European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Children Are also susceptible to the spirit of contagious fun that permeates oktoberfest. File accommodations hard to find family housing or near Mcgraw Cavern about a mile away. Take the 220 line to Kolumbus Platz Transfer to the 58 line and get off at Georg Hirth Platz. Or the 51 line across the Street from the commissary will take you to Wetter Stein Platz where the 58 line also stops. The 220 line runs seven Days a week but stops in Early evening about 7 . The 51 and 58 lines however run until about Midnight. A there Are also taxis the most expensive. There Are taxi stands in the housing area near billeting and near the Cavern. One Point you might want to remember is that the a Bahn system has the most trains and is usually the quickest Way to get around. The armed forces recreation Center is also offering bus service from its hotels in Chi Emsee Garmisch and Berchtesgaden. Cost is $9 round trip $12 from Berchtesgaden. With All this transferring and Riding it might seem that the Cost would t be Worth it but with Munich s integrated system one ticket takes care of All your needs. A validated ticket is Good for two hours in the same direction so if you Start on the bus and then Transfer to the a Bahn there s no need to validate again. But make sure you validate your tickets in the machines marked with a Bluee which Are on Board buses or in the stations for a Bahn and a Bahn rides. The City of Munich has increased its Fine this year to 60 Marks about $38 for Riding without a properly validated ticket. Travel on the system in t that much anyway. Most trips will Cost you less than 2 Marks. On weekends there s a special family fare. Two adults and up to three children can All travel on one ticket for 15 Marks. This tages Karte is Good All Day for an unlimited number of trips. This year As in past years train service will be expanded for the oktoberfest with additional trains put in service. Detailed maps and a special oktoberfest schedule will be posted at each  Steve Taylor Munich Bureau while there May be More rooms available this year for the oktoberfest if you Don t have one yet it will be difficult to find one. But finding a room is not necessarily impossible. Operation desert shield has had some unexpected benefits. The armed forces recreation Center hotels usually booked solid for the three week period May have rooms available because of conference cancellations. This happened when Usa eur units were directed to divert funds normally used for this Type of activity and arc had several cancellations opening up some 200 rooms. As of a week ago the first weekend was sold out but rooms were available for other periods said arc spokesman Harry Connors. At this late Date getting one of Munich s 33,000 rooms on the civilian Market is pretty difficult but officials at the Munich tourist office can help. A great number of these rooms Are normally booked years in Advance by tourist groups and other visitors have standing reservations from year to year. Another possibility might be the military facilities in bad Tolz which has a Small number of rooms. A it s Worth giving them a Call Quot said spokesman Hans Weindl. The Erding billeting facility North of Munich gave notice about sept. 1 that All of its rooms were booked. The Munich american guest House was also booked solid. Room availability tends to fluctuate quite rapidly. If some hotels or guest houses Are full one Day a room might become available later because of a cancellation. Arc hotels in Bavaria experience that on a daily basis Connors said. Fie advises calling Back if a room in t available on a particular Day. While arc hotels Are an hour or More from Munich bus transportation is available from each area. The round trip Cost is $9 from Garmisch and Chi Emsee and $12 from Berchtesgaden. An alternative is to join a Sato tour on one of the three weekends starting at about $ 100. This will guarantee you a room in the Munich area. Here Are some suggestions on whom to Call in searching for a room a the Munich american guest Finouse ets 440-6011 or civilian 089-6229-6011. A Erding billeting at 08122-6081. A arc hotels. Berchtesgaden at ets 441-5623 or civilian 08652-58623 Chi Emsee at ets 441 -2355 or civilian 08051-803172 and Garmisch at ets 440-2575 or civilian 08821-750575. A the Augsburg military Community guest House about 50 Miles from Munich at ets 4347270. A Flint Cavern in bad Tolz which has a limited number of dorm style rooms for men at ets 441 -4890. A for package Tours to oktoberfest Call your local travel office or 069-5601077 in Frankfurt for More information. A the Munich tourist office keeps records on room availability and is willing to assist visitors in finding rooms. Its phone number is 089-239-1256. One last suggestion try camping out As the Peak camping season is Over and Sites Are readily available. Arc has two campgrounds. Call ets 441 -2719 at Chi Emsee or ets 440-2848 for information at Garmisch. September 20, 1990 stripes Magazine 9