What is the right course of action now?

In Germany, when approaching a railway crossing with flashing red lights and barriers lowering or down, you must stop before the crossing. The flashing red lights mean you are legally required to wait until the lights stop flashing and the barriers go up, indicating it is safe to cross. Passing or crossing while the lights flash or barriers are down is prohibited and very dangerous.

The correct action is to wait in front of the crossing at a safe distance, not on the tracks themselves. This ensures your vehicle will not be on the railway line if a train approaches, preventing accidents and ensuring your safety as well as compliance with traffic laws (§19 StVO).

Waiting at the crossing or carefully crossing behind the lights and barriers is not allowed. Patience and obedience to these signals protect you and other road users. This rule applies regardless of whether you see a train approaching or not because trains can come quickly and quietly.

In summary, always stop in front of the railway crossing when warning signals are active, wait patiently until it is safe, then proceed. This rule ensures maximum safety at level crossings.