German stations clamp down on alcohol consumption

A cold lager and a takeaway currywurst on the platform while waiting for your train is almost de rigueur at German railway stations. 

No more. 

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is introducing a nationwide ban on alcohol consumption at all of its railway stations as part of a major safety initiative designed to protect passengers and frontline staff, news hub Travel Mole reports.

The measure will be rolled out across Germany’s 5,400 train stations in phases and will be fully implemented by October 15. 

DB said the decision follows a series of violent incidents, including what it described as a “brutal and senseless” attack on July 17 on a train driver. 

The rail operator said the incident reinforced concerns about the connection between excessive alcohol consumption and violent behaviour at stations.

“We are taking decisive action by removing alcohol consumption from our stations,” said DB CEO Evelyn Palla. 

“Too often we have seen that where large amounts of alcohol are consumed, violence also increases. The recent attack has shown once again why this step is necessary. We are serious about improving safety for our employees and our passengers.“

The alcohol ban will be introduced under Deutsche Bahn’s station regulations. Local station rules will be updated over the coming weeks in cooperation with municipalities, public authorities and local administrations before the policy takes effect nationwide.

Several major German stations already prohibit alcohol consumption. Around 30 stations, have operated under these restrictions, including Berlin Zoologischer Garten and Berlin Ostbahnhof, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Mannheim and Munich.

DB says the results have been positive. 

“The experience has been clear,” Palla said. “Alcohol-free stations mean less violence and less litter.“

The next phase of the rollout begins on September 1, when Berlin Central Station, Berlin Gesundbrunnen, Kiel and Braunschweig stations will become alcohol-free. The remaining stations across the country will follow in stages through mid-October.

The ban applies only to alcohol consumption in station areas. Restaurants, cafés and other licensed food and beverage outlets located inside stations are exempt and may continue serving alcoholic drinks under existing regulations. 

Passengers will also still be allowed to carry unopened alcoholic beverages in their luggage or shopping bags while travelling.

Anyone caught violating the new rules will initially be ordered to leave the station. Repeat offenders may face a permanent ban from stations. 

Balearics put the brakes on boozy Brits

Spanish authorities have had enough of drunk and disorderly British tourists. 

Brits visiting Majorca and the other Balearic islands this summer will find it a lot harder to get legless than it was before. 

New rules have been put in place by regional governments in a bid to address the "issues of over-consumption of alcohol".

So booze cruises and organised pub crawls are out - and there will be limits on alcohol sales. 

Restaurants and bars that serve food are also limited in how much alcohol they can serve, in addition to all-inclusive resorts. The new rules state the maximum per lunch or dinner is three alcoholic beverages. 

The clampdown applies to tourists hotspots like Magaluf and El Arenal as well as party central Ibiza.

The regional government said that the laws would “force a real change in the tourism model of those destinations”.

Under the new legislation, happy hours and two-for-one drinks will also be banned.

The rules also ban the sale of alcohol in shops between 9.30pm and 8am, and forbids the advertising of party boats in designated areas.

Balearic Islands Tourism minister Iago Negueruela said: “We want British tourists but we don't want this type of tourism.

“We share with the British Government the view that some images of British tourists are embarrassing. 

"We want to put a stop to bad behaviour. We will have zero tolerance for tourism excesses.”

British travel agents body ABTA has said it "strongly supports” the changes. 

Establishments that don’t follow the rules will face hefty fines, according to the legislation. The government texts outlines fines of between €1,000 and €600,000, plus the possibility of shutting down offending establishments for up to three years.

City imposes ban on consuming alcoholic drinks

Bad luck if you are a wine lover working in Puyang city in China’s Henan province.

The city of 3.7 million people has issued a sweeping booze ban that prohibits all civil servants, party members and cadres from drinking alcohol throughout the working week - even outside of work hours, Chinese website Vino Joy reports.

A directive issued on April 9 by the local authorities prohibits drinking not only on week days but also after working hours and holidays. The only exception will be for attending events such as weddings or funerals.

This is step further than the killjoy city’s alcohol consumption curb issued in 2009 - when drinking during lunch breaks was prohibited.

The move is to “rectify public servants’ working style” and to prevent them from using alcohol as “a breeding bed for corruption”.

Official lunch and business meetings in China can be boozy affairs, where alcohol-soaked lunches and banquets often facilitate deals and favours, Vino Joy reported.

Puyang is a city located on the northern shore of the Yellow River.