG, the city’s transport operator and the festival’s official mobility partner, published its advice for the 2026 festival in a press release of 9 September 2026. We have not found the 2027 version, so treat the points below as last year’s advice.
- The U4 and U5. These stop at Theresienwiese, the most direct station, and the release says the U-Bahn is sometimes overloaded and a platform may be closed briefly. It advises passengers on the U4 and U5 coming from the west to get off at Schwanthalerhöhe and walk to the grounds.
- The U3 and U6. The MVG asks visitors to use these, because Goetheplatz and Poccistraße are only a few minutes’ walk from the grounds and the lines are usually less busy than the U4 and U5.
- On foot from the Hauptbahnhof. The MVG says the walk via Hermann-Lingg-Straße is signposted and takes just under 15 minutes, and that on a crowded night it can be the calmer and sometimes faster option.
- Trams and buses. The release names trams 16 and 17 to Hackerbrücke, 18 and 19 to Holzapfelstraße and Hermann-Lingg-Straße, and 20 and 21 to the Hauptbahnhof stops.
- Going home. The release says there is a direct route from the grounds to the Theresienwiese U-Bahn station.
We found no published one-way arrangement for individual stations, so check the MVG planner for your weekend.
Munich’s hotel tax: 7% VAT, and no city tax
| Charge | Rate |
|---|---|
| VAT on the room | 7%, the reduced rate for short-term lodging |
| VAT on breakfast and other extras | 19%, the standard rate |
| City or overnight tax | None in force |
The German VAT law sets a reduced rate of 7% for letting rooms to guests for a short stay, and says that rate does not apply to services that do not directly serve the letting, even if the room price covers them. Our arithmetic: on a room that costs €200 including 7% VAT, the VAT is €13.08 (200 × 7 ÷ 107). A rate that includes breakfast is split across two rates, so look at the invoice, not the headline price.
The city council decided in March 2023 on a 5% overnight tax, but the Bavarian Municipal Taxes Act says a municipality may not levy an Übernachtungsteuer. On 14 November 2025 the Bavarian Constitutional Court rejected the challenge by Munich and two other cities. On 26 February 2026 the city said its mayor and treasurer would propose a complaint to the Federal Constitutional Court. That court’s list of new cases for 2026 includes a municipal complaint against the Bavarian ban, but the list does not name the complainant, and we found no ruling. We found no tax in force in Munich, so none is added to the room rates here.
Theresienwiese, Westend and Ludwigsvorstadt: the grounds on foot
This is the area to pick if the walk home matters more than the sights. Cocoon’s Theresienwiese hotel is in Westend, Hotel Uhland and Hotel Mariandl are in Ludwigsvorstadt, and Cocoon’s Hauptbahnhof hotel is also in Ludwigsvorstadt, a short walk from the station. The trade-off is noise and crowds on your doorstep: Mariandl’s own page warns that during Oktoberfest the party runs every night and the street is louder than usual.
Where to stay in Theresienwiese, Westend and Ludwigsvorstadt
How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
- Cocoon Munich Theresienwiese, comfortable. At Theresienhöhe 40. Cocoon says it is about a three-minute walk to the grounds, and its page describes rooms and apartments with kitchenettes and a rooftop bar with a view of the Bavaria statue. Choose it for the shortest walk to the tents. Watch out: Cocoon said its 2027 festival rooms were available only on its own website from 19 October to 15 November 2026, so the first booking window may already have passed. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Hotel Uhland, comfortable. A listed 1889 building that the hotel describes as right next to the Theresienwiese and within walking distance of the old town and the main railway station. It calls itself an Art Nouveau boutique hotel. Choose it for a historic building beside the grounds. Watch out: its page gives no festival minimum stay or festival rate, so ask before you book. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Hotel Mariandl, good value. At Goethestraße 51, which the hotel puts 500 metres from the Oktoberfest. Its rooms keep their parquet floors, stucco ceilings and chandeliers, most have a private bathroom, and the few that do not are cheaper. Choose it for the lowest price near the grounds. Watch out: the hotel warns that the neighbourhood is louder than usual during the festival, and a room without a bathroom means a shared one. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Cocoon Munich Hauptbahnhof, comfortable. At Mittererstraße 9, which Cocoon puts three minutes from the station’s south exit on Bayerstraße and about ten minutes’ walk from the grounds. The rooms have alpine styling and the hotel has an Almbar. Choose it for arriving by train and walking. Watch out: Cocoon puts it about ten minutes’ walk from the grounds, against about three for its Theresienwiese hotel. Check rates on Booking.com →
Altstadt: sights, and a short trip to the tents
The Altstadt is the old centre, around Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt, and it suits a trip where the festival is one part of the week. It is not beside the Theresienwiese, and none of these four hotels publishes a walking time to the grounds, so plan the journey with the MVG planner, bearing in mind the advice above on trams and the U3 and U6.
