Entry on a Saturday
This is how the entry to the Oktoberfest works on Saturdays.
When Oktoberfest first-timers complain that they have not found seats during their visit to the Oktoberfest and that they have not even entered a tent because they were all closed due to overcrowding, one can assume that this failed Oktoberfest visit took place on a Saturday. Due to the large crowds, we always recommend avoiding Saturdays if possible. However, if you read this, it’s probably already too late for that. It's still important to note that this only applies to Saturdays. Queuing up on any other weekday is pointless.
Since 2016, Saturdays Start With a Morning Run
Due to the large crowd and the associated tent closings, tens of thousands of people stand outside the gates of the festival grounds on Saturdays until they open at 9 am to ensure they get seats. The Munich administration created this difficult-to-control entry situation with the introduction of the bag ban in 2016 and the associated closure of the festival grounds until 9 am.
The security service has done a better job regulating the admission since 2022. However, we would nonetheless like to prepare all those who consider it a good idea to stand in front of the entrances on a Saturday morning.
The queues can stretch around the entire grounds, from one entrance to the next. The biggest crowd is expected at the two northern entrances, the main entrance and Schaustellerstraße, and the least in the south at Oide Wiesn and at Familienplatz at Beethovenstraße. You can get an impression of the situation at Esperantoplatz in this video.
Different Entrances, Different Procedures
We’ve seen something similar in the past at the two entrances to the left and right of the Bavaria statue. As a rule, most visitors will take their starting positions at the entrance closest to the tent they’re heading for. After all, once access is granted, the goal is to successfully participate in the new Munich Fun Run. However, since the entrances have often opened a few minutes apart in the past, it’s hard to be sure that you’ve actually found the most convenient entrance.
A new change for 2026 is that the entrances at the Bavaria statue are supposed to open 15 minutes later to avoid the downhill run, which can lead to injuries. Right at the start, however, the opening of the main entrance was delayed so long that people actually reached the festival grounds much sooner via the Bavaria statue.
Our recommendation
So we can only recommend the following: It’s generally not worth arriving well before 9:00 a.m. By 8:00 a.m. at the latest, the lines at the Oide Wiesn and Esperantoplatz are quite manageable. In the worst-case scenario—as the opening Saturday in 2026 showed once again—the entrance, where people have been waiting in line since the night before, opens 20 minutes late, and the advantage is lost. It also makes no sense to join the long lines at the main entrance.
In comparison, using the entrance at the Oide Wiesn (P10) makes much more sense, despite the greater distance, thanks to the smaller crowds. However, word of this insider tip has since spread, and there are now larger groups of people lining up there as well. This is especially true since the entrances at the Bavaria will open later in 2026, leading many to prefer lining up at the Oide Wiesn.
If you want a better chance of getting a seat, it’s best to skip the Schottenhamel, Hackerzelt, and Schützenzelt—and, due to the high number of tourists in the Volkslauf, the Hofbräuzelt as well. The Armbrustschützenzelt and the Fischer-Vroni, on the other hand, seem to be overlooked by many first thing in the morning. In 2025, we also advised against targeting Schützenzelt because it no longer had unreserved tables. This has changed in 2026. Despite everything, we wish you a wonderful Oktoberfest Saturday.