Weapons such as firearms and knives are now prohibited on public transportation systems, including buses and trains. - Bus and train journeys are now forbidden for weapons and blades
Berlin has taken a significant step towards enhancing public safety by introducing a ban on knives and weapons on all suburban trains, subways, buses, trams, and relevant transit facilities, effective July 17, 2025. This ban aims to curb violent crime, particularly knife attacks, and applies across all public transport in the city.
The new regulation, spearheaded by Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD), prohibits all types of knives, blank-firing weapons, irritant weapons, and signal weapons. Passengers will be informed about the knife ban via announcements, text, and graphics on display boards on the BVG. Posters will be gradually hung in U-Bahn station vitrines, starting at Alexanderplatz.
Exceptions have been made for certain professional groups, such as police and firefighters, chefs and caterers, delivery traffic, and other business owners who carry knives to work. It is worth noting that a weapon and knife ban has already been in effect for long-distance train travel.
The effectiveness of these weapon and knife ban zones is a topic of debate. While the ban is intended to deter potential attackers, the head of the Police Union (GdP), Stephan Weh, expressed doubts in February, stating that knife ban zones are a pure placebo and will not deter terrorists or serious criminals.
Interestingly, similar weapon bans are already in place in Hesse and Hamburg, and other states, like Baden-Württemberg, are planning to implement them. However, the focus of the recent ordinance appears to be specific to Berlin, as there is no information available about similar bans in other German states within the provided context.
Violations of the ban can result in fines of up to 10,000 euros. Knives and various weapons are now prohibited on all Berlin S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, and trams. Notably, knives are not readily accessible if they can only be reached with more than three hand movements. Found knives or pepper spray cans can be confiscated.
Spranger plans to continue advocating for this at the Interior Ministers' Conference, with the hope of fostering a joint effort on this issue across states. This move towards a safer public transport system in Berlin is a significant step towards reducing violent crime and ensuring the safety of its citizens.
[1] Source: Berlin.de [2] Source: Tagesspiegel.de
The new community policy, spearheaded by Interior Senator Iris Spranger, includes strict regulations on multiple types of weapons and knives in all public transit systems within Berlin. This policy extension, aimed at reducing violent crime, is part of a wider movement towards enhanced employment policies in German politics, as Hesse, Hamburg, and potentially Baden-Württemberg also have similar restrictions.
Despite concerns from the Police Union head Stephan Weh that the weapon and knife ban zones may not deter serious criminals, the introduction of these regulations in Berlin has been accompanied by penalties of up to 10,000 euros for violations, and the confiscation of confiscated knives or pepper spray cans.
