Are e-scooters allowed on buses and trains?
Following repeated reports of e-scooters exploding, the Association of German Transport Companies (Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen, VDV) has recommended that e-scooters should no longer be taken on local public transport. E-bikes and mobility aids for people with limited mobility are not affected by the recommendation – even if the latter are occasionally also referred to as e-scooters. The reason given for this is the higher safety standards that apply to the batteries of e-bikes, wheelchairs and similar devices.
The individual transport networks have reacted differently to this. In some cases, e-scooters have been banned from all public transport, while in others electric scooters are still permitted. In some cases, there are also different regulations for buses, trains, subways, trams or ferries, or the individual companies in the transport network have reacted differently.
Below we provide an overview of the regions in which e-scooters are permitted on buses and trains – and where they are not. The information reflects the state of knowledge of the editorial team as of June 2025 and only includes a selection of transport networks:
E-scooters on Deutsche Bahn:
According to the Deutsche Bahn website, e-scooters can generally be taken on long-distance trains (ICE, ECE, IC/EC, RJX, TGV). When folded, e-scooters count as hand luggage. Otherwise, they are categorised as ‘payload’ like large suitcases – and only one of these is permitted per passenger. However, very few passengers will have a large suitcase and an e-scooter with them anyway.
There are no general statements on the website for local transport (S-Bahn) and regional transport (Regionalbahn, Regionalexpress). The rules of the transport networks (see below) are likely to apply here.
Generally, e-scooters may not be used (e.g. not even as a power bank) or charged on the train.
E-scooters in local transport
In local public transport, the networks and companies themselves decide whether to follow the VDV's recommendation and ban e-scooters on buses and trains. Here is a selection of the regulations on electric scooters in various regions:
The following transport networks and transport companies have banned the carriage of e-scooters:
- Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB)
- Augsburger Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (AVV)
- Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV): in subways, tramways and city busses (Stadtbus) in Munich
- Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg (VGN): in subways, tramways and busses
- Verkehrsverbund Bremen/Niedersachsen (VBN): in busses and tramways
- Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV): in subways
- Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main (VGF): in subways and tramways
- Großraum-Verkehr Hannover (GVH)
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR): depending on the individual companies
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) (incl. Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe)
- Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB)
- Hallesche Verkehrs-AG (HAVAG)
- Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS): in bus and tramway
- Verkehrsverbund Mittelthüringen (VMT)
E-scooters are permitted on the following transport networks and transport companies:
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN)
- Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart (VVS). There are time restrictions for non-folded e-scooters (as with bicycles).
- Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV): in regional trains, local trains and regional busses
- Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg (VGN): in local and regional trains
- Verkehrsverbund Bremen/Niedersachsen (VBN): in trains
- Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV): in busses, trains and ferries. There are time restrictions for non-folded e-scooters (as with bicycles).
- Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (NVV)
- Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), except for tramways and subways in Frankfurt.
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN)
- Saarländischer Verkehrsverbund (SaarVV)
- Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund (MDV), except for Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) and Hallesche Verkehrs-AG (HAVAG). There are time restrictions for non-folded e-scooters (as with bicycles).
- Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS): in trains and cable cars
- Magdeburger Regionalverkehrsverbund (MVB)
If you own an e-scooter and are concerned about safe storage and charging of the battery at home, you can use a fireproof battery container such as our RETRON BOX.
