Starting June 1, 2026, Warsaw will impose a citywide ban on the sale of alcohol in retail outlets, kiosks, and gas stations between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
Scope of the New Restrictions
The Warsaw City Council passed the resolution on March 12, 2026, as part of the Warsaw Safe Night Program. The ban applies to all eighteen districts, ending the previous pilot phase that targeted only Śródmieście and Praga-Północ.
Between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, alcohol sales will be prohibited at grocery stores, kiosks, gas stations, convenience stores, and as takeaway from restaurants or bars. The ban excludes alcohol intended for on-site consumption in hospitality venues and the duty-free zone at Chopin Airport.
Impact and Rationale
City authorities introduced the measure to curb nighttime public disorder and reduce emergency interventions. Officials noted that the ban aims to stop “alcohol tourism,” where individuals travel between districts to find shops still selling alcohol overnight.
Data from the pilot phase in Śródmieście and Praga-Północ, conducted between November 2025 and January 2026, showed a 15.2 percent drop in nightly City Guard interventions. Police data from the same period indicated an 8 percent decrease in interventions and a 30.4 percent reduction in public intoxication offenses.
Program Enforcement and Future Adjustments
The Safe Night Program includes increased police and City Guard patrols, identification of problematic vendors, and mandatory training for staff to prevent sales to minors and intoxicated individuals.
The city is also adjusting permit limits, reducing the total quota from 16,970 to 16,680. This shift involves decreasing retail licenses by 310 while increasing gastronomy permits by 20. A full evaluation of the program’s social and safety impacts will be conducted after one year.