Berlin, August 31st, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Deutsche Bahn is expanding its alcohol consumption ban to four more stations starting this Tuesday, including Berlin’s central station and Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, as part of a nationwide rollout the company began a few weeks ago. Stations in Kiel and Braunschweig are also getting the new rule.
The ban already applies at more than 30 stations across Germany, among them the central stations in Bonn, Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. Deutsche Bahn says the results so far have been positive, pointing to less trash and fewer alcohol-related conflicts and violent incidents, citing Hamburg’s main station as an example. The company says this has also improved passengers’ sense of safety and cut cleaning costs.
By October 15th, the ban is set to reach all 5,400 stations across the country. It will cover the entire station area, including platforms, and in some municipalities the ban extends to station forecourts owned by Deutsche Bahn. Restaurants and bars inside stations remain exempt, meaning alcohol can still be sold and consumed there. Carrying alcohol is also still allowed. Only public consumption outside those venues is prohibited.
No Additional Staff
First-time violations will result in a request to leave the premises. Repeat offenders face a ban from entering the property.
Whether the rule can actually be enforced nationwide is another question. Deutsche Bahn’s own security service is responsible for enforcement, but the company has no plans to hire the additional staff that would be needed for comprehensive monitoring. Federal police, who are responsible for security at train stations, are unlikely to fill the gap either, as unions have repeatedly pointed to staffing shortages. In practice, federal police will likely be called in only when conflicts arise.
Deutsche Bahn appears untroubled by the enforcement gap, noting that stations already under the ban have seen positive results without heavy-handed policing.
“Sense of Proportion”
Bundesliga match days could be the real test. Tens of thousands of soccer fans travel by train on those days, many carrying beer or other alcohol. Asked how it plans to handle major events, Deutsche Bahn said it would enforce the ban “with a sense of proportion,” with police and its own security staff visibly present and ready to de-escalate if necessary.
A ban on all trains isn’t in the works. Alcohol will continue to be sold in dining cars on long-distance trains, and passengers may still drink alcohol they bring aboard, as long as it doesn’t disturb others. Regional transit rules vary widely. Some networks, including those in Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Nuremberg, already prohibit alcohol consumption on regional trains altogether. Passengers deemed a danger to others or to order and safety on board can be removed from any train, regardless of the specific rule in place.
