Gemut.com rounds up everything you need to know for this year’s event.

Octoberfest

Apart from the A95 and the A96, all of the above motorways are connected to the A99, an almost complete circle around the city.

If coming by train, Oktoberfest is only a 10-minute walk or short taxi ride from Munich's main train station, Hauptbahnhof. Two S-Bahn lines depart every 10 minutes to take you from the airport to the city center in about 40 minutes.

Once at Oktoberfest, it's easy enough to get back to the train station or wherever else you're going in the city; there are six taxi stands on the edges of the Oktoberfest grounds and a horse-drawn cab station near the northwest corner.

For information on train times and tickets, see: http://www.bahn.de/p/view/international/englisch/international_guests.shtml

Accommodations
It can be hard to find a hotel room in Munich during Oktoberfest, but many hotels are still showing availability for early October. If you haven't booked already it's still possible to find a room; if that fails, sniff out hotels in nearby cities: Augsburg, Dachau, Freisling, and Erding are good bets. Check Gemut.com for hotel reviews, and then book online.

If you really want to stay in Munich, browse our list of recommended hotels first, then check for availability and make your reservation online.

The Tents
This is where the magic happens--and they're free to enter. Each of Munich's traditional breweries sponsors a tent where beer is served by the two-pint "mass" and brass bands play from noon onwards.

Those who have never tasted fresh beer will understand after their first frothy sip why beer-lovers from around the world come here to drink. The going price for a mass this year--a figure that's followed as closely as any stock or bond price-- is €7.3.

In the spirit of friendly competition, the breweries try to outdo each other with the quality and quantity of their food, music, beer, and in sheer spectacle. It's best to reserve a table, but if that's not possible show up early (before 2 p.m.), as there are always a few tables available on a first-come, first-served basis.

To check table the availability of each of this year's 14 tents look here: http://www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/tourist_office/oktobfest/126033/
oktoberfest_Festhallen.html#reservation.

The Hofbrau tent is the most popular with English-speaking tourists. It's good to know that each tent has its own atmosphere, often dictated by its choice of music, so a listen at the door can often tell a lot about the scene inside. Blasting techno doesn't attract families, and traditional slow waltzes aren't exactly what the youth of Germany are after.

For a summary on the mechanics of reserving a table, see our previous article: http://www.gemut.com/content/view/78/9/

For a good map of the Oktoberfest grounds--which includes a money exchange and a luggage drop-off for those who come straight from the airport--check here: http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/Oktoberfest/Programme_Opening/164058/Map2006.html

Beer is served Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Most tents close by 10:30 p.m., with food and amusements often open until midnight. Festival grounds close at 1:30 a.m. and open at 6 a.m.

Program Highlights
Grand entry of the Oktoberfest landlords and breweries
Saturday, Sept. 10:45-11:30 a.m.

The official kick-off event, this parade down Sonnenstraße-Schwanthalerstraße showcases the important families of Munich in decorated carriages, horse-drawn carts of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats, and all the beer tent bands.

Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen's Parade
Sunday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-noon

Always on the first Sunday of Oktoberfest, a succession of regional groups in costume, "troops" in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen, the decorated carts of the Munich breweries, floats with tableaus of typical local traditions, and historic carriages all pass by in a 7-km-long procession through the streets of the city center.

Open-Air Oktoberfest Music
Sunday, Sept. 30, starts at 11 a.m. (will be rescheduled to Sunday, Oct. 7 for inclement weather)

On the steps of the Bavaria statue, this is an open-air concert of all the Oktoberfest bands--400 musicians in total will perform.


Avoiding Trouble
The vast majority of revelers at Oktoberfest just want to share their love of all things German with visitors from around the world, but, as the night wears on young people who have been drinking all day can get rowdy.

Those who want a beer in a congenial but low-key atmosphere should plan to visit early and leave as night falls. If you want a taste of the nightlife at Oktoberfest sans drunkards, or "beer corpses" as they're known locally, consider going on a weeknight instead of the weekend.

Courtesy of the Munich city tourism office, here's a convenient print-and-save list of important phone numbers. Whether you have a question about taxi fares or you've lost your sunglasses, help is just a phone call away:
•    Oktoberfest Guidance: 089-2323900 or 089-50077500
•    Oktoberfest Police: 089-5003220
•    Oktoberfest Post Office: 089-50222356
•    Festival Management: 089-23330-091, -092 or –093
•    Lost Children: 089-2333096
•    Lost and Found: 089-23330298
•    The Red Cross: 089-50222222

Oktoberfest Links
•    Munich Oktoberfest site: http://www.muenchen.de/Tourismus/Oktoberfest/7548/index.html
•    Oktoberfest website: http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
•    History and background on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest