The Bundespolizeipräsidium in Potsdam has ordered a three-day ‘Schwerpunkteinsatz’ (special operation) from 14 to 16 November across more than ten of Germany’s busiest railway stations, including Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Hamburg-Altona, Cologne and Munich-Pasing. The deployment follows a spate of serious assaults and aims to reassure passengers ahead of the Christmas travel season.
Operational details
• Over 1,200 officers will conduct weapons searches, ID checks and plain-clothes patrols on platforms and concourses.
• Mobile identity-verification teams equipped with handheld biometric readers—connected to the newly upgraded Entry/Exit database—will be trialled at Cologne and Frankfurt.
• Deutsche Bahn security and canine units are embedded in the command structure to minimise disruption.
![Federal Police announce nationwide security surge at high-risk railway hubs]()
Why global mobility managers should care
Business travellers transiting the affected hubs should allow extra time for spot checks. Officers may ask foreign employees to show passports or residence cards even on domestic journeys, a practice permitted under §23 BPolG when heightened risk is declared. Companies should ensure mobile workers carry originals rather than copies to avoid secondary screening.
Context
The operation builds on a successful October sweep that seized 214 prohibited weapons and identified 98 immigration offences linked to forged or expired travel documents. Federal Police data show a 17 percent year-on-year rise in violent incidents at major stations, attributed partly to larger passenger volumes and spill-over from border controls.
Stakeholder reaction
The German Travel Management Association (VDR) welcomed the surge but called for clearer passenger communication to avoid missing connections. Civil-rights groups again criticised the broad search powers, warning of potential racial profiling—an allegation the Interior Ministry rejects, citing body-cam footage and oversight boards.
Operational details
• Over 1,200 officers will conduct weapons searches, ID checks and plain-clothes patrols on platforms and concourses.
• Mobile identity-verification teams equipped with handheld biometric readers—connected to the newly upgraded Entry/Exit database—will be trialled at Cologne and Frankfurt.
• Deutsche Bahn security and canine units are embedded in the command structure to minimise disruption.
Why global mobility managers should care
Business travellers transiting the affected hubs should allow extra time for spot checks. Officers may ask foreign employees to show passports or residence cards even on domestic journeys, a practice permitted under §23 BPolG when heightened risk is declared. Companies should ensure mobile workers carry originals rather than copies to avoid secondary screening.
Context
The operation builds on a successful October sweep that seized 214 prohibited weapons and identified 98 immigration offences linked to forged or expired travel documents. Federal Police data show a 17 percent year-on-year rise in violent incidents at major stations, attributed partly to larger passenger volumes and spill-over from border controls.
Stakeholder reaction
The German Travel Management Association (VDR) welcomed the surge but called for clearer passenger communication to avoid missing connections. Civil-rights groups again criticised the broad search powers, warning of potential racial profiling—an allegation the Interior Ministry rejects, citing body-cam footage and oversight boards.
