As the German people were celebrating the New Year's arrival, police in Munich asked people to stay away from the city’s main railway station and a second station in the city’s Pasing neighbourhood because of the “serious, imminent threat” of a terror attack.

Munich police said on Facebook that according to “serious information, there will be an attack tonight”.

German police also used Twitter to warn of a planned New Year’s Eve attack.

“Actual lead that in Munich a terror attack is planned. Please avoid crowd gatherings as well as the central train station and the Pasing train station,” read a translation of the German tweet. It added: “Pasing and central stations have been evacuated. Trains are no longer running. Please follow police instructions.”

Another tweet from the police said: “We note explicitly once again that we take the threat very seriously. Please remain alert.”

Meanwhile, Zeit Online quoted a report from Bavarian Broadcasting radio that there were indications several terrorist groups in Munich were planning attacks.

The warning came shortly before the city celebrated the start of the new year. The new year celebrations subsequently passed off peacefully across Germany.

(With inputs from The Guardian)