The Freiburg Central Station was reopened to passengers on Thursday evening following a police operation. Earlier, the Federal Police parts of the station in Freiburg im Breisgau had been evacuated as a precaution after a report of an abandoned rucksack. According to the authorities, the areas affected were the main concourse and the platforms 1 and 2. The closure lasted around an hour; services resumed at about 7 pm.
The alert was triggered by a witness who reported that a man had left a rucksack outside the station. A subsequent review of video footage showed, according to the Federal Police, that the man had picked up the bag again a few seconds later and boarded a long-distance train. As there was no longer any immediate danger, officers lifted the closure. The Federal Police gave no information that evening about any further investigations into the witness or the person initially reported.
The Deutsche Bahn said that train services had been diverted during the closure. There may have been short delays and platform changes, but there were no lasting cancellations. Passengers were informed via display boards and public-address announcements.
According to consistent reports by SWR Aktuell, Tagesschau and n-tv found no evidence of a danger during the operation. No injuries or property damage were reported. The measures followed standard procedure for suspected threats in station areas: affected areas are evacuated, access is restricted and the situation is assessed using video footage or checks on site.
In discussing the cause, the authorities stressed the value of information from the public in keeping transport hubs safe. They also noted that unverified reports can, in cases of doubt, lead to significant disruption if areas have to be closed as a precaution until the situation is clarified.
The operation highlights the strict security policy at busy railway stations. The impact on passengers in Freiburg im Breisgau was limited on Thursday evening: the closure mainly affected the main concourse and platforms 1 and 2, and was lifted within about an hour. The long-distance services and regional services subsequently resumed normal operations.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).