Bayreuth Festival travel tips

A few readers who are going to Bayreuth for the first time have emailed me to ask for advice, so here it is. My #1 tip for those who have tickets is - don't wait, book your accommodation now. Read on to find out why.

Getting there
The nearest airport is Nuremberg, from which the train to Bayreuth takes about an hour and a half (with one change). However UK flights aren't frequent, so you may prefer to fly in to Munich (3^3/4 hours by rail, two changes) or Dresden (3^3/4 hours, one change). 

Find best flight times and prices on Skyscanner.net. In summer, air fares do not go down if you wait, so book as soon as you can to secure the best price.

Rail times can be investigated on Bahn.de, where you can also buy your rail ticket. As in the UK, it's cheaper to buy in advance. However if you're travelling from Munich, Nuremberg or anywhere else in Bavaria (especially in a group) it can cost even less to buy a 'Bayern-Ticket', which is a sort of regional day ticket. German trains are generally crowded so I strongly recommend getting a seat reservation. On the same note, if you can afford first class, it's worth the extra for the space.

Alternatively, if you've got a couple of days spare and you really, really like trains, you could make the entire journey from the UK by rail (see Seat61.c0m for details).

If you can drive to Bayreuth (or hire a car once you're there), then do - it will give you far more accommodation and activity options.

Performances usually start at 4pm - bear this in mind in your travel planning. Also bear in mind that, contrary to myth, German trains do not run like clockwork. Deutsche Bahn is exceptionally unreliable (my experience is 50% disaster on longer trips), so it's wise to add a couple of hours leeway into your schedule. Basically, you will need to fly out at the crack of dawn to have a decent chance of attending a performance on the same day.

 

Bayreuth accommodation
Bayreuth is a small town in a relatively remote area which doesn't get a lot of visitors outside Festival time. This means prices are high, accommodation is in short supply, and you should book a room as soon as you can.

The best hotel in town is the Goldener Anker, which you can only book direct. Rooms start at around €200 at Festival time. For other hotels, check out a price comparison site like Kayak.com, or, for ease of use, a booking site like Booking.com. Expect to pay €150 a night and up. Check out reviews on Tripadvisor.com.

Hostelworld.com list hostels (as far as I know, there's only one). The Bayreuth Tourist Office can fix you up with B&B-type accommodation that may not be shown on booking sites.

Before you book, be careful to check the hotel's exact location; some 'Bayreuth' hotels are actually several miles outside town. This isn't necessarily a problem; they may be linked by bus or train, and local taxis aren't ridiculously expensive. Hotels outside the town centre compensate for their inconvenience by charging significantly less - €50-100 or so.

 

At the Festival
The Festpielhaus is on the edge of town. You can get there by taxi, local bus or on on foot, and there's a large car park if you drive. It's around 10 minutes walk from the railway station and 20 minutes from the town centre.

The dress code is formal, similar to Glyndebourne. Men wear black tie (or an artistic version thereof) and women either evening wear or smart suits/dresses. A Bavarian summer encompasses tropical heat, polar chill and varying quantities of rain, so bear in mind when packing.

Although performances don't start until 4pm, most people get there an hour or so earlier. There are also one-hour breaks between acts. This leaves plenty of time for eating and drinking. The formal dining needs to be booked in advance. There's also a self-service cafeteria, a popular sausage stand and several bars. Many people prefer to dine after the performance; several Bayreuth restaurants remain open late.

 

Bayreuth lifestyle
There's not a great deal to do in Bayreuth - which is fortunate, as there's not much time to do it in. After lunch it's all getting ready, travelling and turning up. If you have a late breakfast, that leaves you maybe two or three hours to fill. Unfortunately the main tourist attractions - the Margravine Opera House and the Richard Wagner Museum - are closed for renovations. Unless you enjoy pottering around small-town shops and lurking in cafes, I would suggest this may be your ideal opportunity to finally polish off À la recherche du temps perdu.

For more local colour, check out my posts from the 2010 Bayreuth Festival.

More recommendations welcome.

Comments

[Deborah]

Other lessons learned from my excursion include taking plenty of cash to the Festspielhaus - in 2012, cast sheets were a euro each, a single scoop of ice cream was two euro, and a prawn cocktail from the self service cafeteria didn't yield much change from a ten euro note. If free drinking water was available anywhere, I didn't find it, so another expense on a blistering day. Plus you need more for the inevitable Wagnertat (if only I'd had enough cash for the shopping bag which played Ride of the Valkyries every time you opened it *sigh*).

