Berlin bans Knives and Weapons on public transport from July 17, 2025

Starting today, carrying knives and other weapons is prohibited on Berlin’s suburban trains, subways, buses, streetcars, and all associated public transport facilities. The new regulation, introduced by the Berlin Senate and police, aims to curb rising violent crime in the city’s public spaces.

The measure, officially called the “Ordinance banning the carrying of weapons and knives within certain areas”, was passed by the CDU and SPD in the Senate on June 24. It is based on Section 42 (5) of the German Weapons Act (WaffG), which permits state governments to restrict the carrying of weapons and knives under certain conditions.

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What Does the Ban Cover?

The ordinance prohibits:

• Knives of all types, including folding knives, fixed-blade knives, and switchblades, which are particularly popular among certain youth groups.
• Alarm pistols and signal guns.
• Irritant sprays, such as pepper spray, often carried for self-defense.

The restrictions apply across all public transport facilities and vehicles, including S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains, buses, trams, station buildings, platforms, and entrances.

Authorities have chosen not to install special signage at stations or stops to notify passengers of the ban. Instead, enforcement will rely on increased police checks and public awareness efforts.

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Exemptions Under the Ordinance

• Police officers and firefighters are allowed to carry their service weapons when on duty.
• Chefs and catering professionals transporting knives for work purposes are exempt.
• Knives that are newly purchased and still sealed in their original packaging may also be carried for transport.

Importantly, even individuals with a small firearms license are not permitted to carry weapons or knives in these areas.

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Why Was the Ban Introduced?

Berlin’s Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) emphasized that the measure is intended to make public spaces and public transport safer. The city has seen a notable rise in knife-related crimes, with police recording 3,412 incidents involving knives in 2024. Around half of these cases involved threats with a knife.

“Weapons and knives have no place in public spaces and on public transport,” said Spranger. “We are making this clear with the new ordinance. This regulation sets a limit and sends a clear signal: no to knives in public spaces.”

Similar weapons bans implemented earlier this year in Görlitzer Park, Kottbusser Tor, and Leopoldplatz have already proven effective. Since mid-February, police confiscated nearly 100 knives and dangerous objects from these areas and recorded 150 administrative offenses.

The Federal Police also introduced a weapons ban at 12 major S-Bahn stations at the end of May. In the following four weeks, they confiscated 319 prohibited items, including 167 knives, 20 cutting weapons, and 7 guns, after checking 4,754 people.

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Expanded Police Powers for Enforcement

The new ordinance gives Berlin police greater authority to enforce the ban. Officers can now stop and search individuals in public transport areas without needing specific suspicion, a practice previously prohibited under existing laws.

This increased freedom to act is expected to simplify police work and enable faster intervention before crimes occur. Any prohibited items found can be confiscated immediately.

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Penalties for Violations

Carrying a knife or weapon in restricted areas is classified as an administrative offense under the new rules. Violators face:

• Fines, with amounts depending on the severity of the violation.
• Confiscation of the prohibited items by police.
• For repeat offenders, authorities may revoke their driver’s license if there are “doubts about the individual’s character suitability” to operate a vehicle.

“There is no automatism,” Spranger clarified regarding license revocations. “Each case will be assessed individually. But it sends a strong signal to those who walk around armed and then get back behind the wheel.”

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Knife Crime on the Rise

The introduction of the ban reflects wider concerns over rising knife crime in Berlin and across Germany. Knife-related offenses in public spaces have increased significantly in recent years, according to national crime statistics.

The Senate hopes that restricting the carrying of knives and weapons will deter individuals from bringing dangerous objects into busy areas and reduce the potential for violent incidents.

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