Where to stay in the Altstadt
- Hotel Torbräu, comfortable. At Tal 41, a four-star hotel that calls itself the oldest hotel in the heart of Munich. Its room types run from Basic Einzel to Suite, and it has the Klimt-Bar. Choose it for a long-established hotel in the old town. Watch out: its site does not mention Oktoberfest minimum stays or rates, so ask. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Hotel Blauer Bock, comfortable. At Sebastiansplatz 9, a few steps from the Viktualienmarkt and Marienplatz. The hotel says its house combines more than 400 years of history with modern comfort, breakfast and Wi-Fi are included, and many rooms look onto the old town or a quiet courtyard. Choose it for a boutique base among the market stalls. Watch out: its page publishes no festival terms. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Mandarin Oriental, Munich, splurge. At Neuturmstrasse 1, which the hotel describes as just moments from Maximilianstrasse and Marienplatz. Valet parking is available for guests. Choose it for the grand option in the old town. Watch out: its page does not mention Oktoberfest, so confirm dates and terms. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Hotel Bayerischer Hof, splurge. In the historic centre, with 337 rooms and 74 suites, five restaurants and six bars, and its own cinema and boulevard theatre. Choose it for a large hotel with many facilities in one building. Watch out: its site does not publish Oktoberfest terms. Check rates on Booking.com →
Schwabing: quieter streets and the airport bus
Schwabing is the university and café district north of the centre. Its hotels are further from the Theresienwiese, but they sit on the Lufthansa Express Bus route from the airport, and Flemings says the English Garden is about a ten-minute walk. Flemings names Münchner Freiheit (U3/U6) as about ten minutes away on foot, and the MVG asks festival visitors to use the U3 and U6; confirm your route in the MVG planner.
Where to stay in Schwabing
- Hotel Leopold, budget. At Leopoldstraße 119, a traditional house with breakfast included in every booking and parking at €8 a night or €10 in the garage. Choose it for the lowest price on this list that includes breakfast. Watch out: check-in runs from 15:00 to 23:30 and the hotel says arriving after 23:30 is no longer possible, which matters after a tent night. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Flemings Hotel München-Schwabing, comfortable. On Leopoldstraße, with a bus and tram stop directly in front and a garage with 36 spaces. Its rooms have a modern design with orange accents. Choose it for a bus and tram stop at the door. Watch out: it is a ten-minute walk from the nearest U-Bahn station by the hotel’s own figure. Check rates on Booking.com →
Haidhausen: a residential base on the S-Bahn
Haidhausen lies east of the Isar and is known as Munich’s artists’ quarter. The hotel below says the S-Bahn takes four stops (Ostbahnhof, Rosenheimer Platz, Isartor, Marienplatz) to reach Marienplatz in under ten minutes.
