Warsaw city councilors have voted to restrict nighttime alcohol sales citywide, with the ban set to begin June 1, 2026.
New Citywide Restrictions
The City Council of Warsaw passed a resolution extending nighttime alcohol sales restrictions to the entire city. According to the adopted regulations, from June 1, 2026, the sale of alcohol for consumption outside the place of purchase in Warsaw will be suspended between 22:00 and 06:00. 57 councilors voted for the project, with 2 against.
Scope and Exceptions
The new rules will cover stores and gas stations throughout the capital. The restriction will not apply to catering establishments, so bars, pubs, and restaurants will still be able to sell alcohol for on-site consumption under existing rules. An exception has also been provided for shops operating in the Chopin Airport duty-free zone, as only passengers passing through security have access to this area.
Program Background
The voting concluded a process that began with a pilot in two districts – Śródmieście and Praga-Północ, where nighttime alcohol sales restrictions have been in effect since November 1, 2025. The Safe Night Program was adopted by councilors on November 20, 2025, and was intended to combine alcohol sales restrictions with law enforcement actions and monitoring of the effects of changes.
Reported Results
Warsaw City Hall reported that the first months of the program’s operation led to a decrease in service interventions. According to city data, in the pilot districts, nighttime Municipal Guard interventions decreased by 15.2%, and overall interventions decreased by 23.7%. The number of police interventions in the entire city decreased by 37.2%, and offenses related to alcohol consumption in public places by 42.9%. The city noted, however, that a full evaluation will be possible after 12 months of monitoring.
Community Support
Before the final vote, the project was reviewed by all 18 Warsaw district councils, which expressed support for extending the restriction citywide. This distinguished the current stage from earlier debates around the pilot, when positions of some districts were divided.
Additional Alcohol Policy Measures
During the same session, council members also adopted a resolution regarding permit limits for alcohol sales. According to the adopted solution, the number of permits in retail trade will be reduced by 310, while in gastronomy it will increase by 20, resulting in a net reduction of 290 permits. City Hall presents this as part of a broader reorganization of the city’s alcohol policy.
In practice, this means that from the beginning of June, residents will not be able to buy alcohol at night in stores and at gas stations in any of Warsaw’s districts. The resolution is set to take effect on June 1, 2026, unless the regulations are challenged in the governor’s legal oversight.
