Booking a Bed Before Festival-Goers Fill the City

On a weekend in early July more than a million mostly young people crowded onto the streets of Berlin for the annual “Love Parade,” or what “Let’s Go: Europe” calls “the world’s only million-man rave” (the parade will be held on July 8 in 2000). At the end of September, the focus will be on Munich, site of one of the world’s largest annual parties, Oktoberfest. And next summer, Germany will also host another huge event, Expo 2000, in Hanover.

It’s great to travel at a whim, but if you don’t want to miss out on enjoying yourself at one of these events, make sure you’ve got a bed arranged before you arrive. Rooms during festivals fill up fast.

Between Sept. 18 and Oct. 3 about 7 million people will sit at long communal tables under huge tents in Munich and consume more than 5 million liters of beer, 600,000 portions of chicken and an equally huge amount of sausages. Oktoberfest is a huge beer-guzzling event, but it’s also an opportunity to sit down with local residents for a few hours of fun, singing and laughter.

Oktoberfest evolved from a royal wedding celebration in 1810 between Crown Prince Ludwig (the future King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich celebrated the festivities on the fields in front of the city gates, and ever since, the area has been called Theresienwiese (Therese’s meadow) in honor of the princess.

Today, there are giant beer tents sponsored by breweries, some of which can seat up to 7,000 people.

Next year, Expo 2000 will be in Hanover from June 1 to Oct. 31. More than 180 countries are scheduled to participate. The Youth Hostel Assn. of Germany has produced a special Expo 2000 information map in English with brief details on Expo and information on hostels located up to 20 minutes by rail from Hanover. Copies are being distributed to youth hostels, and a limited number are available from German National Tourist Offices.

The worldwide budget style of accommodation known as youth hostels was created by a German schoolteacher in 1909, and now there are more than 600 throughout that country, with an average charge between $19 and $35 per bed, per night.

In Germany, though, hostels impose age limitations that are seldom imposed elsewhere in the world. For the Hostelling International facilities, priority is given to travelers under 27, and in Bavaria (this includes Munich) you must be under 26 to stay. Some of the independent hostels in Munich welcome travelers over 27 but charge them higher rates.

Information on Hostelling International hostels in Germany is available over the Internet in German at https://www.djh.de (hostel listings include fax numbers). Brief English-language information is available at https://www.iyhf.org.

The HI network has a reservation service called IBN (there is a small fee) that enables you to book a bed while you’re at affiliated hostels in many major cities around the world (including 18 in Germany). You can make an IBN booking before you leave the U.S. by calling HI at (202) 783-6161. For more information on independent hostels and budget hotels in Germany, refer to major guidebooks or check the Internet at https://www.hostels.com.

The German National Tourist office can also help with information on bed-and-breakfasts throughout the country. There are more than 500,000 beds available, the average rate being $20 per person, per night. Contact the German National Tourist Office, 122 E. 42nd St., 52nd Floor, New York, NY 10168-0072, tel. (212) 661-7200, Internet https://www.germany-tourism.de.

For Munich-bound young travelers, the city has produced an excellent English-language “Infopool-- Young People’s Guide.” A limited number of copies are made available for free through the North American GNTO office.

You can also pick up a copy (for about 90 cents) at tourist information offices in Munich. You’ll find one located at the central rail station (Hauptbahnhof). It has detailed maps and lots of information on accommodations, sight-seeing opportunities and public transportation. General information on Munich is available on the Internet at https://www.munich-tourist.de.

If you can’t get suitable accommodations in the city hosting a major event, and you have a rail pass, consider commuting from the surrounding region. German Rail offers a special Youth Pass for second-class travel.

The German Rail Youth Pass is available only to visitors ages 12 through 25 who have a U.S. passport, and it must be purchased from a travel agent before you go abroad. All travel must be completed within one month. The four-day version is currently $138, seven days $174 and 10 days $210. See a travel agent or call DER Travel services at (800) 782-2424.