Germany : Safety by City
- Berlin
- Bremen
- Cologne
- Dortmund
- Dresden
- Dusseldorf
- Essen
- Frankfurt
- Hamburg
- Leipzig
- Munich
- Nuremberg
- Stuttgart
- Wiesbaden
Cologne is situated on the river Rhine and the fourth largest city in Germany with more than 1.000.000 inhabitants.
It is one of the nation’s media, tourism, and business hot spots.
Cologne is known to be one of the most liberal cities in Germany.
The city has interesting sightseeing such as Cologne Cathedral/ Cologne Dom – is a masterpiece of High Gothic architecture, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Also, Cologne has one of the world’s best collections of museums and galleries for a city of its size.
Travelers come here to visit Cologne Carnival – the biggest festivity in the city is the Winter streets carnival in February.
Warnings & Dangers in Cologne
OVERALL RISK: LOW
In general, the city is quite safe, you should avoid some areas at night and watch your pockets in crowded places.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
Public transportation and taxis are safe. Use common sense and watch your pockets.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
There are many pickpockets in Cologne, especially in tourist places, at festivals and in public transport. Be careful.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
The main hazard in Cologne comes from a river spill. This occurs in spring when the snow melts in the mountains and leads to flooding.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
Regarding mugging and kidnapping risks, Cologne is a safe place. Just be watchful and avoid dangerous areas.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
Terrorism not an issue in Cologne but it's an issue in Europe. Every time you are in a touristic place or at the festival - be watchful.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Fraud can occur on the streets when someone tries to distract or talk to you. Sometimes it can even be beggars. Don't do stop to talk with strangers.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Women can safely travel to Cologne alone. Just use common sense and you won’t get into trouble.
So... How Safe Is Cologne Really?
Cologne calm European city, but has a moderate level of crime and it increases in recent years.
Travelers should be especially careful around the train station and near the Cologne Dom – most touristic place.
There are a lot of pickpockets here.
Sometimes here you can meet young male street gangs hot spots with drug abuse.
In Cologne, you should avoid get drunk at night clubs and do not participate in street fights.
The outskirts of the city and the square near the station, especially at night, also remain non-safe places.
Try to avoid these places.
Violent crime is rare in Cologne.
But, like any big city, theft is a problem here.
Keep your valuables close while traveling in public transport.
Passport and jewelry better keep in the hotel’s safe. Do not leave wallets or bags unattended.
After the winter, due to the melting snow in the mountains, the Rhine carries much more water than usual.
Sometimes this leads to severe flooding.
Explore this information before your visit to Cologne.
Avoid being in the Altstadt area at night, it’s good in the daytime, but at night it considers to be a dangerous place.
Change your money at the banks or use ATM at banks to avoid scams.
How Does Cologne Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Cologne | 83 |
| Frankfurt | 74 |
| Berlin | 78 |
| Munich | 85 |
| Dresden | 75 |
| Dusseldorf | 75 |
| Nuremberg | 87 |
| Vienna (Austria) | 88 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 70 |
| Manama (Bahrain) | 54 |
| Tianjin (China) | 67 |
| Brussels (Belgium) | 60 |
| Shanghai (China) | 66 |
Useful Information
Visas
You can enter Germany without a visa if you stay for less than 90 days. If you are EU nationals, you can stay in the country as long as you want. A valid passport is a must.
Currency
he Euro is the official currency for Germany. A sign is €; code: EUR. The euro is divided into 100 euro cents.
Weather
The best times to visit Cologne for ideal weather are from May to October. Temperatures feel cold for about half of the year and otherwise nice with a very low chance of rain or snow throughout the year.
Airports
Cologne Bonn Airport is the international airport of Cologne, located 14 km from the city. Airport also serves Bonn, the former capital of West Germany.
Travel Insurance
The travel insurance policy is a must when visiting a foreign country. Make sure you got it before starting your journey, the customs officer may ask for it.
Cologne Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 5 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| Low °C | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| High °F | 41 | 45 | 50 | 57 | 66 | 72 | 75 | 75 | 68 | 59 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | 34 | 34 | 37 | 39 | 48 | 54 | 57 | 57 | 52 | 45 | 39 | 34 |
Germany - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Berlin | 78 |
| Bremen | 65 |
| Cologne | 83 |
| Dortmund | 74 |
| Dresden | 75 |
| Dusseldorf | 75 |
| Essen | 77 |
| Frankfurt | 74 |
| Hamburg | 82 |
| Leipzig | 78 |
| Munich | 85 |
| Nuremberg | 87 |
| Stuttgart | 73 |
| Wiesbaden | 57 |
Worse and worse
Things seem to have gotten downhill lately. I don’t know exactly what sparked this but streets are more and more unsafe and not only at night. I hate having to be super cautious whenever I’m leaving the hotel…
Is this the new trend!
Even in the daytime unsafe places, people taking drugs in the center during the day at NeuMarkt.
There is a drug consumption room at Neumarkt. Thats why the addicts gather there. They can be also found in parking garages close by (between cars or stairwells) but usually mind their own business. 5/2023
Won’t be back
Broken beer bottles and the smell of urine at nearly every train stop. Numerous panhandlers throughout the city and saw several young men in zombie like states clearly very drugged and homeless in city center. Don’t think I’ll be back. Sept., 2022
Stable
Cologne doesn’t feel upper class, but it is safe after all.
Homeless people ain’t nice too look at but won’t bother you. Same counts for the few people abusing drugs in public. Highest risk indeed comes from pickpocketing in some busy locations. Just look for your stuff when being adressed by groups. Terrorism isn’t a thing, just a hypothetical risk. I also wouldn’t know how to be cautious about it anyway. And there is a good protection against river spills, so the natural hazard risk is rather low. But there can be storms or minor earthquakes though.