The best tip I can give you is go during the week. Sat. & Sun. is very crowded, hard to get a seat, etc. Reservations not necessary unless you have a larger group. Just get there before 2pm on a weekday, and you can squeeze a couple of people in no worries. The Munich public transport system is very modern, efficient, and somewhat easy to use. They have street trains (S-Bahn), buses, underground trains (U-Bahn), and taxi’s… I recommend staying near the city center or main train station (Hauptbahnhof), then you can easily walk to both the fest grounds, and city center shopping area, etc.

Yes, listen to Sunskin—he’s The Man, and I still have incriminating photos from O-fest 2000 to prove it!

Most of the americans and aussies go to the Hofbräu tent if you go on the weekend you have to be there at least 1 to 2 hours before hand (no res). The wait isnt bad the chants are going and people pre-gaming around you. I think i made it to noon inside be4 getting kicked out i was so shwasted. tons of good people to meet just dont stand on the tables or talk shit to the guards. The chicks everywhere are beautiful and wear the hottest oufits. have fun!!

Not sure why I didn’t think of this before. We are arriving by plane on September 20 around 10 AM. I figure once we get our bags and get to the fest, we will be too late to get a seat in one of the tents or even outside. Would there be any problem with just going to a local market and picking up some beers to drink while walking around the fest? Or do they restrict you to having the “sponsored” beers. I don’t want to waste the first day of the fest doing something else but for our group (6 of us) I can’t see us getting in and having a seat until the next days.

its a pretty open place everyone is drunk so no one cares. I would just go inside buy your beers there. See what the line looks like to get inside the tent they like to clear out the inside from the early crowd because people start to get to drunk and cause problems. Outside area im sure youll have a spot just move quick for a table order enough beers 4 everyone i think there like 8 eur for a liter. the city center isnt a bad way to go either…

You can purchase beers just about anywhere in Munchen, and people are walking all over the city with one in their hand! That is why I love it!