Sundays: shops are closed

Sonntagsruhe

On Sundays and public holidays most shops in Germany are closed, so buy your groceries on Saturday.

The rule

Supermarkets and most shops are closed on Sundays and on public holidays. Sunday is protected as a day of rest by the constitution.

Open on Sundays: bakeries (for a few hours in the morning), petrol stations, shops in big railway stations and airports, restaurants, cafés and many museums.

Each state sets a few "shopping Sundays" (verkaufsoffener Sonntag) a year, often with a fair.

Public holidays differ between the states. Check the holidays of your state, especially before long weekends like Easter and Christmas.

Opening hours on working days also differ by state; many supermarkets close at 20:00 or 22:00.

German words for this

• der Sonntag · Sunday
• der Feiertag · public holiday
• geschlossen / geöffnet · closed / open
• die Öffnungszeiten · opening hours
• der Bahnhof · railway station

Official sources

• Art. 140 Grundgesetz with Art. 139 Weimarer Verfassung (Sunday rest)
• Ladenschlussgesetz (federal law; most states have their own)

Last checked: 8 November 2026, against the official sources named on each page. General information for learners, not legal advice: rules can change and some depend on your state or city. If something matters for you, check the official source or ask the office.