Almost every year Frankfurt am Main gets elected to the city with the highest crime rate in Germany, to no once surprise.
With its estimated inhabitants of 768,616 in 2019, Frankfurt is not a big city compared to other European cities like London, Paris or even Berlin.
But the Frankfurt airport which is the biggest in German, the central station in the middle of the city and formidable connection to the German highway system (Autobahn) makes it a mayor transportation hub not only for Germany but for the whole of Europe. Additionally, the banking and financial district as well as its touristic sites Frankfurt is guaranteed to have countless visitors every day.
Frankfurt also has a few gated streets were prostitution is legal and there are also so-called shooting galleries were legal drug use is tolerated and clean needles are distributed, to prevent diseases keep people in a safe environment and get them off the streets.
There are also around 300000 commuters that come from the various towns around Frankfurt to work in the city. This lets the population during the day swell to over a million.
All this can sound dangerous at the first glance, but we must take into consideration that the airport belongs in the jurisdiction of Frankfurt and every pic pocket, stolen bag, etc. is reported as a crime in Frankfurt. With around 64 million passengers a year that’s a lot that goes in Frankfurt’s crime statistic. On top of that there are the huge numbers of commuters that raise the population of Frankfurt during the day. So, crimes per capita get calculated down to a lot less people than there are being in the City
The sketchy area is mostly condensed to the Bahnhofsviertel with the “Hauptbahnhof” or central railway station at its core. If you arrive in Frankfurt, you will most likely do so via the central railway station and if you plan a daytrip somewhere it also probably be from here. The station is day and night patrolled by police and private security companies but do watch your language and don’t bother drunk people especially at night.
The “Bahnhofsviertel” is also home of the “Kaiserstrasse” and its few surrounding streets which make up the red-light district of Frankfurt. Unfortunately, this area is also home to the local drug scene, so naturally that brings drug related crimes with it. Fortunately, the area is also well patrolled, and you won’t get any trouble doing the day. At goes here the same then for the central station, watch your language and don’t bother drunk people.
All in all, Frankfurt is a relatively safe city, as in almost every other city be aware of pickpockets and petty theft. But with the general low crime rate in middle Europe and especially in the Germany, the well-executed police work and the strictly enforced laws, you shouldn’t encounter to many problems.
