At least three people were killed and several injured after a regional train derailed in southern Germany on Friday, a police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson, who did not have any details on who died, said the train had been quite full at the time of the crash.

Several carriages overturned and partly rolled down an embankment north of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski resort in Bavaria, the regional Muenchener Merkur newspaper reported.

There were multiple school students on board the train, Merkur reported, citing a local newspaper.

A major emergency services operation is still underway, police said, and the rail line is currently completely closed.