What's open and closed on May 1st in Germany
May 1st is a nationwide public holiday with traditions dating back well over a century - in German its commonly called
Tag der Arbeit
(or Labour Day in English).
Interestingly, the historical labour strikes and protests that led to the designation of the date as Labour day actually started in the United States in 1886. But in the 130 years since then, Labour Day as its celebrated on May 1st has been largely forgotten in the US, whereas the tradition lives on in Germany and around 65 other countries internationally.
May 1st is one of just nine national public holidays that is celebrated in every federal state in Germany - so no matter where you live in the country, you should expect that most shops will be closed on Thursday.
Here's an overview of what's open and what's closed during the May 1st holiday.
EXPLAINED:
Why is May 1st significant in Germany?
Shops
Supermarkets and most independent shops will be closed closed for
Tag der Arbeit.
As always in Germany, there are certain supermarkets (typically found only in central train stations) that are legally allowed to remain open on Sundays and holidays. So if you know of a grocery store in your local
Hauptbahnhof
where you like to shop on Sundays it may also be open on May 1st, but do check the store's hours before heading out, as holiday hours may vary.
A report by
Focus Online
rounded up the supermarkets that will be open in Germany's major cities on May 1st, which you can
find here
.
You may also find the odd exception in the form of a local corner store such a
Spätkauf
or
Kiosk
, but generally speaking, you'll be better off assuming that nothing will be open and doing your shopping for Thursday ahead of time.
REVEALED:
Where to buy groceries on a Sunday in Berlin
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Bars, restaurants and cafés
Very often hospitality businesses, especially those in popular tourist areas or big cities, will want to stay open to cater to the May 1st crowds.
However, others may have owners or staff that would rather have the day off themselves.
In short, if you're out and about in a bigger city for the holiday, you shouldn't have much trouble finding something to eat or a place to have a drink, but you'll want to check in advance if you have plans to meet friends at a particular place.
People sitting in a beer garden at the Seehaus am Kleinhesseloher See in the English Garden in Munich. Photo: picture alliance / Andreas Gebert/dpa | Andreas Gebert
Tourist attractions and leisure activities
Leisure centres, museums and other major tourist attractions also often close on May 1st, while some may maintain holiday hours.
But honestly, if you're visiting Germany at this time, May 1st brings a great opportunity to experience contemporary German culture first-hand by diving into a wide range of parties and/or demonstrations on the streets.
In a major city, you likely won't need to venture far before you stumble upon a political demonstration, a spring-time festival or a similar holiday events. But if you'd rather plan your day out here are some event lists to get you started in
Berlin
,
Hamburg
,
Frankfurt
and
Munich
.
Offices, banks and schools
Almost all offices close on May 1st, as do banks and public administration offices.
If May 1st falls on a Thursday, as it does this year, some offices (and many workers) may decide to
'bridge' the holiday
and remain closed Friday as well.
Schools also close and, once again, some schools may decide to give their pupils (and teachers) the Friday off too.
READ ALSO:
'Bridge days' - How to maximise your public holidays like a German this May
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Public transport & emergency services
Public transport runs as usual on holidays including May 1st, but be aware that many cities have a holiday timetable with reduced services.
Most doctors' and dentists' practices will be closed on May 1st, so if you do have a non-urgent medical procedure scheduled for May 1st, you may want to check ahead that the appointment was not made in error.
But emergency services will of course function normally, with hospitals remaining open.
If you have a non-emergency medical issue on Labour Day, you can dial 116 117 or try
this website
for a directory for local medical offices near you. In an emergency, call 112 for the fire brigade or ambulance or 110 for the police.
Most pharmacies will be closed, so make sure you have enough medication ahead of the public holiday. Alternatively, a
list of emergency pharmacies is found at Aponet.de
.
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