Police evacuate cross-border 24-hour flea market in Kreuzlingen and Konstanz after bomb threat

The threat and evacuation

In the early hours of Sunday morning, a 24-hour cross-border flea market that stretches across the harbour areas of Kreuzlingen (Thurgau) and Konstanz (Baden-Württemberg) was evacuated due to a security alert. The Thurgau cantonal police referred to an "unresolved threat situation". According to a report by Swiss public broadcaster SRF, a bomb threat had been received against the market, which takes place annually on the shores of Lake Constance. The site – including the Klein-Venedig district, Hafenstrasse and the Konstanz train station – was sealed off. The annual two-day event, held this weekend, was interrupted as a result.

Police deployment and cooperation

A large-scale operation began in the early morning, with the Thurgau cantonal police and the Konstanz police headquarters working in close coordination. Authorities asked the public to stay away from the affected area. Despite the seriousness of the alert, a statement from the Konstanz police headquarters reassured that there was no immediate danger to the population.

There is no concrete danger to the population according to the current assessment of the situation.

Rail and public transport interruptions

The security operation also disrupted rail traffic between the two cities. Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) announced that train services between Kreuzlingen and Konstanz were halted due to an "incident in Germany". The interruption was expected to last until around 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. Travellers were advised to plan for delays and to avoid the area around Konstanz station.

A popular cross-border tradition

The 24-hour flea market is a fixture of the Lake Constance calendar, held over two days this weekend. It attracts large crowds from both Switzerland and Germany who browse stalls set up across the border. The evacuation marks a rare interruption of an event that normally passes without major incidents.