Safety in Germany

Germany is consistently ranked among the world's safest countries. Violent crime is rare, and most areas are safe to walk day or night.

Crime Overview

Statistics (2025):

Homicide rate: 0.8 per 100,000 (very low)
Violent crime: Rare compared to most countries
Property crime: Moderate, mostly petty theft
Overall crime: Declining trend

Reality: You'll likely never experience crime in Germany.

Safety by City

City	Safety Rating	Notes
Munich	Very High	Consistently Germany's safest major city
Hamburg	High	Safe, some areas avoid at night
Berlin	Moderate-High	Generally safe, tourist areas have pickpockets
Frankfurt	Moderate-High	Hauptbahnhof area sketchy at night
Cologne	High	Safe overall, crowded areas watch belongings

Areas to be aware of:

Berlin: Görlitzer Park, parts of Wedding late at night
Frankfurt: Hauptbahnhof (train station) area
Hamburg: St. Pauli late at night

But these are still relatively safe compared to many countries!

Common Safety Issues

Bicycle theft:

Most common crime expats face
Always lock properly (U-lock + cable)
Register bike and insure if valuable
Theft most common at train stations

Pickpocketing:

Tourist areas, crowded public transit
Christmas markets busy times
Keep valuables secure
Be aware of surroundings

Scams:

Rental scams (send money before viewing)
"Ticket inspector" scams on transit
Street charity petition scams
Generally rare

Emergency Services

Emergency Numbers:

112 - Fire, medical emergency, police (urgent)
110 - Police (non-urgent)
Works from any phone, even without SIM card

Services:

Response times: Excellent (5-15 minutes urban)
English speakers available
Professional, well-trained
Free emergency care

Health & Safety

Drunk driving:

Legal limit: 0.5g/L (0.05% BAC)
Strictly enforced
Penalties severe (fines, license loss)
Zero tolerance under 21 or first 2 years of license

Pedestrian/Cycling safety:

Respect bike lanes (pedestrians will get yelled at!)
Cross at designated crossings
Germans follow traffic rules strictly
Jaywalking frowned upon

Natural Disasters

Low risk overall:

Flooding: Occasional in river areas
Severe storms: Rare but increasing
Earthquakes: Virtually none
Tornados: Extremely rare

Winter safety:

Icy sidewalks (December-February)
Black ice on roads
Homeowners must clear sidewalks (liability!)

Social Safety

Discrimination:

Generally low
Larger cities very international
Rare incidents exist
Report to police (Anzeige)

LGBTQ+ safety:

Very safe, especially in cities
Berlin one of Europe's LGBTQ+ capitals
Legal protections strong
Marriage equality since 2017

Women's safety:

Generally very safe
Solo travel no problem
Public transit safe at night
Rare harassment compared to many countries

Terrorism

Historical context:

Rare incidents
Security presence at major events
Generally not a daily concern
Stay aware during large gatherings

Tips for Staying Safe

Lock your bike properly - Most common crime
Register valuables - Police recovery program
Get liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) - €60/year, essential
Learn emergency numbers - 112 for emergencies
Follow traffic rules - Germans take this seriously
Be aware in tourist areas - Pickpockets target tourists
Get rental scam-savvy - Never send money before viewing

Insurance

Personal Liability (Haftpflichtversicherung):

ESSENTIAL in Germany
Covers damage you cause to others
~€60/year
Required for many rentals

Household Contents (Hausratversicherung):

Covers theft, damage to belongings
~€100-200/year
Worth it for valuable items

Pro Tips

•Invest in a good bike lock - theft is the most common crime
•Get Haftpflichtversicherung (liability insurance) - essential and only €60/year
•Germany is very safe - crime rates among lowest in world
•Tourist areas watch for pickpockets, otherwise very safe
•Emergency number 112 works even without SIM card

Safety