Berlin offers free entry for tourists who help pick up litter

Berlin wants to show its best side this summer and is calling on tourists to do their bit. That, at least, is the basic idea behind the “BerlinPay” scheme.

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Anyone who takes part, for example by collecting rubbish or supporting social projects, receives benefits in return at museums, participating restaurants or Berlin experiences. Sustainable behaviour by travellers is meant to be visibly rewarded. The concept itself is not new; the original idea comes from Copenhagen.

BerlinPay: picking up litter for Berlin’s summer

The city of Berlin is still looking for suitable partners, because the rewards need to be worth the effort.

Berlin is hoping for a virtuous circle: people get involved, value their surroundings and neighbourhood more and in turn feel appreciated themselves. This is then rewarded with a positive experience, which could in turn lead to more engagement. That is how the city describes the model on the website of the tourism agency visit Berlin.

The aim, it says, is to encourage conscious behaviour by and on the water. The German capital’s theme of the year is water tourism. The project is explained as follows: anyone “who collects rubbish, helps spruce up their neighbourhood or supports social projects receives recognition from participating partners in the form of small perks or special Berlin experiences”.

Berlin is now looking for companies and initiatives that want to take part. The focus is on institutions with a connection to Berlin’s waterscapes, such as mobility providers, water sports and tourism operators, restaurants as well as cultural and educational institutions. What offers will ultimately emerge is ‘flexible, ranging from small added extras to dedicated special promotions’.

BerlinPay is scheduled to launch as a “campaign format” in summer 2026, under this year’s theme of the capital: water tourism. The project is backed by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises. The full programme is to be presented in mid-May; questions about details will remain unanswered until then.

Can tourists solve Berlin’s rubbish problem?

Berlin, meanwhile, has an ever-growing rubbish problem. It is, however, safe to assume that illegal dumping, such as discarded furniture and old washing machines, can hardly be blamed on visitors.

The cost of removing illegally dumped waste in Berlin amounted to around 13.1 million euros last year, up from around 10.3 million the year before, according to reports from the Berlin municipal cleaning service. The public order office in the Neukölln district reported 15,000 complaints a year relating to rubbish.

Alongside illegally dumped bulky waste, smaller items such as cigarette butts and packaging make a significant contribution to littering in public spaces. Berlin’s politicians are increasingly responding with tougher measures. A key approach is a substantial increase in fines. A stricter schedule of fines has been in force since the end of 2025: dropping a cigarette butt now costs up to 250 euros instead of the previous 55 euros, and in serious cases as much as 3,000 euros.

Illegally dumped bulky waste can incur fines of between 1,500 and 11,000 euros depending on the volume, and up to 15,000 euros for hazardous waste. In addition to higher penalties, the city is also relying on stepped-up inspections and more staff in the public order offices. The aim is to catch litter offenders more often and enforce the rules more consistently.

Copenhagen as a model: boat trip for arriving by train

Initial reactions to the programme in Berlin are mixed. “A nice way to spend your holiday?” one internet user asks sarcastically on the platform X. Another jokes that gloves, broom and shovel are already at the ready. Some argue that the city should sweep in front of its own door first, quite literally.

Others, however, see the idea as innovative. In the Danish capital Copenhagen, where the concept has been in place since 2024, studies show decidedly positive effects. Under the “CopenPay” scheme, tourists are given rewards such as boat trips or free bike rentals for particularly sustainable behaviour. Vouchers are available even if you can show that you travelled there by train rather than by plane.

According to a survey, the CopenPay programme has prompted 70 per cent of tourists to adopt environmentally friendly habits. This was the finding of Wonderful Copenhagen, the tourism organisation for the Danish capital region.

Seven out of ten tourists leave Copenhagen with new resolutions

Visitors in Copenhagen who separate their waste, use public transport and opt for activities such as cycling or take part in biodiversity workshops can look forward to vouchers. In a pilot in 2024, 5,000 tourists took part; the following summer the figure was already 25,000. The organisers reported a 59 per cent increase in bike rentals and strong interest from cities across Europe.

“When people are on holiday, they are more open to new ideas, and with CopenPay we have shown that tourists are not only happy to take part but are also inspired to take home more than just a selfie with the Little Mermaid; they take new habits home with them,” said Rikke Holm Petersen, head of communications and behavioural research at Wonderful Copenhagen, after the second season.

According to its own figures, more than 100 organisations and destinations have been in touch about the project in Copenhagen, including cities in Germany.

“This is only the beginning,” Rikke Holm Petersen is convinced. “Travellers want to do good and would like to see initiatives like CopenPay in their own home cities, from Chicago to Sydney.” How the programme will go down in Berlin and with its visitors will become clear after the summer.