As per reports, Berlin is preparing for the large-scale New Year’s Eve celebration at the Brandenburg Gate, with up to 65,000 attendees expected for the ‘Celebrate at the Gate’ party between Tuesday (31 December) and Wednesday (01 January 2025). Several security measures are scheduled which may cause local travel disruptions.

• The area around the Brandenburg Gate and the Straße des 17. Juni up to Grosser Stern will be closed off to both pedestrians and cyclists on Tuesday (31 December). On New Year’s Eve, i.e., Tuesday (31 December), this closure will extend further into the Grosser Stern area.
• The security measures are in place following concerns about security, especially after the recent attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. To ensure safety, 4,000 police officers, including reinforcements from other federal states, will be stationed throughout Berlin. Authorities are particularly concerned about spontaneous gatherings, which have been identified as potential targets for criminal activities.
• The police will implement mobile access barriers on Unter den Linden and other key areas.
• The Berlin Fire Service is preparing for its busiest night of the year, tripling its staff and mobilizing over 1,500 emergency personnel to handle the expected high volume of incidents. After previous years’ riots and unrest, authorities have identified three hotspot areas for potential crimes and excesses, where police will be stationed alongside emergency workers.
• In addition, specific firecracker ban zones will be enforced in high-risk areas, including Alexanderplatz, Steinmetz district in Schöneberg, and parts of Neukölln, as well as around the Brandenburg Gate. Firecrackers and rockets are prohibited in these zones, with only sparklers and other less hazardous items allowed. A large weapons ban zone will also surround the New Year’s Eve commercial celebration at the Brandenburg Gate.