Client: DSB

Reducing the use of nicotine products at Danish Railway Stations

Environment, health, sustainability

About

DSB (Danish State Railways) is Denmark’s largest train operating company, responsible for passenger rail services across the country and to neighboring regions. Each day, DSB runs more than 1,100 trains, serving over 300 stations and connecting cities, towns, and rural areas nationwide. The company plays a central role in Denmark’s public transportation system, carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers daily and operating both regional and intercity services, as well as cross-border routes to Germany.

“The nudging solutions have proven to be simple, effective, and highly scalable across all DSB stations. They demonstrate strong potential for driving lasting and positive behavioral change without compromising the passenger experience.”

Anne-marie Thaysen, Head of Design, DSB

Challenge

Cigarette butts and nicotine pouches are among the most visible and costly waste challenges at Danish railway stations. Despite smoking bans and frequent cleaning, large amounts of nicotine-related litter continue to accumulate on platforms and station premises—impacting both passenger experience and driving up operational costs.

To address this, DSB set out to explore how behavioral design could reduce nicotine use and litter in a way that is effective, intuitive, and scalable across all stations—without adding unnecessary barriers for travelers.

Approach

Krukow applied a structured behavioral design process:

Fieldwork & data collection: Systematic observations, baseline waste counts, photo documentation, and interviews with passengers and staff were conducted at Aarhus and Vesterport stations.
Behavioral analysis: Key behavioral barriers and hotspots were identified—such as stairways, entrance areas, and hidden platform corners—where nicotine-related waste tends to accumulate.
Prototyping: Nudging solutions were developed based on proven behavior change principles, including feedback mechanisms, visual guides, accessibility improvements, and human presence.
Testing: Operationally friendly prototypes were implemented and tested at Vesterport in May–June 2025. Their impact was evaluated through before/after measurements among 9,000+ daily passengers.

Solution

A portfolio of behavioral design solutions was developed and tested to make correct behavior and disposal the easy, intuitive choice:

“No Nicotine” zones: Visual floor markings using guiding white lines and icons, at entrances, to clearly show passenger that the stations were no-nicotine zones.
Bright yellow ashtrays: Strategically placement of highly visible ashtrays at entrance areas, making sure they were visible from a distance and placed just when passengers needed to get rid of nicotin-realetd waste.
Human presence cues: Large photos of DSB employees placed strategically in otherwise “unseen” platform areas, creating a sense of presence and safety, which intuitively guides nicotine users way from the platforms.
Behavioral wayfinding Clear iconography—including cigarettes and nicotine pouches—that works across languages, guiding travelers toward correct use and disposal.

Impact

The nudging solutions:

Significantly reduced litter: Cigarette butts and nicotine pouches on platforms and station premises dropped sharply, with up to 85% reduction in pouches and 76% in cigarette-related waste during the test period.
Shifted disposal behavior: Intuitive design aligned with passenger flow, making the right choice the easy choice.
Enhanced cleanliness and sense of safety: Improved the passenger and staff experience by creating cleaner, more welcoming stations.
Equipped DSB with scalable tools: Delivered a behavioral design toolbox ready to be scaled across current and future station environments.

Through this project, DSB and Krukow co-created innovative, evidence-based solutions that not only reduce waste and cleaning costs, but also enhance the overall passenger experience at Danish railway stations.