Some of the hotels do run a bus between the hotel and the Festspeilhaus, which is particularly useful if you're staying out of town (which we were), so check beforehand and get yourself booked on. Be aware that the post-performance queue for taxis and hotel buses is a bit of a bunfight.

We stayed at the Hotel Lindenmuhle - www.lindenmuehle.de - which is in Bad Berneck rather than Bayreuth itself. Taxi from the station to the hotel was 29 euro (bus was 3 euro, but only one bus an hour to Bad Berneck, about two minutes after the train from Nuremberg arrived in town), double room including breakfast was 79 euro for two people in their Gasthof, and nothing was too much trouble for the staff. They were happy to squeeze us onto the bus at the last minute, hotel restaurant was open for a post performance beer and bowl of chips which went on our room bill without any fuss. Oh, and there were free pre-Festspeilhausbus nibbles in the lobby too.
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Intermezzo replies - Just checked their website. The cheapest double is €99 this year. Part of a general trend in Bayreuth unfortunately.

[Der_junge_Siegfried]

My friend and I went and queued for returns for Herheim's Parsifal at the 2012 festival and were successful having been the first there at 9am. The wait was thoroughly weird and entertaining, quite a line-up of characters - recommended if you're feeling adventurous, have time to kill with good company, and don't mind possible disappointment. The Youth Hostel was rather less enjoyable - excruciatingly hot, lots of big school parties, probably not worthwhile even for the price.
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Intermezzo replies - You were lucky. I don't encourage people to queue because in my experience returns are minimal.

[PushedUpMezzo]

Thanks again for the info.
There's quite a convenient KLM flight option to Nuremberg leaving London City at 09.25, changing at Amsterdam and arriving at 15.30. Not that cheap, but pretty hassle-free. Also connections via Paris, which I would avoid after a couple of transfers there when my luggage went astray for 2 days. With a good head wind (and no intervention by Donner) you could probably make the Bayreuth train in time for a 6 pm performance - in any case at a good time for checking in to your lodgings.

[inter mezzo]

That would be a high-risk option. With a 15.30 landing, you will miss the 15.48 train from the main station to Bayreuth, meaning you will have to wait for the 16.42. This gets you into Bayreuth station at 17.30. Even if the Festspielhaus cloakroom takes luggage (and I'm not sure it does), you'll be pushed to get there by 17.45. And that's assuming you make your connection and everything is on time. (This is why you need to check the train info!)

Only Rheingold begins at 18.00 by the way - all the others have a 4pm start.

If the transport times don't fit into the opera schedule, the only option is to travel the day before (you can always spend the intervening night somewhere other than Bayreuth).

[David]

Another travel option is to fly via Frankfurt. The advantage of Frankfurt over options such as Munich is that you can get a train direct from the airport station to Nuremberg without needing to get into the city first.
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Intermezzo replies - It's an option, but it's no quicker than Munich, you still have to change trains, and the train costs more. The train transfer in Nuremberg is seamless by the way - there's even a direct lift between the relevant platforms.

[PushedUpMezzo]

Very wise, IM
Will definitely travel the day before and get a good night's sleep to rest the brain.

[SimonG]

I highly recommend renting a car from one of the nearby airports if you drive. There are some interesting and indeed beautiful places to visit in the surrounding area and it also means you are not constrained to the town of Bayreuth which, to be honest, is rather a dump. Also the drive from both Munich and Frankfurt airports are not at all excessive. Finally you can stay out of town - very ordinary hotels in Bayreuth double or triple their rates for the festival which the Puritan in me finds difficult to take. As with flights you usually are best off reserving rental cars well in advance for the best summer rates.
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Intermezzo replies - I wouldn't call Bayreuth a dump - just rather small and sleepy - but having a car is definitely a big advantage.

[Jonathan]

Things may have changed, I went in 2010. Accommodation in Bayreuth at Festival time was only bookable though the Tourist Board and in conjunction with the Festspielehaus. They sent me the tickets and a contact form for the accommodation. You specified which price range, and the Tourist Board made a provisional booking for you which you then accepted. There was a good range including the option to stay with local families. I arrived day before performance and left day after -the whole process was very smooth.
I thought it best to stay in town rather than hire a car to stay further out. There is a large car park next to the theatre but I don't know about prices/booking.

