Alcohol in the street
Drinking in the street and in parks is allowed, with no general ban, as long as you stay discreet. The legal age is 16 for beer and wine, 18 for spirits. It is, however, forbidden to board buses, trams and U-Bahn trains with an open drink. Everything is detailed in our guide to drinking in the street in Berlin.
Cannabis
The 2024 law lets adults carry 25 grams in public, but there are no coffee shops or legal sales, and cultivation clubs are reserved for residents. Use is banned near schools and playgrounds, in the presence of minors and in pedestrian zones from 7am to 8pm. See our guide to cannabis in Berlin.
Bottle deposit
Most plastic bottles and cans carry a 25-cent deposit, glass beer bottles 8 cents. You get your money back at a supermarket using a machine, or you put the container next to a bin for the collectors. See the guide to the bottle deposit in Berlin.
Sundays
Shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays, except stations, petrol stations and a few businesses with short hours; museums, restaurants and cafés open as normal. Spätis are officially closed, but often open. See our guide to Berlin on Sundays.
Paying and tipping
Cash is still useful in some bars and Spätis. In restaurants, you pay at the table, and the customary tip is about 5 to 10%, announced when you pay. The details, including tipping, are in our guide to paying in Berlin.
Transport and safety
You must buy and validate your ticket before boarding, and smoking is banned in stations and vehicles. The rules, fares and inspection fines are in our guide to getting around Berlin. For pickpockets, fake inspectors and emergency numbers, read scams to avoid in Berlin.
Tap water and budget
Tap water is drinkable in Berlin, so a water bottle is enough. Current prices and money-saving tips are in our guide to the cost of a trip to Berlin.
Going further
For evenings out, see Berlin at night, and to plan your stay, a weekend in Berlin.
