Starting now, travellers, commuters and local residents can shop around the clock at Renningen station. In cooperation with Deutsche Bahn, bk World is opening a bk SpaceStation there, a fully automated convenience store in which a robotic arm picks every order. The range spans fresh groceries, drugstore essentials and ready-to-eat meals. 

The concept is designed for simplicity: customers select their products on a large touchscreen terminal. A robotic arm collects the items fully automatically and hands them over at the dispensing hatch. For alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, the system performs an age verification when required. The distinctive building sits directly at the station, is visible from afar and stays open 365 days a year. 

The assortment covers everyday needs: snacks, cold and hot drinks, staples such as milk, eggs, pasta and pesto, drugstore products from toothbrushes to shower gel, plus ready meals for a quick bite. Anyone stepping off a late train to face an empty fridge at home finds everything they need here, with no opening hours to worry about. The range will be expanded at the end of 2026 with a specially developed 24/7 pizza vending machine. 

“A station never stands still, so a closing time simply doesn’t belong there. With the SpaceStation, people in Renningen get exactly what they need, whether it’s six in the morning or half past one at night,” says Gerold Wolfarth, CEO of bk World. “That is exactly what we built the SpaceStation for. Bringing it to Renningen together with Deutsche Bahn shows how well the concept works in high-traffic locations.” 

The fully automated retail technology originates from bk World’s charging lounges, which the company operates at fast-charging hubs in eight European countries. With the SpaceStation at Renningen station, bk World brings this concept to a place where thousands of people pass through every day. Further locations are in preparation.