The country of Luxembourg is small but mighty, a hidden European gem nestled between France, Germany, and Belgium. The country receives about 1 million visitors each year, which is no small feat for such a small place.
Most tourists visit Luxembourg City, a stately medieval town with a gorgeous Old Quarter, historic landmarks such as the Grand Ducal Palace, and great museums, such as the National Museum of History and Art.
Outside of the capital, you can explore beautiful small towns such as the abbey of Echternach and the picturesque Moselle villages.
The rolling hills and forests of the countryside are quintessentially European. Luxembourg is a unique choice for a European vacation, but it’s always good to be cautious before heading to a new country, especially one that you don’t know much about.
There may be problems that you don’t know about, such as safety challenges.
This travel guide can help you figure out if Luxembourg is safe to visit or not. Keep reading to learn more about Luxembourg, including the crime rate.
Is Luxembourg Safe to Visit in 2024?
Luxembourg-April 2022: People enjoying bars and terraces on a sunny day in the city/Sabino Parente/Shutterstock
Yes. Luxembourg is one of the safest places to visit not just in Europe, but in the world! The crime rate is very low, and other dangers are practically nonexistent.
If you want a peaceful vacation where nothing is likely to happen to you, Luxembourg is your best bet for a visit. Most countries agree that Luxembourg is very safe to visit.
The United States puts Luxembourg under the lowest possible travel advisory, the Level One travel advisory. Visitors are advised to take basic precautions, the same that they would anywhere, but there are no dangers worth singling out.
The rare exception is New Zealand, which advises citizens to exercise increased caution in Luxembourg due to the threat of terrorism.
However, this is blanket advice that New Zealand gives for all European countries, regardless of local conditions. Although there is a risk of terrorism in Europe, in Luxembourg the risk is extremely low.
In fact, the most recent attack was the Bombers Affair in the 1980s. Like any place, Luxembourg experiences some problems, especially in terms of minor crime.
Common incidents include:
- Pickpocketing
- Petty theft
- Burglary
- Financial crimes such as scams
- Carjacking
However, crime rates are generally very low, and it is easy enough to take precautions to protect yourself. Overall, Luxembourg is a very stable country with one of the best performing economies in the world, a well-off population, and a stable political system.
That means that other problems such as civil unrest are extremely rare in Luxembourg. Luxembourg is in fact one of the safest countries in the world.
It was ranked the 2nd safest country in the world by Business Insider India. Its capital, Luxembourg City, routinely ranks highly in lists of the safest cities in the world. Even extreme weather events are rare in Luxembourg!
Your trip to Luxembourg is unlikely to be interrupted by any negative experiences. Although you should still use basic cautions when you are out and about, the risk of anything happening to you is very, very low!
Crime in Luxembourg
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – May 7, 2020 – Zara store in Grand Rue shopping street with stores and people in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg/JackKPhoto/Shutterstock
In many places in the world, crime is a huge concern for tourists. Nobody wants to spend their vacation filing a police report at the tourist police station or waiting in line to buy a new phone.
Plus, in many popular tourist destinations, crime is a real concern for visitors since tourists often get targeted by criminals. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about crime in Luxembourg because it has a very low crime rate.
In 2022, the police reported just 54,552 crimes. Although this represents an increase compared to previous years, it is still a very low crime rate.
The violent crime rate in Luxembourg is even lower. The homicide rate in Luxembourg is about 0.65 incidents per 100,000 people, which means that there are just a few murders each year. The rates of other violent crimes are similarly low.
The Luxembourgish police offers a helpful breakdown of crime rates by type. According to the police, property crimes are the vast majority of crimes reported in Luxembourg, although they’ve been declining in the past few years.
Crime has been increasing over the past few years, although so has the population of Luxembourg so increases in crime are expected.
According to police statistics, common forms of property crimes include theft from vehicles, theft of vehicles, pickpocketing, and shoplifting.
Most theft incidents are non-violent — in all of 2019, there were only eight cases of armed robbery in the whole country. Another common form of property crime is burglaries. Burglars target occupied homes and non-occupied vacation houses.
Police track detailed data on the prevalence of burglaries throughout the year (more on those later) and are stepping up later to target these types of criminals.
According to the Organized Crime Index, Luxembourg is a center for international financial crimes such as financial dumping and tax evasion, although other forms of organized crime are fairly rare.
The good news is that this type of crime rarely affects visitors, although there have been cases of fraud targeting foreigners.
If you are coming to Luxembourg to seal a business deal, make sure that you research your potential business partners before signing anything, so they don’t involve you in shady business.
As you can see, crime is not really a concern in Luxembourg. You should still take some precautions to keep yourself safe, but you don’t have to be on your guard constantly.
Pickpocketing and Petty Theft
Although petty theft rates in Luxembourg are much lower than in other European destinations, crimes still occur. Pickpocketing is the most common form of petty theft, but other forms of petty theft such as bag snatching, theft from vehicles, and scams can happen.
The Canadian government lists a few hotspots for pickpocketing in Luxembourg. Most theft incidents occur in Luxembourg City, although they can also happen in other popular tourist destinations around the country.