Airb&b may also now be an option.

re Dress Code - only about 50% of men were in black tie, it was more smart suits, & certainly there was no 'looking down on those not in black tie' - in fact I thought the whole thing was 'relaxed but professional'

The performance & acts start exactly on time.

[inter mezzo]

You don't have to book accommodation through the tourist office (you didn't in 2010 either) - I've included it as an option because not all hotels/B&Bs have websites or advertise on the well-known booking sites like booking.com.

Airbnb (and apartments generally) are NOT an option for Bayreuth tourists. It isn't that they don't have any, but that there's a shortage of long-term accommodation for festival staff and artists, so anything available gets snapped up months in advance (rather like Glyndebourne/Wimbledon).

[Susan]

Be sure to bring a back cushion for the auditorium. There's a line of inflatable camping mats that makes an ideally shaped "inflatable travel cushion" for about $30 USD. That's not expensive when you consider the discomfort of those hard seat backs, which will dig a ridge across your back.

I spent 5 days and wished for more time to explore the town. Missed the Martha Mödl exhibit at the Rathaus, didn't have time for the small museums, or a visit to the Lohengrin Spa. Did see the Margravine Opera house and got in a bit of shopping, though.

[inter mezzo]

I think most British visitors will find the Bayreuth seats luxurious in comparison to what we get in many theatres. I certainly didn't need a cushion. For anyone who does, you can hire one at the Festspielhaus if you don't want to bring your own.

[Johanna]

Hiring a car or driving yours is an excellent option. Quite a lot to see around, Nurnberg and Wurzburg are definetly worth a day trip. I stayed in Warmensteinach, up in the mountains, a 35-40 mns away from B.
As to a car parking - finding a place within reasonable distance from the Festspielhaus means being 1.30-1.00 hr before performance start.
Restrooms are usually a problem in opera houses, not a problem at all in B ;) Sorry for such a down to earth detail but it is not a minor issue when attending Wagner performance.

[regkarpf]

I made my first visit last year. IM is absolutely right about the trains. My ICE from Frankfurt was so overcrowded, they announced we were too heavy to go on the fast line and offered people money to get off. We therefore missed the planned connection to Bayreuth. Coming back, the train from Bayreuth was delayed by over an hour. DB nowadays is worse than BR ever was. It used to be so good.

I stayed at the Goldener Hirsch, ridiculously overpriced during the festival for the simple German Gasthof that it is, but near the station, so no taxi required, and at the end of town nearest the Festspielhaus, so that is also within walking distance.

I felt almost out of place in a dinner jacket. I would say only about a quarter of the men had one. That was a surprise. Some people were just in jeans - perhaps expensive designer jeans. I really can't tell.

As for eating options, there are lots of places serving the local fare on the main square. It is tasty but old-style German stodge, definitely not to be eaten pre-performance if you want to stay awake. If all else fails, there is a McDonalds at the station.

If you speak German (and you will miss a lot if you don't) there are interesting illustrated talks every morning by Stefan Mickisch on the evening's opera.

Gute Reise und viel Spaß!

[inter mezzo]

"too heavy to go on the fast line" is a new one on me. My own worst trip was on the RB from Dresden to Nuremberg. It was so overcrowded that people were standing in the toilet compartments. A load of beer-drinking football fans got on soon out of Dresden, and were peeing out of the door at the (many) stops on the 4 hour journey. Which at least prevented anyone else trying to get on.

[William Lau]

About the DB trains, it is really really worth it to buy 1st class, the fare could be just EUR 10 more than 2nd class. But the main point is the connection from Nuremburg to Bayreuth. The 2nd class section is often so crowded, that at times a seat can't be guaranteed (no reservation on this route). Even if you can get a seat, don't ever think of putting your luggage at the seat next to you.

As for the delays, my first trip to Bayreuth too is delayed for 1 hour and 20 minutes. When the train to Nuremburg is delayed, you'll miss the connection to Bayreuth. I don't think the DB is to be blamed, there are many things that could delay a train. If the train before you is stuck, your train gets delayed. If there are signal problems, your train gets delayed. If the train door won't close properly, your train gets delayed. I've experienced all these scenarios.

