In an effort to improve safety for train travellers and railway staff, Germany’s national railway operator says it will enforce a blanket alcohol ban at all of its stations.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) is planning an alcohol ban at all of its 5,400 train stations in Germany.
Drinking beer, wine, schnapps or other alcohol on platforms or in station halls outside or station restaurants are to be prohibited. The nationwide ban is to be in place by October 15th, 2026.
The railway had confirmed the plans to the German Press Agency.
Explaining the ban, Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla told Bild, “Enough is enough…We want more order and safety at our stations and on our trains. For me, only one thing counts: the protection of our colleagues and our travellers.”
So far, local alcohol bans had applied mainly applied at major German stations such as those in Frankfurt, Hamburg or Cologne.
Alcohol bans were introduced in two of Berlin’s busier stations, Â Zoologischer Garten and Ostbahnhof, this year in May.
Now, Germany’s state-owned railway operator is expanding the regulation nationwide.
Local bans are expected to be adapted in the coming weeks in coordination with municipalities and authorities.
Deutsche Bahn hopes for fewer conflicts
Compliance with the ban is to be monitored by the DB security forces and the federal police.
Anyone caught illegally consuming alcohol could then expect to be removed from the station. Repeat offenders could even face a permanent ban from the premises, according to an initial report by Bild.
There is no general ban on alcohol on all DB trains so far. DB’s high-speed ICE trains sell alcohol, along with other drinks and foods on their trains in the dining cars.
READ ALSO: ‘Beer is cheap and everywhere’ – How Germany’s drinking culture surprises foreigners
Smoking on trains is prohibited, and at train stations it is only allowed in designated smoking areas.
Deutsche Bahn suggests that alcohol ban will provide more safety and fewer disputes caused by the influence of alcohol.
The company says it recorded positive results at Hamburg Central Station, among other places where alcohol bans were put in place.
After the consumption of alcohol was banned there in April 2024, the number of conflicts and disputes fell noticeably. Local staff also said that travellers there reported feeling more secure, and that the station stayed cleaner.
According to federal police statistics, the number of violent crimes at Germany’s main train stations increased last year with central stations in cities like Frankfurt, Leipzig, Dortmund and Berlin each seeing hundreds of violent crimes recorded in 2025.
Local weapons and alcohol bans have been brought in many stations in response.
READ ALSO: How Deutsche Bahn will spend €50 million to improve information for passengers
With reporting by DPA.