Overview
- Silvester is a regular workday in NRW, so bakeries and supermarkets may open, yet many branches publish reduced hours for Wednesday, Dec. 31.
- On New Year’s Day, bakeries in NRW may open for a maximum of five hours under the Ladenöffnungsgesetz, though many stay shut despite the allowance.
- Bochum listings show most bakeries closed on Jan. 1, with noted exceptions such as Bäckerei Basak from 6 a.m. and Steinofenbäckerei Heinemann from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Railway-station outlets are exempt from holiday limits and sell fresh goods on Jan. 1 in NRW, with WAZ noting a latest closing of 5 p.m., while Berlin station supermarkets list full New Year’s Day hours.
- Petrol stations may open throughout the holidays and often offer fresh rolls, and supermarket chains in NRW report varied Dec. 31 schedules, including Aldi Nord from 7 a.m. to at least 2 p.m., Aldi Süd shopping until 4 p.m., Kaufland closing between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Lidl times set by each branch.