Weekend Trip to Austria and Oktoberfest

Celebrating Oktoberfest is a hallmark of the fall semester study abroad experience and a fun opportunity to reunite with friends. Here’s the itinerary my college friends and I followed to visit Austria and spend a Friday at Oktoberfest.

Day 1: Vienna and Salzburg

Early Thursday morning, I took the bus from Granada to Malaga, then flew to Vienna. I spent the day exploring the Austrian National Library, Habsburg Palace, and the abundant Austrian pastry shops. Later, a friend and I took the ÖBB train to Salzburg, which was the perfect time of day to gaze out the window. Softening pink skies illuminated the misty Austrian landscape, dotted with pastel-painted cottages, as we sailed through the lush countryside. 

• 10 A.M.: Arrive in Vienna
  11 A.M.- 5 P.M.: Take the tram around Vienna and explore the city
  5 pm: Take the train from Vienna to Salzburg (enjoy the scenic views)
  8 P.M.: Check in at a&o hostel, have dinner in Salzburg, and prepare for Oktoberfest!

Buy the train ticket weeks or months in advance. Prices jumped by over €40. We stayed at the a&o hostel, which is only a 5-minute walk from the train station. Since we had a group of six, we reserved a private room several months in advance, and spent $110 each to stay three nights. Each night felt like a giant sleepover, and our friends from mixed dorms down the hall got ready with us in the morning.

Tip: Purchase a bulk package of public transport tickets to and from your local airport. In Spain, the Granada to Málaga bus line sells a 4-pack or 10-pack of ALSA tickets for approximately €7.50 per ticket, as opposed to €18 individually.

Day 2: Oktoberfest

Friday morning, we took the train from Salzburg to Munich and rented dirndls from shops right outside the train station. Some friends got in line at 8 A.M. and were able to get a table for 16, so we met up with them right when the gates opened.  

• 9 A.M.: Arrive in Munich
• 9:30 A.M.: Rent or buy dirndls
• 10 A.M.: Meet up with friends who had a table
• 10 A.M. - 2 P.M.: Drink, dance, and talk in the tent
• 2 - 5 P.M.: Explore the Oktoberfest attractions, including roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and waffle stands
• 5 P.M.: Dinner in Munich
• 7 P.M.: Ride the train home

Oktoberfest food and beers are notoriously expensive, and tipping about 10 to 15% is expected. One beer cost €14.50, and we paid with a €20 bill to cover the tip. Locals tipped around €1-2 per beer. Food was less expensive, but still costly. After 1 pm, the tent became packed with people. Everyone was super friendly, and we got to know (and dance with) the people at nearby tables. 

Day 3: Day Trip to Hallstatt

Saturday morning, after a full night’s rest from Oktoberfest, my friends and I embarked on a bus route to Hallstatt. Watching the rolling hills pass by as we trundled along the mountain roads, followed by a beautiful hike to a waterfall, was a perfect recovery day. 

• 9:45 A.M. - 12 P.M.: After a full night's rest from Oktoberfest, bus from Salzburg to Hallstatt
• 12 P.M.: Arrive in Hallstatt
• 12 - 1 P.M.: Eat lunch and explore. Our group of nine was too big for a boat ride, but they had boats to rent for an hour on the lake!
• 1 - 3:30 P.M.: Hike to waterfall
• 3:30 P.M.: Ice cream
• 4:15 P.M.- 6:30 P.M.: Bus back to Salzburg

We took the 150 bus from Salzburg to Bad Ischl, connected on the 542 bus to Hallstatt Gosaumühle, then took Bus 543 to Hallstatt Lahn. ÖBB offered a day-trip pass for €32.40, covering both the outward and return journeys between Salzburg and Hallstatt.

Day 4: Head Home

Say goodbye to friends, get ready for the next week of class, and sleep!