Drinking alcohol banned at 5,700 Deutsche Bahn stations from today

Drinking alcohol is banned at about 5,700 Deutsche Bahn stations across Germany from Thursday. The ban covers entire station premises including platforms and, in some towns, station forecourts owned by the railway. "We are banishing alcohol consumption from our stations," Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla said when announcing the ban in July. About 40 major stations, including those in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne, already had similar rules.

Bars and restaurants inside stations are exempt and may continue to serve alcohol. Passengers may still carry sealed bottles in luggage or shopping, as only drinking is prohibited. The railway says it has no plans for a general ban on trains, while regional transport associations set their own rules.

The ban is enforced under the company's house rules. Violators face removal from the station and, for repeat offenses, a ban, with federal police called in if needed. The railway says it expects cleaner and safer stations and cites a survey in which almost four in five respondents backed the ban. The Bahnhofsmission station charity warned that the rules "must then apply to everyone."