Where to stay in Haidhausen
- MOMA1890 Boutique Hotel, comfortable. A hotel owned by two brothers, with 51 individually designed rooms, fresh breakfast and free fast Wi-Fi. It says it is less than three kilometres from Marienplatz. Choose it for a design hotel away from the festival crowds. Watch out: it has no published walking time to the grounds, and you will change at the centre or take a tram or bus. Check rates on Booking.com →
Augsburg: a calmer base outside the city
Augsburg is the calm alternative. Deutsche Bahn’s timetable page for 10 November 2026, a sample day, shows direct ICE trains from München Hbf to Augsburg Hbf in as little as 25 minutes, with about 68 connections a day, and ICE fares from €17.98 on that day. For Oktoberfest, the trade-off is the last train home: check it before you commit.
Where to stay in Augsburg
- Hotel Maximilian’s, splurge. A five-star superior hotel in the centre of Augsburg with a rooftop pool heated all year, a spa, valet parking and a garage with charging for electric cars. Choose it for a quiet night after the festival, with a train ride between. Watch out: the hotel’s page gives no walking time to Augsburg Hbf, and Oktoberfest nights end late. Check rates on Booking.com →
Getting in from the airport
- S-Bahn (S1 and S8). Munich Airport says the trip to the main station takes about 40 minutes, and that the S1 and S8 run alternately, so there is a 10-minute interval. The S8 runs around the clock, with a train every 40 minutes from about 1 a.m. to 4 a.m.
- Day ticket. The MVV’s Airport-City-Day-Ticket covers unlimited journeys between the airport and the city centre on one day, for one person or a group of up to five, from €17.50. We did not confirm a single-fare price, so check the MVV fare finder if you only need one trip.
- Lufthansa Express Bus. It runs every 20 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof via Munich North (Schwabing) to the airport. The airport gives the journey as 45 minutes from the Hauptbahnhof and 25 minutes from Schwabing. An adult single is €12.50 online and €13.50 from the driver.
- From Augsburg. See the Augsburg section above for the DB sample times.
How to book Munich for Oktoberfest
- Book early, and watch the first window. Cocoon’s page says that from 19 October to 15 November 2026 its Oktoberfest rooms are available only on its own site, and that after that it opens the rooms for the official start of sales. Other hotels set their own dates, so ask each one.
- Count the tax. Munich has no city tax in force, and the 7% VAT is normally in the quoted price. Compare the total, with breakfast, at the payment step.
- Read cancellation terms and minimum stays. None of the 12 hotels here publishes an Oktoberfest minimum stay that we found, so ask in writing.
- Do not let a tent table decide where you sleep. Each tent sets its own booking date, and although the reservation is free, the vouchers are paid in advance.
- Compare totals. Our hotel booking sites compared and direct booking versus online travel agents cover where to book, and hotel taxes around the world sets Munich beside other cities.
All 12 at a glance
| Hotel | Area | Tier | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoon Munich Theresienwiese | Westend | Comfortable | The shortest walk to the tents | Early sales window |
| Hotel Uhland | Ludwigsvorstadt | Comfortable | A historic building by the grounds | No festival terms published |
| Hotel Mariandl | Ludwigsvorstadt | Good value | The lowest price near the grounds | Louder than usual in festival weeks |
| Cocoon Munich Hauptbahnhof | Ludwigsvorstadt | Comfortable | Arriving by train, then walking | Ten minutes’ walk to the grounds |
| Hotel Torbräu | Altstadt | Comfortable | An old-town hotel with long history | No festival terms published |
| Hotel Blauer Bock | Altstadt | Comfortable | Boutique base by the Viktualienmarkt | No festival terms published |
| Mandarin Oriental, Munich | Altstadt | Splurge | The grand option in the old town | No festival terms published |
| Hotel Bayerischer Hof | Altstadt | Splurge | A large hotel with many facilities | No festival terms published |
| Hotel Leopold | Schwabing | Budget | A low price with breakfast included | No arrival after 23:30 |
| Flemings Hotel München-Schwabing | Schwabing | Comfortable | A bus and tram stop at the door | Ten minutes to the nearest U-Bahn |
| MOMA1890 Boutique Hotel | Haidhausen | Comfortable | A design hotel on the S-Bahn | No walk to the grounds |
| Hotel Maximilian’s | Augsburg | Splurge | A quiet night out of town | The last train home |
Before you go
- Sort your data and cover. See the best eSIM for Europe (check that Germany is included) and the best travel insurance.
