The investment volume of around two billion euros is made up of 56 ICE L trains from the Spanish manufacturer Talgo and 17 ICE 3neo trains from Siemens Mobility. The trains are due to go into service from 2026 and be delivered by 2030.
Michael Peterson, DB Board Member for Mainline Passenger Transport, explains DB's plans: "DB will undergo a comprehensive transformation in the coming years. This applies to both the rail network and our trains. This year we will already be receiving an average of three new ICE trains per month. With an additional two billion euros, we are accelerating the rejuvenation of our train fleet. People want to travel by train. With new trains, more comfort and faster connections, we will meet the booming demand for environmentally friendly mobility by rail.
The 230 km/h ICE L will run between Berlin and Amsterdam for the first time from October 2024. Connections to Denmark (Copenhagen) and Austria (Vienna) will also be added in the future.
The first ICE 3neo trains will enter service in December 2022. With a top speed of 300 km/h, the ICE 3neo is primarily intended for high-speed connections such as between North Rhine-Westphalia and Frankfurt and to/from Munich (via the new Wendlingen-Ulm high-speed line) or between Berlin and Munich. From 2024, the train will also replace its breakdown-prone predecessors on the Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Brussels routes.
The new trains will add a further 39,000 seats to the ICE fleet. This will include a total of 90 ICE 3neo and 79 ICE L trains.
Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digitalisation and Transport, adds: "The new trains represent progress on the railways - fast, digital, barrier-free. They not only create much-needed capacity, but also improve quality and comfort for passengers. Together with our package of measures to modernise the network, the rejuvenation of the fleet will ensure one thing above all else: greater operational reliability".