Hotspots include obvious places such as public transportation, the main train station (the Luxembourg Gare) and the area around it, and the airport. However, there are other places that may not seem so obvious that also see a lot of crime.
Be careful in youth hostels, in hotel lobbies, and in restaurants and cafes. Thieves target places where they know tourists will be. Basic precautions are enough to usually deter thieves in Luxembourg.
On public transportation, make sure that your bags are always zipped and that you maintain physical contact with your bags at all times so nobody can snatch them without your knowledge.
Don’t make a show of items that might make you a target, such as luxury watches and the latest smartphone. Just because Luxembourg is a wealthy country doesn’t mean that it is smart to show off any expensive items you own.
People normally let their guard down in shops, hotel lobbies, and restaurants because people feel safe there, but that is where thieves often strike. Never leave items unattended wherever you are, even if you are just going to the bathroom or going up to pay.
You also don’t want to leave your bags hanging off of the back of your chair or on the floor.
Instead, keep bags on your lap while seated, on the floor with your foot on the strap, or on your shoulder if you are waiting in line. Thieves often take advantage of tourists’ inattention in public businesses to snatch their bags.
Scams are also common forms of theft in Luxembourg. One common scam is someone posing as an undercover police officer coming up to visitors and demanding a fine for minor offenses.
Visitors, knowing that Luxembourg has a reputation for strictness in minor offenses such as littering, obey, not knowing they are paying money to a scammer.
If anyone comes up to you claiming to be a police officer, always ask to see ID before paying them any money. Legitimate officers always issue a ticket and direct you to the official payment system and will not accept cash as a form of payment.
Burglaries
Burglaries are a common offense in Luxembourg and are increasing. The UK government warns about the increase in this type of crime in its official travel advisory for Luxembourg.
Burglars target homes during August, when most of the country goes on holiday, and during Christmas, when people tend to let their guard down. Most burglars target homes, which probably won’t affect you if you are staying in a hotel.
However, if you are staying in a vacation rental or with a friend in Luxembourg or are thinking of moving there long-term and renting your own home, you should be aware of this problem.
If you are an expat resident of Luxembourg, take precautions to secure your home such as installing an alarm system.
If you are going for a short-term stay, ask your host about safety precautions they’ve taken against burglaries. Make sure that you take basic precautions yourself, such as locking all doors and windows.
Avoiding Bad Areas
Gare, Luxembourg – July 21, 2021 – street shot of bicycle sign in front of central railway station with tramway train?JackKPhoto/Shutterstock
There are no parts of Luxembourg that are so dangerous that you need to avoid them completely. There are some parts of Luxembourg City that have higher rates of petty crime.
Luxembourg Gare and the area around it has higher incidents of petty theft and drug-related crime, like any train station in Europe.
Public parks at night also tend to have drug-related activity, although it is almost never violent. The Findel area, near the airport, has higher rates of theft from hotel rooms and lobbies.
Things to Consider
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: August 19 2016: 676th edition of Schueberfouer fair, a historic event held during summer/Amalasi/Shutterstock
Here are a few additional tips for visiting Luxembourg:
- Crime increases during Schueberfouer. If you are visiting for the summer fun fair, make sure that you keep a close eye on your valuables as thieves tend to use the crowds as cover for pickpocketing.
- Keep your car secure. Theft from vehicles is common. Make sure you lock doors and roll up your windows. Don’t leave valuables in your car or put any items in plain view.
- Avoid renting a car in Luxembourg City. That’s the best way to avoid being the victim of a theft from your vehicle. Plus, parking and traffic in Luxembourg City is notoriously difficult, so you can avoid the hassle by relying on public transportation.
- Be sure to obey local laws. Penalties for minor offenses, such as drug use or being intoxicated in public are fairly hefty, and you want to avoid legal trouble while abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
FamVeld/Shutterstock
Here are a few common questions you may want answered about Luxembourg:
How safe is Luxembourg for tourists?
Luxembourg is extremely safe for tourists. The crime rate is very low, and the rate of crimes affecting tourists is even lower. There are few other dangers that could affect tourists, such as political strife, civil unrest, terrorism, or natural disasters.
Is it safe to walk around Luxembourg at night?
Luxembourg is nearly as safe at night as it is during the day. There are just a few places that you should avoid, such as public parks and the area around the main train station, as they get sketchy after dark.
Is Luxembourg crime free?
Luxembourg is not crime free because it is impossible for any place to be crime free. Criminal incidents such as burglaries, pickpocketing, and financial crimes do happen, but at lower rates than in other places.
Is it expensive in Luxembourg?
The drawback of Luxembourg is that it is very expensive. The cost of living is very high, to the point that many Luxembourg workers live across the border in France and commute to work!
Are people in Luxembourg friendly?
People in Luxembourg are open to foreigners and love conversation. They usually speak multiple languages and are welcoming.
So, Is Luxembourg Safe to Visit?
Luxembourg is one of Europe’s safest destinations. Besides some petty theft, crime is almost nonexistent and rarely affects tourists. In fact, the biggest danger that might ruin your trip is getting stuck in traffic, or the eternal Luxembourg rain!
So, with so much to see and do and a very safe overall environment, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that Luxembourg has to offer. Happy travels!