Tuesday, 21 July 2026: Alcohol ban at all railway stations, bus replacement service for the Regio RB110, car chase in Wurzen

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The bottle stays closed! At any rate, those are Deutsche Bahn’s plans. By mid-October, the company aims to enforce a nationwide ban on alcohol consumption at all railway stations. Due to engineering works on the railway line between Leipzig and Döbeln, the Regio RB110 will only be able to operate as a rail replacement service on a section of the route from Saturday onwards. And: a chase straight out of a crime thriller kept the police in Wurzen on their toes. The LZ summarises the key events from Tuesday, 21 July 2026, in Leipzig and beyond.

Ban on alcohol consumption at all railway stations

“We’re taking decisive action,” announced Evelyn Palla, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG. As the company announced to the public today, it intends to gradually introduce a ban on alcohol consumption at all 5,400 stations across Germany by mid-October.

“We are banning the consumption of alcohol from our stations,” explains Palla. “All too often, we have found that where there is excessive alcohol consumption, violence also increases. Most recently, this was demonstrated by the brutal and senseless attack last Friday. That is why we are now introducing the ban on alcohol at stations. We take safety seriously. It is about protecting our staff and passengers.” Over the coming weeks, the rules and regulations at the respective stations will be amended step by step in consultation with local authorities, government bodies and administrative departments.

The concept is not entirely new, as the “Alcohol-free!” policy is already in place at no fewer than 30 German stations. Major cities such as Hamburg, Munich and Cologne are prominent examples of this. Passengers will then only be allowed to open their beer for the journey once they are on the train. Sealed bottles of alcohol may still be carried on board. However, anyone who opens a bottle whilst still at the station risks being asked to leave – and, in the event of a repeat offence, may even be banned from the premises. This ban does not, however, apply to catering establishments.

Bus replacement for the Regio RB110

Let’s stay on the subject of train services – or perhaps not. As the Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn (MRB) announced today, there are further changes to the RB110 service due to engineering works. Between 25 July and 10 August, a rail replacement bus service will operate in both directions on the Leipzig–Grimma–Döbeln route between Leipzig Central Station and Borsdorf. This therefore also affects the Leipzig stops at Sellerhausen, Paunsdorf and Engelsdorf.

Between Borsdorf and Grimma – with stops at Beucha, Naunhof and Großsteinberg – services will continue by rail. According to the MRB, journey times here will remain unchanged, “with only minor adjustments during the evening and night-time hours”. Passengers can find up-to-date information on the notice boards at stations, at www.bahn.de/bauarbeiten, via the 24-hour service number 0341-23198288 (local rate) or on the MRB website www.mitteldeutsche-regiobahn.de.

Car chase in Wurzen

Real-life crime thriller action caused a stir in the district yesterday afternoon. At the station in the district town of Wurzen, officers from the local police station had spotted a VW Golf without number plates. The officers then wanted to take a closer look at the vehicle. However, they were initially unable to do so. This was because the driver of the Volkswagen suddenly put his foot down, at times racing through the town at over 100 kilometres per hour.

The police tailed the car and pursued the fugitive through the villages of Mühlbach, Burkartshain and Nemt. Then things got really dangerous: The Golf sped along State Road 11 towards Oelschütz, repeatedly overtaking vehicles and, in doing so, veering into oncoming traffic on several occasions. There, it finally collided with a stationary Citroën C4, in which a 72-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman were sitting. Both sustained minor injuries as a result of the violent impact.

The police then intervened. They apprehended the 25-year-old driver and an 18-year-old passenger – who also sustained minor injuries – in the Golf. It quickly transpired that the driver was unable to produce a driving licence. Furthermore, there were suspicions that he had been driving under the influence of drugs – and not just a little: cannabis, methamphetamine and (!) cocaine were allegedly involved. He also had a small amount of drugs on him. This is set to be an expensive drive for the young man; the damage to the cars alone is estimated at around 16,500 euros. On top of this, he faces investigations into various traffic offences, including endangering road safety.

As reported by the LZ today:

Every drop hollows the stone: When trust in democracy is lost – a commentary

Trials for heresy: How Thomas Müntzer provided the occasion to reflect on over 500 years of heresy-hunting

Commemoration day, 21 July: Leipzig remembers deceased drug addicts with a service and an exhibition

What else was important:

A ‘tyre-worthy’ achievement! The Federal Cartel Office has imposed fines totalling 11.9 million euros. The reason: unlawful price fixing in the sale of Maxxis and CST brand tyres. The penalty is specifically directed against the three companies Maxxis International GmbH, Best4Tires Berlin GmbH and Reifen Müller GmbH & Co. KG. The fine notices are not yet legally binding, so an appeal is possible.

Swimming is good for your health – and has become more expensive. The Federal Statistical Office has found that admission to swimming pools this June cost 3.6 per cent more than last year. This significantly exceeds the general inflation rate of 2.3 per cent. A small consolation: sportswear, swimwear and parasols have, however, become cheaper to buy.

Unfortunately, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) cannot give the all-clear: “Case figures for the sexual abuse of children and young people remain alarmingly high,” reads the headline of its press release today. According to the BKA, an increasing number of offences are being committed online. It reports that by 2025, offences involving child pornography and the sexual abuse of children without physical contact, amongst others, will have reached new record highs.