August brings several important developments for people living in Germany. Frequent train travellers will see changes to Deutsche Bahn's BahnBonus programme, families with children starting primary school will benefit from a new legal childcare entitlement, and theg EU's Artificial Intelligence Act comes into force. The month also sees progress towards the EU's Right to Repair rules and a rare partial solar eclipse visible across Germany.
Here's everything you need to know about what's changing and happening in Germany this August.
With the start of the 2026/27 school year, Germany is introducing a legal right to all-day childcare for children entering the first year of primary school under the Ganztagsförderungsgesetz (GaFöG). The entitlement is being introduced in stages, beginning with first-year pupils in the 2026/27 school year and expanding by one additional primary school year each year until all children in Years 1 to 4 are covered by the 2029/30 school year.
The reform is intended to improve access to childcare beyond regular school hours, making it easier for parents to balance work and family life while ensuring more children have access to supervised care and activities.
From 1 August, Deutsche Bahn is introducing changes to its BahnBonus loyalty programme. One of the biggest updates is that reward train tickets (Freifahrtprämien) will move to a more flexible pricing model, meaning the number of BahnBonus points needed will depend on the selected route, booking time and demand instead of being fixed. Under the new system, reward journeys will be available from 750 points, with lower point requirements possible for shorter journeys or bookings made well in advance.
The new system also allows travellers to combine outbound and return journeys as well as first and second class tickets in a single reward booking. Deutsche Bahn says the changes are intended to make reward tickets more flexible,
From 2 August, new EU rules governing artificial intelligence begin applying in Germany. The new transparency rules require people to be informed in certain situations when they are interacting with artificial intelligence. They also require certain AI-generated or AI-manipulated images, audio, video and text, including specific deepfake content covered by the legislation, to be clearly labelled.
The new obligations mainly affect businesses and organisations developing or deploying AI systems and form part of the EU's wider effort to make the use of artificial intelligence more transparent across member states.
On 12 August, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across Germany, weather permitting. Although observers in Germany will only see a partial eclipse, the same event will produce the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe since 11 August 1999, with the path of totality crossing parts of Spain, Iceland and Greenland. Depending on where you are in Germany, the Moon will cover a significant portion of the Sun.
Depending on where you are in Germanyy, the Moon will cover a significant portion of the Sun, making it one of the most notable astronomical events visible from Germany this year. The eclipse will begin shortly after 7:00 pm CEST, reach its maximum shortly after 8:00 pm, and end around 9:00 pm, although exact timings vary by location.
Anyone planning to watch the eclipse should use certified eclipse glasses or other approved solar filters. Looking directly at the Sun without proper eye protection can cause permanent eye damage.
From August, following the 31 July 2026 deadline for EU countries to introduce the necessary national laws, Germany begins implementing the EU Right to Repair Directive. The new rules give consumers the right to request repairs for certain products even after the two-year legal guarantee has expired, provided those products are covered by EU repairability rules. The list includes products such as mobile phones, tablets, refrigerators, washing machines, washer-dryers, dishwashers, televisions, monitors and vacuum cleaners.
The Directive also aims to make repairs a more attractive option. If a product is repaired instead of replaced during the two-year legal guarantee period, the guarantee will be extended by an additional 12 months. It also introduces a standard European Repair Information Form, allowing consumers to compare repair prices, repair times and conditions more easily before deciding whether to proceed.
From 12 August, the EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) begins applying in Germany and across the European Union. The Regulation covers all packaging, regardless of the material used, introducing a single set of rules for businesses that manufacture, import or sell packaged products across the EU.
Businesses will now need to ensure their packaging increasingly meets new requirements on design, composition, reusability and recyclability, while also taking steps to reduce unnecessary packaging and prevent packaging waste.
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