Deutsche Bahn has announced that alcohol consumption will be prohibited at all 5,400 stations it manages across Germany. The new rule, covering direct consumption on platforms and in station halls, will be introduced gradually and is scheduled to be fully implemented by October 15, 2026.
The company will introduce the ban under its existing property rights. Local station regulations must therefore be amended in coordination with municipalities, public authorities and local administrations.
The measure comes amid growing concern about violence against railway employees and passengers. Deutsche Bahn explicitly referred to a serious incident on July 17 near Ettlingen-Bruchhausen in Baden-Württemberg.
According to police and prosecutors, ticket inspectors checking a passenger on a regional train called in two DB security employees after the man allegedly refused to provide his details. During the subsequent physical altercation, one of the security employees fell through a damaged door of the moving train and suffered serious injuries. Authorities described the passenger as allegedly intoxicated, while investigations into the precise sequence of events and the failure of the train door are continuing.
Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla said the company was taking a tougher approach to protect employees and passengers. She argued that excessive alcohol consumption and violence were frequently connected and said the latest incident had again demonstrated the need for action.
Alcohol-consumption bans are already in place at around 30 German stations, including the main stations in Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Frankfurt. Deutsche Bahn says its experience with the restrictions has been positive, pointing particularly to fewer conflicts, less waste and reduced cleaning requirements in Hamburg.
The next stations to introduce the rule will be Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin Gesundbrunnen, Kiel and Braunschweig on September 1. All remaining DB stations are due to follow by mid-October.
Station restaurants and other designated food-service areas will be exempt. Passengers will also continue to be allowed to carry alcohol in sealed containers or as part of their shopping.
No general alcohol ban is currently planned for Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains. Alcoholic beverages will continue to be sold in onboard restaurants and bistros, and passengers may also consume their own drinks provided they do not disturb other travelers. Rules in regional transport vary, with some local transport associations already prohibiting alcohol consumption.
Deutsche Bahn changed its onboard beer range in 2025, replacing draft beer with a broader selection of bottled products (inside.beer, 2024-12-13).
The company says compliance at stations will be monitored by DB security personnel and the federal police. Anyone found drinking alcohol in a prohibited area may be ordered to leave, while repeat offenders could receive a formal station ban. However, the federal police has emphasized that violations of Deutsche Bahn’s house rules must primarily be dealt with by the company itself, leaving questions about the practical division of responsibilities.
Joachim Barth, Baden-Württemberg chairman of passenger association Pro Bahn, said action was necessary following the recent incident but described the nationwide decision as an abrupt and reactive measure. Extending the ban to every station, including the smallest unattended stops, could not realistically be monitored, he argued.
Barth also said that a consistent policy would have to cover trains as well as stations.
Similar concerns were raised by the Gewerkschaft der Polizei (GdP). Deputy Federal Chairman Alexander Poitz told broadcasters RTL and ntv that the ban was justified in principle but would be difficult to enforce consistently without additional personnel.
Poitz likewise argued that excluding trains created an obvious gap in the policy. A complete removal of alcohol from stations and trains would not be achievable under the current staffing conditions, he said.
