Germany moves to widen alcohol ban across railway stations

The German police union Deutsche Polizeigewerkschaft (DPolG) backs Deutsche Bahn's plan to extend an alcohol ban to more than 5,000 train stations. It argues that a nationwide ban can only be enforced with at least 3,500 additional security staff and AI‑based video systems that detect aggressive behaviour. Current pilots at major hubs such as Hamburg, Munich and Cologne have shown positive results, but the union stresses that enforcement rests first with DB security personnel and only involves the federal police when a person refuses a place‑restriction.

The federal homeless‑help organisation Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe warns that the ban, set to start on 15 October, could push vulnerable, unsheltered people out of the protected environment of stations. It fears selective enforcement and increased arbitrariness, arguing that the measure does not solve underlying housing or addiction problems and may expose homeless individuals to greater danger in less visible locations.