Last year, Deutsche Bahn employees were attacked more than 3,000 times – roughly eight incidents a day. According to a DB spokesperson cited by “Bild”, verbal and physical assaults recur during ticket inspections, the enforcement of house‑right rules, and in the vicinity of festivals, major events and football matches.
The figures have not fallen; they remain high in 2024. The spokesperson added that about half of the attacks target staff on regional trains, roughly a third hit security personnel, and also cleaning crews and other service staff at stations are victims.
In response, DB has deployed body cameras. More employees will be equipped with the cameras if they wish to use them. Early reports say the cameras help de‑escalate conflicts, providing a live view of the attacker.
A recent fatal attack on a conductors in a regional express in Rhineland‑Palatinate generated nationwide outrage. Train and transport union chief Martin Burkert demanded that politicians act decisively. “This case is a clear turning point” Burkert told the news portal T‑Online. He urged the federal justice ministry to rethink a draft law that would harshly penalise assaults on police and rescue workers, insisting that rail staff should be protected with equally severe punishments.
Burkert also called for compulsory body‑cam use across the network and for better personnel levels on trains. “If there’s only one conductor, safety can’t be guaranteed” he said. He argued that the ticket‑check incident could have been avoided if the employee had not been alone. He placed the main responsibility on the states, which order the needed service through transport associations and local operators; the number of staff deployed is largely a cost issue.