Germany: Deutsche Bahn to Ban Alcohol Consumption at All Stations Nationwide

Deutsche Bahn will ban alcohol consumption at all of its roughly 5,400 stations nationwide, the German rail operator announced on 21 July, following what it described as a brutal attack the previous Friday.

The ban applies to drinking alcohol on station premises, not to carrying it — sealed alcohol in luggage or shopping bags remains permitted, and licensed station restaurants and bars are exempt. The rule is already in force at more than 30 stations, including the main stations in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich.

The rollout continues in stages: Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin Gesundbrunnen, Kiel and Braunschweig become alcohol-free on 1 September, with the ban extending to every remaining station nationwide by 15 October. Deutsche Bahn is enforcing the rule under its own house-rules authority — a first violation results in removal from the premises, with repeat offenders facing a formal ban from entering DB property.

DB CEO Evelyn Palla said the company is "cracking down," banishing alcohol drinking from its stations. The announcement did not specify further details of the incident that prompted the policy.