Nuremberg, Germany
Smoking policy at Nuremberg, Albrecht Dürer Airport Nuremberg (NUE)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking outside designated areas in German airports can result in fines under federal and state public-space smoking laws. Vaping rules are not explicitly stated; treat vaping the same as smoking to be safe.
Nuremberg Airport (NUE) has a clearly defined but limited smoking setup. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas: outdoors in the terminal forecourt before security, and in two enclosed smoking cabins in the airside gate area after security. The airport does not allow smoking freely anywhere inside the terminal building.
Before Security
Landside, smoking is restricted to the outdoor forecourt in front of the terminal building. There are no indoor smoking rooms on the public side of the airport. You'll need to step outside before entering the terminal or after exiting arrivals.
Outdoor forecourt area in front of the terminal: open-air, publicly accessible, no time restrictions mentioned.
Once you've checked in and passed through security, you cannot re-enter the landside area without going through security again, so plan accordingly.
After Security
Airside, the airport provides two designated smoking cabins in the gate waiting area. According to traveler reports from 2019, one cabin is located opposite passport control for non-Schengen passengers, and the other is just after passport control. Images from 2024 confirm these facilities are still in place and accessible from the gate corridor. The cabins appear to be semi-open outdoor structures accessed via a staircase, with ashtrays provided. They are free to use and do not require lounge membership or any additional payment.
Smoking cabin near non-Schengen passport control (before passport stamp)
Smoking cabin just after passport control (Schengen/post-security gate area)
Look for the blue "Raucherbereich / Smoking Area" directional signs with a left-pointing arrow in the gate corridor.
Dürer Lounge
Nuremberg Airport has a Dürer Lounge available to travelers from 29.99 euros walk-in. The sources do not confirm whether the lounge has a dedicated smoking area or smoking terrace, so do not count on it as a smoking option without checking directly with the lounge.
Vaping Rules
The sources do not specifically address vaping or e-cigarettes at NUE. German federal law generally treats vaping similarly to smoking in enclosed public spaces, so it is safest to assume vaping is only permitted in the same designated smoking areas.
Bottom Line
You have real airside smoking options at NUE without paying for a lounge, which is better than many German airports. Use the two free smoking cabins in the gate area, and follow the blue "Raucherbereich" signs from the gate corridor.
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