Germany Bars Alcohol at 5,700 Deutsche Bahn Stations

Germany on Thursday expanded a ban on drinking alcohol to all Deutsche Bahn stations nationwide, extending a measure the rail company says is meant to reduce conflicts and improve safety in station halls and on platforms.

The new rule applies at roughly 5,700 stations operated by Deutsche Bahn. Drinking alcohol is no longer allowed in station concourses or on platforms. Restaurants, bars and other food service businesses inside stations are exempt, so alcohol can still be consumed there.

At Cologne’s main station, where the measure has already been in place since early April, an announcement now sounds every 30 minutes telling passengers that the entire station is covered by the ban. Deutsche Bahn had previously tested the policy at nearly 40 stations, including Cologne, Munich and Hamburg, before rolling it out across the country.

The company says the trial produced positive results. Anja Bröker, a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson, said the stations where the ban was tested saw fewer conflicts and less trash. She also said travelers and employees had reported feeling more comfortable and finding the stations more pleasant.

According to Deutsche Bahn, 80% of travelers supported an alcohol ban at stations in a company survey. Reactions from passengers at Cologne’s main station were mostly favorable, though not unanimous. One traveler, Stefan Kresse, said he believed the rule could make a major difference and pointed to what he described as too much alcohol-related disorder at some stations in his region. Another passenger, Edgar Tamaliunas, said he understood the reasoning behind the policy but viewed it with mixed feelings because it also restricts people who drink responsibly. Petra Burkhardt, traveling from Cologne to Berlin, said she hoped the rule would create a calmer atmosphere, especially in the evening and at night, though she questioned how easy it would be to enforce.

That question has also been raised by Germany’s station mission network, which offers support to vulnerable people at train stations. The organization said it broadly supports the alcohol ban but warned that the problems the rule is meant to address could simply move from stations into nearby streets and public areas. Mirko Schwärzel, head of the national station mission association, called for joint plans by Deutsche Bahn and local governments to deal with that risk.

Schwärzel also said enforcement must be carried out without discrimination. He argued that the same rules should apply to all groups, including partygoers and soccer fans using the rail system, as well as homeless people and others who spend time in and around stations. He said that would require sensitive handling by Deutsche Bahn security staff.

The change also has implications for businesses that sell beverages at stations. SSP, a company that runs bakeries, pubs, supermarkets and kiosks at more than 50 stations in Germany, said the ban had been noticeable at locations where it was tested. Christof Bernhäuser, who works for SSP, said some retail outlets that sell alcohol for takeaway had already seen declines in sales at certain stations under the trial. He nevertheless said safety for employees and customers comes first.

That makes the policy significant for the drinks trade beyond rail operations alone. By removing a nationwide setting where travelers could openly consume alcohol bought for immediate use, the ban could weigh on some beer, wine and spirits sales in station convenience stores and kiosks, even as the exemption for hospitality businesses may help preserve on-premise sales inside station restaurants and bars.

Under Deutsche Bahn’s rules, people who violate the station ban can be ordered to leave the premises. Repeat violations can lead to a ban from the station.

The restrictions do not automatically apply once passengers board a train. Rules on alcohol differ on regional services depending on the area. On long-distance trains, alcohol consumption is generally still allowed.