Busy train stations in German cities are well-known as crime hotspots. But Frankfurt am Main’s central station – and the area around it – has a reputation for being one of the worst in Germany. 

Earlier this year, British tabloid The Sun dubbed Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel a “Zombieland”, calling it “the biggest slum in Germany”. 

It came after UEFA recommended the quarter as a base for England fans ahead of Euro 2024 matches. Photos and footage at the time showed police searching several drug users in the area.

“Cops descended on crime-ravaged Bahnhofsviertel district in Frankfurt,” the Sun wrote in a caption on a photo. 

Local politicians hit back, with Mayor Mike Josef, of the Social Democrats (SPD), saying: “My city is not a Zombieland.”

But it’s clear that the area has many problems. 

This week, a man was shot dead on a platform in the city’s central station at around 9 pm. As The Local reported, the 27-year-old was shot in the head on Tuesday and died at the scene. A 54-year-old man was arrested by police in connection with the shooting and remanded in custody.  

Investigators have not provided any information on a possible motive to the crime. 

Although this is an extreme incident, it is the latest in a line of crimes – many violent – to take place in the area. 

How many crimes are reported in Frankfurt and the Bahnhofsviertel?

Germany is a safe country to live in and to visit. But crimes do happen – and train stations are often problem zones.  

In a recent survey published by Bild, 52 percent of respondents said train stations in Germany felt “particularly unsafe”.

Official stats show the number of logged criminal offences rose in Frankfurt in 2023 by 5,922 to 114,969. The city has the highest crime rate in Germany (just ahead of Berlin), with 14,871 offences per 100,000 inhabitants. Police said crime across the country was returning to pre-pandemic levels after taking a dip during the Covid years. 

READ ALSO: Why experts say Germany’s rising crime rate is misleading

A new high was reached in violent crime, such as assault and robbery. A total of 12,530 such offences were recorded in Frankfurt, a hike of more than 1,000. However, police said this is a nationwide trend rather than being a Frankfurt problem. 

A “significant proportion” of the offences were registered in Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel, police said after presenting the figures in March this year. A large proportion of pickpocketing (with an increase of 11 percent compared to the previous year) also took place there.

At a separate meeting earlier this year, Frankfurt police chief Stefan Müller called the district the “most difficult neighbourhood in southern and central Germany”.

What makes the area a problem zone?

Frankfurt, a city of around 800,000, is Germany’s bustling financial capital with plenty of job opportunities and stunning nature nearby. 

READ ALSO: Is Frankfurt a good place for foreigners to live?

But arriving at its Hauptbahnhof can be a shock to those not familiar with the city. 

There are plenty of busy restaurants and cafes in and around the station – but there’s also a dark side. Drug deals happen in broad daylight, users can be seen injecting or consuming drugs on benches and in doorways, people beg for money and there can at times be an aggressive atmosphere. Much of the violence is said to be linked to drugs. 

One Local reader, who travelled around Germany in 2022, told us: “I stayed in Frankfurt twice and each time it seemed that the vicinity of that particular Hauptbahnhof was scary and dangerous. The areas around many large train stations are a bit down at heel and one is glad to get out of them, but Frankfurt stood out for it’s drug-fuelled seediness.”

The area has been known for its pragmatic drugs policy, known as ‘the Frankfurt way’, since the 1990s with a strong focus on drug consumption rooms that have been credited with helping to reduce drug-related deaths. However, the increasing use of drugs like crack cocaine has changed things. 

Before the pandemic, there was a feeling among locals that the area might have been improving with the arrival of more hip cafes and restaurants moving in. But after Covid lockdowns emptied the streets, the area got worse and has seemingly not recovered. 

It’s worth pointing out that the trend of rising crime at stations in Germany is happening elsewhere too. 

Data released in August 2024 showed that knife crime is increasing at stations across Germany, with 373 knife crimes recorded in the first six months of 2024, according to police data.

READ ALSO: ‘Half of Germans feel less safe’ – Why the interior minister wants to ban knives

In the first half of 2024, most knife-related offences occurred at the train stations in Hamburg (21), Hanover (19) and Cologne (15).

In the whole of 2023, the stations in Dortmund and Düsseldorf took the lead (33 offences each), followed by Frankfurt (29).

Which measures have been introduced to make the area safer?

The Bahnhofsviertel is never far from the minds of local politicians and police. A more heavy-handed police approach has taken place recently combined with aims to provide more support for drug addicts.

In April 2024, police carried out a series of raids with 160 officers checking on brothels, bars and food premises.

“More than 270 people were checked, eight people were ordered to leave the premises, 33 criminal charges were filed, more than 50 administrative offences were detected and two arrest warrants were executed,” said Frankfurt police at the time. 

State Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) added: “There is no way around a high level of police control pressure in the Bahnofsviertel. There must be no lawless areas. Frankfurt’s Bahnofsviertel is a crime hotspot. We are countering this with a high police presence and targeted measures. Criminals must not feel safe here or anywhere else.”

It came following a ban on carrying weapons in the zone introduced in November 2023. According to police, this helps to significantly reduce the risk of dangerous injuries in the district. Between November and March this year a total of 35 offences were reported and 35 weapons confiscated. These were mainly knives, but also included a meat cleaver and a knuckleduster, police said. 

READ ALSO: Frankfurt introduces weapons-free zone around main train station

At a meeting in April, Major Mike Josef (SPD) discussed the measures aimed at improving the quarter. 

As well as increasing police presence, more CCTV surveillance was to be set up and more security guards introduced.

To tackle drug problems, funding for drug centres in the district was to be increased this year.

This was aimed at expanding “street social work and the opening hours of drug help centres”, said Elke Voitl (Greens), head of the social and health department.

Meanwhile, the city is working on opening an addiction centre for crack cocaine addicts, who currently make up the largest proportion of drug addicts in Frankfurt.

Local politicians said they were in contact with the Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) in a bid to implement this pilot project. 

What do locals say?

There is no doubt that residents want to see a big improvement in the area. Following the shooting this week, a man working at a local bakery told local media: “The station has got worse.”

But there is more to the area than drugs and violence – and residents and visitors walk through the transport hub every day without any problems.

Earlier this year, Andrej Reisin, a journalist based in Frankfurt, was keen to point out that headlines by newspapers calling the area a “Zombieland” are not helpful.

He said in a tweet: “Of course there is the drug problem – and the resulting human misery. This is a consequence of a more or less globally failed drug policy.”

Aus dem Frankfurter #Bahnhofsviertel kurz vor der #EM doch noch ein paar Worte zu #Zombieland und diesem ganzen Quatsch, weil es schon eine unglaubliche Dreistigkeit ist, wie auch der deutsche Schmutz-Boulevard auf diese Nummer draufgesprungen ist. #Frankfurt #BHFSVRTL 1/10 pic.twitter.com/seo3CMzxlB

— Andrej Reisin (@Andrejnalin77) May 20, 2024

He went on to point out that the history of the area is not just about the open drugs scene but is “one of Jewish survival in Germany”. He also mentioned the diverse food scene there. 

“Anyone who despises this neighbourhood has not understood Frankfurt,” he said.

What do you think about Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel and how would you like to see it improved? Leave a comment below and we may include your comment in a future article.