Oktoberfest with Friends: There and Back Again
The 2027 Wiesn opens on 18 September and closes on 3 October, on Munich's Theresienwiese. Whether you are a club, a hen or stag party or a few families together, a minibus with driver means nobody has to stay sober to drive home.
Why nobody drops you at the gate
Coaches may not park at the Theresienwiese or let passengers off in the streets beside it, and a wide restricted zone (Sperrbereich) surrounds the grounds with no visitor parking at all. Groups arriving by bus use the city's designated coach sites instead.
Last year's list named four: Busterminal Fröttmaning, Messegelände Riem, Tübinger Straße and the Viehhof. Nothing has been published for 2027 yet, so the year's arrangement is confirmed when you book, along with where a minibus can set your group down.
The last stretch by U-Bahn or on foot
The U4 and U5 stop at Theresienwiese itself, while Goetheplatz, Poccistraße and Schwanthalerhöhe are calmer stations close by. Walking from the Hauptbahnhof takes a quarter of an hour.
Agree the meeting point and time for the ride home before the first round. By evening batteries run low, friends drift between tents and the stations fill up, so a fixed plan saves a lot of searching.
When and where it happens
- Theresienwiese, Ludwigsvorstadt, München
- 18 September - 3 October 2027
Busy days and city rules
On the first weekend, the Wiesn landlords' entry parade and the big procession of traditional costume groups and marksmen close roads across the centre. At peak times barriers also shut Schwanthalerstraße west of the Theresienhöhe; in 2026 that was weekdays from 16:00 and Saturdays from 10:00.
Munich's low-emission zone covers the Mittlerer Ring and everything inside it, and diesel vehicles of Euro 4 or older may not drive there even with a green sticker. These rules are current and are checked before travel.
Questions travellers ask
How far is it from Munich airport?
The Theresienwiese lies 39 km from the airport by road; allow some 40 minutes when traffic is light. By train, the S1 and S8 take a similar time to the Hauptbahnhof.
Can the minibus wait near the tents?
No. There is no visitor parking at the grounds and the restricted zone keeps vehicles back. Your driver meets you again at the agreed place and time.
What size of vehicle suits our group?
A minibus seats about 9 to 16. For a club outing of 29 to 35, a midi coach keeps everyone together in one vehicle.