German railway to ban consuming alcohol at all its stations, with some exemptions

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BERLIN (AP) — Germany's national railway operator said Tuesday that it is banning alcohol consumption at all stations on the network in an effort to improve security and cleanliness for employees and passengers — though there will be exemptions, including for station bars and restaurants.

Deutsche Bahn said that the ban will be introduced step-by-step at all 5,400 stations in Germany by Oct. 15. Bans have already been introduced at 30 stations, among them in Cologne, Hamburg and Munich. Berlin's central and Gesundbrunnen stations will follow on Sept. 1, along with some others, before the measure is expanded nationwide.

“We have observed too often that violence increases where too much alcohol flows,” Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla said in a statement.

She pointed to a “brutal and senseless attack" last week in which an intoxicated passenger is alleged to have beaten and kicked a member of security staff during a ticket check. The employee fell out of the moving train's door and was injured.

People who flout the ban will be kicked out of stations and multiple offenders could be given a permanent ban from the premises.

Deutsche Bahn said in-station caterers will be exempted from the ban and people will still be allowed to carry closed bottles and cans of alcohol in their luggage or shopping bags. The ban won't apply on board trains. Alcoholic drinks are sold in dining cars on many long-distance trains.

The European Union’s most populous country has a railway network totaling some 33,400 kilometers (20,750 miles) in length, used by an average 50,000 trains per day. Deutsche Bahn's infrastructure division says that makes it Europe’s biggest network.