German police officers patrol in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday. Christia/Reuters

Police in Germany said on Saturday they had defused a suspicious device found on a regional train overnight near the western city of Cologne, as the country celebrated the 30th anniversary of its reunification.

Bild newspaper reported that the device was a home-made bomb capable of causing serious injuries, adding that it had been discovered by a cleaner in a cardboard box hidden in one of the train's compartments.

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"Information on the possible danger can only be provided following the assessment of experts from the state criminal police," the police said in a statement.

Federal police sniffer dogs confirmed the location and special forces x-rayed the box before defusing the device on site, Bild reported.

The newspaper cited investigators as saying it was still unclear whether it was a failed terrorist attack or an attempted blackmail threat.

Reuters