Reserving tables at the Oktoberfest

I don't believe it! I received a knockback from the Hacker tent for this year's Oktoberfest (2003) - yes, in early April already!!

I sent off the request end of February to reserve 5 tables for each of the Saturdays and today I received the sad fax advising that it was not to be.

I called each of the tents at the start of April and there are no more tables (not even single ones) available at any of the Festzelts aside from a lunch seating (noon until 4 I think) at Hippodrom and one or two at Hofbräu. Pretty slim pickings...

Group of UK lads visiting Oktoberfest 1st Oct to 4th Oct and need to know how easy it is to get into tents. Can anybody offer secrets?

Steve - get there early. You'll have no trouble getting into tents until lunchtime on any day. During the week it's a little easier, and you can find seating until the early afternoon. However, the earlier you go, the greater the chance of getting decent seating - especially if you are a large group. You need to get seating, because if you aren't seated, you don't get served. Make sure you sit in the unreserved section, otherwise you will be kicked off your table in the afternoon.

Also, try to get a seat near the toilets - they are only in one corner and walking across a very crowded tent to go to the pisser once you've sunk those 5 mass and have to go regularly is not much fun.

Once the tents are full and shut, they usually don't allow anyone else in for the rest of the night - on the odd occasion they may reopen - especially on a Sunday, when people go early, but leave early because they have to work the next day. But don't hold your breath. Queuing is pretty pointless. Best off to go to the pub and try again the next day, or ride the dodgems, or that ride that Hoddy fell off last year.

Beg to differ slightly on that one. Last year we went down at 1030am on the first weekend and only managed to get a seat outside. We even split up and sent people to different tents to see if we could all get in but to no avail. If there are only a few of you it is fine but the earlier you are there the better. The waitress told us that people started arriving at around 0930am and sat and ate there McDs breakfasts whilst waiting for the bier to flow. My German mates have heard that bookings are down slighly this year so things might be easier.

Watch out for the 3rd of October though as it is a German holiday and could be really busy.

Glad to say that since writing the original post back in April I have manged to get 50 tickets for the first Sunday in the Hacker Tent- result !!!

I am also told that some doormen can be swayed by a well-placed €50 note. expensive, but not as bad as losing face to 10 of your mates who have flown across from brisbane, aberdeen or amarillo, TX for the occasion

cheerio
J

I was thinking of reserving a table for a day or 2 of the 2004 Oktoberfest. I know you have to get in really early (like about now, i.e. January) to do it. Does anyone know the process involved?

For reservations at my personal favourite, Schottenhammel, have a looksee at the following link:-

Schottenhamel Tent Reservations

Reserving a table at the o-fest can be an adventure. For one thing by April it's already kinda late to reserve. The weekends get booked up to a year in advance. I'm pretty sure that there is an obligatory amount of beers and chickens to be purchased in order to guarantee the reservation. It's best to check out the official website www.oktoberfest.de. A few of the less touristy tents I prefer are the Schützenzelt, Hippodrom, Käfer, Nymphenburger... Good Luck!

i just reserved may tables this week (mid April)

they only had sunday afternoon, sunday evening and monday evening left.
if you book now you'll get a table for a saturday in 2006.

but it's much better to reserve than to try to find space for 16 people, i mean "schackletons high seat chair" an ' all that but we spent 90 mins last year trying to find bum space for three people, valuable drinking time wasted!!!

g

Käfer has a cover charge of 50€ a head for weekends and evenings (25€ any other time - all of the bookings have a sort of cover charge, usually 2 Mass and half a chicken paid towards the end of June when the beer price is announced). It is the only tent with late opening and is the Wies'n home of the Schickeria though, so it may well be full already.
Remember that you will have to book in blocks of 10 so it is sometimes a good idea to either buy space from someone else - which is what I've done (middle Sat in Fischer Vroni, thank you that man!) or to share a block application with someone you know.
Hippodrom is the most traditional tent in my opinion.
Katrina

All tents are open and free for entry for everyone, provided they haven't been shut due to overcrowding. On popular days (weekends, public holidays) you should get there well before noon, during the week you'll still usually get your pick of tents until into the afternoon.

Also there are plenty of tables outside (to the side of) each tent which have a completely different atmosphere (literally and figuratively) from inside. Not much use if it’s raining though, when the tents themselves will get full even more quickly. Standing in an aisle to drink is frowned upon, so the need to get a seat is really paramount, but no panic, everyone but celebrities has the same problem.

If you want to go on any rides then do it earlier rather than later because if you leave once a tent has shut for the night it’s not easy to get back in. Opening hours are 11 to 11 but prepare to be chucked out well before time. You must be OUT by 11 p.m.

By July I doubt you can get a reservation still, unless someone has connections.

no chance of a reservation, but you can meet up super early and you can take the free tables...