Germany: Train Conductor Beaten to Death by Passenger Without Ticket

Once upon a time in Europe, especially in Germany, riding on trains was a pleasant experience. Not so much anymore. Germany is having a rash of violent incidents on trains, mostly thanks to the millions of foreigners who have been arriving since 2015, when Angela Merkel opened the floodgates during the Syrian civil war. There have been robberies, beatings, stabbings, rapes, and murders.

Last Monday, it happened again when a train ticket conductor encountered a 26-year-old Greek man who was riding without a ticket. When the conductor told him he had to get off the train, the Greek guy reacted violently and beat the conductor senseless. The victim, who is reportedly of Turkish background, died in the hospital the next day. The suspect is in custody.

The below article from Junge Freiheit is translated by Fousesquawk. 

Unticketed rider on regional train

Ticket conductor dead after beating attack by foreigner

4 February 2026 

A ticket conductor on the German railway has died after a brutal attack during a ticket control in Kaiserslautern District.  The suspect is a 26-year-old Greek residing in Luxembourg.

Kaiserslautern. A ticket conductor on the German railway has died after a beating attack on a regional train. The 36-year-old family man, Serkan C., succumbed to his severe injuries in the hospital, BILD reports. The attack occurred on Monday evening on a regional train between Landstuhl and Homburg.

As the police report subsequent to an inquiry by Junge Freiheit, the suspect is a 26-year-old Greek without a fixed residence in Germany. Instead, "according to his own statements, he resides in Luxembourg", as the prosecutor's Office in Zweibruecken informs Junge Freiheit. The man was traveling without a ticket. He is suspected of homicide. "There are no prior convictions; he was not known to police in Germany, nor is there any indication of a longer-lasting stay in Germany," according to investigators. Everything else is the subject of ongoing investigation. 

Ticket conductor beaten to death during ticket check

According to the investigation to date, shortly after departure from Landstuhl, the ticket conductor checked a group of several persons aged 20-30 years. At this time, he determined that the 26-year-old Greek could not produce a valid ticket. When the rail employee attempted to remove the man from the train, an argument ensued. 

Witnesses report that the ticket conductor attempted to calm the situation and keep his distance. Nevertheless, shortly thereafter, the suspect suddenly attacked the rail employee and punched him several times with his fist. The conductor then collapsed. 

Passengers provided first aid. The conductor had to be resuscitated on the train. A few minutes after the act, federal police officers arrived. A paramedic took over the first aid. The suspect was arrested at the scene and led away in handcuffs. The seriously injured rail employee was taken to the hospital, where doctors fought for hours to save his life. On Tuesday, the 36-year-old finally succumbed to his injuries. He leaves behind a wife and children.

Railway chief appalled by "terrible act of violence"

The suspect was brought before a judge. The prosecutor's office is investigating it as a homicide. Further information as to possible accomplices from the group or the circumstances of the crime has not been released by investigators.

The CEO of the German Rail, Evylyn Palla, expressed her shock. The tragic death made her "stunned and sad," she said. She conveyed her condolences to the family of Serkan C., his friends, and his colleagues. The German Rail condemned the "terrible act of violence and the completely senseless death of our colleague in the strongest terms". Palla also raised the question of why such outbreaks of violence repeatedly occur. Politics and society must provide an answer. "It is a "black day for all railway passengers in the country". The railway is in mourning. 

 

Violence against employees of the German railway is not uncommon. According to information from the Federal Ministry of Interior, in 2025 to the end of October, there were an average of 5 rail employees a day who were physically attacked. In all, authorities recorded 2,987 cases of threats or physical injuries in this period. In all of 2024, there were about 3,150 attacks. The numbers indicate a further increase in violence.