- More of Germany. For another German city, see where to stay in Berlin, and for a winter trip, where to stay in Cologne for the Christmas markets or where to stay in Nuremberg for the Christmas market.
Frequently asked questions
When is Oktoberfest in 2027?
The City of Munich's official site says the 192nd Oktoberfest takes place from 18 September to 3 October 2027 on the Theresienwiese. Its opening-times page says the tents open at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday and the tapping begins at 12 noon. The festival site is open Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 9 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.
Do I need to reserve a table in an Oktoberfest tent?
No. The official site says entry to the beer tents is free of charge, and a quarter of the seats in the big tents may not be reserved. There is no central reservation centre, so tables are reserved with each tent, and for most tents the 2027 reservation option will be activated by spring, at the latest in April or May. The reservation is free, but you must buy vouchers in advance.
Does Munich have a hotel tax?
We found no city tax in force in Munich. The city council decided on a 5% overnight tax in March 2023, but the Bavarian Municipal Taxes Act says a municipality may not levy an Übernachtungsteuer, and the Bavarian Constitutional Court rejected the challenge by Munich and two other cities on 14 November 2025. In February 2026 the city said it would propose a complaint to the Federal Constitutional Court, and we found no ruling.
How much VAT is added to a Munich hotel room?
German VAT on a short-term room let is the reduced rate of 7%, while breakfast and other extras that do not directly serve the letting fall under the standard 19% rate. Our arithmetic: on a room that costs €200 including 7% VAT, the VAT is €13.08. Look at the invoice if breakfast is included.
How do I get to the Theresienwiese?
The city's site says there are no designated parking spaces for cars in the Oktoberfest area. The MVG's advice for the 2026 festival, the latest we found, said the U4 and U5 stop at Theresienwiese but can be overloaded, asked visitors to use the U3 and U6 to Goetheplatz and Poccistraße, and said the walk from the Hauptbahnhof takes just under 15 minutes. The 2027 advice had not been published when we checked.
Where is the best place to stay for Oktoberfest?
For the shortest walk, stay in Theresienwiese, Westend or Ludwigsvorstadt; Cocoon says its Theresienwiese hotel is about a three-minute walk from the grounds. The Altstadt suits sightseeing, Schwabing is quieter and on the airport bus route, Haidhausen is a residential base on the S-Bahn, and Augsburg is 25 minutes from Munich by the fastest direct train on Deutsche Bahn's sample day. Book early: Cocoon said its 2027 festival rooms were available only on its own website from 19 October to 15 November 2026.
Sources & further reading
- Oktoberfest.de: the official site of the City of Munich
- Oktoberfest.de: opening hours
- Oktoberfest.de: beer tent opening times
- Oktoberfest.de: booking a table
- Oktoberfest.de: getting there
- SWM and MVG: Oktoberfest 2026, how to reach the festival, 9 September 2026
- Bavarian Municipal Taxes Act (KAG)
- Bavarian Constitutional Court, decision Vf. 3-VII-23, 14 November 2025
- City of Munich, Rathaus Umschau 39/2026, 26 February 2026
- Federal Constitutional Court: selected new cases
- German VAT Act, section 12
- Munich Airport: bus and train connections
- Lufthansa Express Bus Munich
- MVV: ticket and price guide
- Deutsche Bahn: München Hbf to Augsburg Hbf
- Cocoon Hotels: Oktoberfest 2027
- Official websites of each hotel named above, checked in November 2026
Dates, rules, rates and hotel terms change, and the city had not published 2027 transport advice when we checked; where we describe last year’s arrangements we say so. Every hotel detail here was checked in November 2026; confirm minimum stays, rates and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.
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