Train travel - masks
 

What is the actual situation with mask type requirements on DB trains? ffp2? Also - where else do you need that (vs. a "surgical mask")?

The best thing to do is to refer to the Deutsche Bahn website, which has an entire page describing the Corona situation: https://www.bahn.com/en/booking-information/corona
Here is their current statement. (The German verion says the same thing -- I checked.)

Recommendation to wear an FFP2 mask

Travellers must comply with mandatory requirements in line with German government regulations ("emergency break") and various state laws. DB recommends that passengers wear FFP2 masks so they can comply with public health requirements when travelling on trains and waiting at station platforms. The rules applicable in individual states can be found on the website of the federal government.

Hi,
When I was in Berlin in September for 2 weeks
The Berlin public transport has announcements and signs saying FF2 masks were required and the majority of people were wearing them. A minority were wearing the surgical masks, a few with cloth types and a few did not wear them. I did not see any enforcement ( however did not see the ticket inspectors on my trains so don't know if they would also mention the masks when doing spot checks on tickets

Regards

TBS

Thank you. I am mostly interested in personal experience - what things actually look like (vs. what the instructions say)

My personal experience is that on ICE trains (i.e. long distance travel) nearly everyone wears an FFP2 mask for the entire journey except when eating, whereas people take a few more liberties on the regional trains.

Here in Berlin things were getting slacker on the U-Bahn recently, but coverage of the fourth wave seems to have had an effect - on several U-bahns today FFP2s were universal apart from the odd jakey.

I travelled on regional trains and S-Bahn to/from the airport yesterday and I did not notice anyone not wearing a mask - a few people who only had it covering their mouth, but otherwise everyone conforming to the regulations, which are annoiunced at regular intervals on trains and platforms.

From mid to late October I took three ICEs -- Brussels - >Köln, Düsseldorf -> Würzburg and Bamberg -> Berlin. I would say a majority of the people in our 1st Class cars were wearing surgical masks. The rest FFP2/N95 types. Didn't see anybody not wearing a mask while in the aisle, but I wasn't inspecting everybody :)

On Berlin public transit it was the opposite, a few surgical masks and the rest FFP2/N95 type. We got "inspected" once and the guy was only interested in if you had a ticket, not what mask you were wearing.

I am in Germany now and have taken various public transport and trains in the last 10 days. I just wear a blue surgical type mask and have had no issues.

Note that with the fourth wave, so Lander are reverting to FFP2 only being mandatory, Bavaria being one of them.

again, it depends from Land to Land.
Germany is a federal state and laws are different.

In many states (e.g. Hessen) you are required by law to wear a FFP2 mask.

However,
this is never enforced.
I never seen or heard - and I've asked around - about anyone being warned of fined in such regard.

You also need to wear a mask when entering into any indoor space (restaurant, pub, mall, public building, office).
The only exceptions nowadays are for example gyms, where you are exempt to wear a mask because only vaccinated members are allowed.

I wouldn't count on missing controls. At least in trains there are controls. Nevertheless lacking controls are a point many people criticize in Germany at the moment.

Busybody passengers will exercise control :)

Just finished taking trains from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf/Cologne (RT), Dusseldorf to Hamburg plus local trains in each area. Everyone was masked with either blue surgical or KN95s and some cloth masks.

https://soziales.hessen.de/Corona/Fr...t-auf-Englisch
This is stating very clearly that in Hessen (state where Frankfurt am Main and FRA airport is) a FFP2 is mandatory in public transport and all other compulsory situations.
Basically, you either wear a FFP2 mask or none at all.
Legally, this is also applying to the FRA airport. Many, many people wear very different types of masks in the airport, including cloth. They are never questioned/warned.

However, as stated before, I've never seen or heard from anyone being questioned or warned why are they wearing a simple surgical mask.

If you've problems with breathing (esp longterm) with FFP2 - wear a surgical one, but have an FFP2 ready if requirements change (e.g. entering new state/county/country - regulations change "over night" and so on).