[virdiana]

Thank you so much for the information, because of you,
I could get the ticket for Lohengrin and book the accomodation. I haven't even dream about going to the
festival within next 10 years because of the notorious difficulty of attaining the ticket. You are the salt of the earth.
God bless you!

[Vecchio John]

It's worth getting 25% off DB gold card.You get 1st Class for little more than 2nd, and always reserve seat when you can.
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Intermezzo replies - It can be, but only if you travel frequently or make a long journey. The cheapest (4 month) card costs €25 for second and €50 for first class, meaning you would have to buy at least €100 of second class tickets or €200 of first class tickets to make up the cost.

If you travelled from Frankfurt to Bayreuth it would certainly be worth it. The full second class return fare is €132, so you would pay €25 to save €33.

However if you travel from Munich to Bayreuth, you would be better off buying the Bayern Ticket I mention above each way. This would cost you €46 return if travelling alone, and €54 (€27 each) if there are two of you - coming down to €15 each (return!) if you're travelling in a group of five.

This is the main reason I recommend flying in to Munich if Nuremberg is impractical - you will save roughly €100 on rail fares compared with the other major airports, and the time taken is broadly similar.

[J Rintoul]

I'm sure others have said it, but thanks again for passing on the information about the ticket sales - I got a ticket to Die Walküre.

If you are flying Lufthansa to Germany you can add on a rail ticket to anywhere in Germany for 29€ second class, 49€ first class as part of the online booking process. Prices for returns are double. http://www.lufthansa.com/uk/en/The-train-to-the-plane

As far as I know, you are not restricted to any particular train and you can make seat reservations on the DB website - just check the "reserve a seat only" option.

[Alison C]

I only went to Rheingold (the internet special last year) but I must say I thought the seats where jolly uncomfortable compared even with the balcony at the Coliseum (do the Bayreuth ones vary in different parts of the theatre as well I wonder?).

A couple of random recommendations:

We quite liked the town and we also went to the Eremitage a few km outside which was fun - worth doing the tour of the strange indoor fountain/grotto things even if you can't completely understand the guide.

If anyone else is vegan or vegetarian, or fancies a change from standard Bavarian food, Kraftraum in the town is a good place to eat - they are open quite late too.

[Bitswizzler]

I was there last year. Stayed at the Ramada Hotel Residenzschloss, which had a free bus and seat cushions. Ramada in the US is just another chain hotel, but this one in Germany was surprisingly good.

[overloaded]

Well for what it's worth here are my experiences/recommendations.
As far as I know Ryanair from Stansted are the only direct route to Nuremberg from London since Cityjet are stopping their flights from City after April which is a shame. It does mean a hotel at Stansted airport the night before as the flight is very early and an overnight at a hotel in Nuremberg airport is advisable for the not so early morning return flight though there is an early train from Bayreuth which will get you there in plenty of time. I stayed at the Moevenpick in the airport and it was reasonable clean comfortable and quiet. I must have been lucky with trains from Nuremberg to Bayreuth which usually take one hour. In terms of things to do there is a cemetery opposite the Ramada where members of the Wagner Family, Von Bulow, other Wagnerites and Liszt are all buried.There's also the Liszt house next to Wahnfried plus a Jean Paul house.
Dress- well it's always been heavily dinner jacketed when I've been before but I have too seen people in jeans. I think it is worth queuing for returns. Saw Walkure that way last year and could havegot a whole cycle if I'd been able to stay for the length of time which I couldn't. It was incredibly hot last summer and most of the hotels are not air conditioned. This summer I am staying in one of the few that is.
Hope that helps. Enjoy.
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Intermezzo replies - Thanks for sharing.

Can I point out that although the trains from Nuremberg Hbf only take an hour, you need to get there from the airport - hence the extra half hour and the change required. Worth remembering if you're on a tight schedule.

Also, the Stansted Express trains start from London at 4.10am, which gives you plenty of time to get the 6.35 flight even if you don't have vehicle transport.

[frank]

Just got tickets for the second ring plus Tannhauser ( sp?) . So this summer the Margrave theater will be closed, the Wagner Museum will be closed , and the Festspielhaus will be covered with scaffolding. Guess I'll spend my time between performances sitting in the hotel watching TV . Oh well.