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Oktoberfest in Hannover

Paris, France
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1,241 posts
6 reviews
6 helpful votes
Oktoberfest in Hannover
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My brother and I will be in Hannover for 4 days while Oktoberfest is happening. Our plan is to go on Friday 9 October after we arrive from Hamburg and settle in our hotel.

Neither of us have ever been to an Oktoberfest in Germany and while I know this probably doesn't compare to the one in Munich, I'd like a better understanding of how it all works.

Do we pay a single admission that allows us to enter the area (like a theme park etc). Or do we pay separate admission to the carnival rides section and then to the other areas such as the beer tents?

Do we buy tickets for the rides and/or for food and drink?

What is the process for entering the beer/food tents - is there an admission, how do we order our food/drink? I want to make sure we follow whatever etiquette is proper, if there is such a thing.

Is food served in the beer tents or are there separate dining tents?

Do we need reservations for the beer/food tents?

We are staying right by the main train station and it looks like an easy ride on public transport to the location. However if we are tired at the end and want to take a taxi back to the hotel, will any be available and where?

Thanks as you can see I need a lot of information :-)

Karlsruhe, Germany
Destination Expert
for Baden-Wurttemberg, Baden-Wurttemberg
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12,859 posts
1. Re: Oktoberfest in Hannover
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There is only one real Oktoberfest in Germany - the one in Munich. All others are fake copies with no local tradition. You could just as well attend one in the USA...

There is no admission fee. You pay each ride, drink, food etc. separately.

Looks like you get a 10% discount on the rides if you present a public transport ticket.

Food is served in the beer tents, of which there seem to be just two.

There are phone numbers for table reservations for the tents in the program: http://www.oktoberfest-hannover.de/?page_id=1871 (scroll down). To me this looks as if they reserve complete tables not individual seats. I don't think two people need reservations anyway. Friday night is likely to be busy, though.

Paris, France
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1,241 posts
6 reviews
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2. Re: Oktoberfest in Hannover
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Thanks for the info. I know it's not the real thing but we are there, so why not?

We will probably go over there late afternoon, early evening to check out the rides before any food or beer. I know there are fireworks on Friday night and it is the last weekend but hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in at a table and have some fun.

Hannover, Germany
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260 posts
30 reviews
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3. Re: Oktoberfest in Hannover
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The question is what you want really. Do you want to explore the local sights and culture or the pseudo-local ones? ;)

You wouldn't want to eat Jambalaya in NY and hope it's authentic I guess.

I'd recommend walking around the (few) historic buildings in the city, visit the town hall and then maybe go to Oktoberfest. There is the red thread running through Hannover guiding you to many sights http://www.hannover.de/en/Welcome-to-Hannover/Tourism-Culture/Places-of-Interest-City-Tours/City-tours/The-%22Red-Thread%22-Hannover

NEWTOWNARDS, N...
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1,134 posts
11 reviews
8 helpful votes
4. Re: Oktoberfest in Hannover
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I have read the previous posts re: the beer festivals in Germany (and I would actually put the one in Stuttgart head and shoulders above Munich as it has much more tradition and is attended by mostly locals rather than hoards of Americans, Brits, Aussies, Canucks etc - I have been to both several times) however I am struggling to find the date of the one in Hannover in 2016.

I know it normally runs from late September to early October but does anyone know the EXACT starting and finishing dates this year?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

5. Re: Oktoberfest in Hannover

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