In the wake of a fatal attack on a ticket inspector on a regional train in Rhineland‑Palatinate, Deutsche Bahn has announced a number of measures aimed at improving safety on trains and at stations across Germany.
A high‑level rail security summit brought together key players from politics, the rail industry and law enforcement last week, where officials drew up plans designed to better protect both transport staff and passengers.
The meeting was convened following the death of 36‑year‑old train attendant Serkan Çalar, who was fatally assaulted during a ticket inspection on a regional express service in Rhineland‑Palatinate earlier this month.
The killing sent shockwaves through Germany and left passengers and rail employees asking just how safe the country’s trains and stations are.
That question has taken on added urgency following the release of new figures highlighting the scale of violent crimes across Germany’s railway network.
What was decided at the rail security summit?
The security summit, which took place in Berlin on Friday, brought together representatives from the federal government, Germany’s state governments, Deutsche Bahn, the federal police, trade unions and public transport authorities.
After the meeting, Deutsche Bahn announced a package of measures that it described as a move towards crime prevention and faster response when situations escalate.
A central element of the plan is the expanded use of body cameras.
In future, all Deutsche Bahn employees who have contact with customers on trains and at stations will be offered body cameras on a voluntary basis. This will also apply to staff on long‑distance services, where bodycams have not previously been used.
Patrick Schnieder (CDU, right), Federal Minister of Transport, and Evelyn Palla, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, speak following the security summit at Deutsche Bahn. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Carsten Koall
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An upgraded emergency button is also to be introduced, allowing train staff to discreetly alert control centres if they find themselves in a dangerous situation.
Deutsche Bahn also announced plans to hire 200 additional staff for its in‑house security service, DB Security, and to improve personal protective equipment for employees.
Another important change affects ticket inspections. From March 1st, train attendants in regional transport will no longer be required to carry out mandatory ID checks. Instead, staff will be able to use their own judgement about whether asking for identification is appropriate, a move intended to reduce situations with a high risk of escalation.
Employees will also receive more training in behaviour and de‑escalation techniques, while Deutsche Bahn and the federal police plan to develop tailored security concepts through regional workshops focused on problem areas.
Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) added that video surveillance on trains and at stations would be expanded, and that, wherever possible, ticket inspections would be carried out by teams of two staff.
How common is violence on Germany’s railways?
These measures come against a backdrop of persistently high levels of violence. According to Deutsche Bahn, there were 3,262 physical assaults on its employees across the group in 2025.
While this was a slight decrease compared with the previous year, the longer‑term trend remains worrying. Over the past decade, assaults on DB staff have risen by 37 percent, from 2,374 cases in 2016.
Police officers are also increasingly affected. In 2025, officers were the target of violent crimes on trains and at stations almost 5,700 times nationwide, up from around 5,500 incidents the year before, according to federal police statistics.
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In addition, figures first reported on Sunday by Bild am Sonntag underlined exactly how dangerous some stations have become. In 2025, more than 980 knife‑related offences and around 2,200 sexual offences were recorded at train stations and on trains across Germany.
Leipzig Central Station emerged as the most violent station in the country, with around 860 violent crimes recorded over the year. It was followed by Dortmund main station with 735 cases, Berlin with 654, Cologne with 648 and Hannover with 612.
Notably, Leipzig had not been among the five most dangerous stations in the previous year, a reminder of how quickly situations at individual locations can change.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
