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May Day Retail Closures: Stations and Airports Offer Limited Shopping

Only shops in stations, airports and fuel stops may trade under holiday rules.

Overview

  • Supermarkets and discounters, which fall under the May 1 public holiday rules on Friday, are closed across Germany.
  • Exceptions in the state retail laws allow sales at train stations, airports, fuel stations and on‑call pharmacies, and these outlets may sell everyday goods needed by travelers.
  • In Berlin, Rewe at Ostbahnhof opens 6 a.m.–midnight, Rewe at Hauptbahnhof 8 a.m.–10 p.m., and Rewe at BER 5 a.m.–midnight, with a Rewe to Go at Warschauer Straße open around the clock, though chains warn hours come from their websites and can differ locally.
  • Major hubs outside Berlin also trade, including Rewe at Munich Airport Terminal 2, Edeka at Munich Hauptbahnhof, Rewe at Frankfurt Airport and Edeka in Hamburg Hauptbahnhof.
  • In North Rhine‑Westphalia, station and airport shops list 24‑hour options in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, many bakeries may open for up to five hours by law, and several cities plan a shopping Sunday on May 3 tied to local festivals.