A Fresh Spin on Deutsche Bahn's Long-Distance Train Fleet Modernization
Railway Renewal Sparks Alerts - Passenger Group Warns of Congestion Issues
Exciting developments are afoot as Deutsche Bahn works to revamp its long-distance trains! The target is to bring the average age of ICE and IC trains down from 18 years to a zestier 12 by 2030, aiming for greater dependability on the tracks. But is this mission smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?
The Siemens Soiree: ICE 4 Rolls In
Last year, Siemens Mobility partied like it's 2018, delivering the final ICE 4 train in a grand total of 137. Zestful bonus? These attention-grabbers are the first long-distance trains with bicycle parking spaces! With 444 seats per train and speed capabilities of up to 265 km/h, ICE 4 is now the sexy backbone of Deutsche Bahn's ICE fleet. Since 2017, the ICE family has expanded from around 270 to 400 today.
Another jazzy addition? The ICE 3 Neo, a rarin'-to-go revision of the existing ICE-3 series. By 2028, 90 of these cats will be coursing through the rails. This year, 15 spunky ICE 3 Neo will zoom in, with another 16 joining the gang next year! They're known for their frequency-adaptive windows, which improve mobile phone reception and just plain elevate the good vibes.
ICE 3 Neo is currently working overtime on high-speed routes between North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via Frankfurt and Stuttgart, as well as jumping international connections from Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Brussels.
ICE L: Spain's Siren's Song Sends Delayed Dates
Something's in the breeze for another newcomer: the ICE L from Spanish manufacturer Talgo. 79 of these intriguing ICE L trains have been ordered by Deutsche Bahn, but initial deliveries were supposed to happen last fall. Now, it's predicted that we won't see these cars until at least the second half of this year. Makes you wonder whether they're kept under spell in a Spanish enchanter's castle! Four of the trains may not even dance their way to the rails until 2025. Optically, these trains sport a more Intercity look while turning heads like a Spanish senorita.
"The fleet strategy of DB Fernverkehr aims to refresh and modernize the fleet to solidify operations," the company sternly noted. Success, it seems, but with some kinks in the works. The availability of ICE-4 and ICE-3 Neo trains is significantly higher than with older series. Through innovative maintenance concepts, the number of drive failures has been reduced by 58% between 2019 and 2024.
But have these shiny new rides brought us smoother travel yet? Well, over a third of long-distance trains are still delayed. Bummer!
Pro Bahn Pouts: A Cacophony of Criticism
Pro Bahn passenger association isn't completely convinced by Deutsche Bahn's mission statement. Federal board member Lukas Iffländer laments, "We find the fleet strategy more raucous than rhythmic," especially focusing on the retiring oldies.
He predicts that certain routes will have fewer trains, leaving passengers...well, high and dry until the newbies finally show up. Especially hard hit are the east-west connections: Wiesbaden-Frankfurt-Leipzig-Dresden, and Hamburg-NRW-Bonn-Frankfurt-Nuremberg-Vienna.
"For us passengers, this means it's cramped and elbow-to-elbow. Gridlock, thank you very much," says Iffländer.
DB Fernverkehr Flicks the Old – Sells KISS Trains
In April of this year, DB Fernverkehr bid a folksy farewell to 14 older ICE 3 trains of the 406 series, slated for retirement. Ten more 415 series (aka ICE T) trains are chugging along their final days as well, booking it out of service by the end of the year.
Additionally, around thirty-some ICE 2 trains, which made their debut in 1996, are scheduled for an awkward exit from the limelight by 2027. Recently, the railway has auctioned off a gaggle of Intercity 2 KISS trains to the Austrian Federal Railways. Remember that time DB Fernverkehr scooped up the trains back in 2019 to "bridge delivery problems with other vehicles"? Those problems have since been solved.
A Rollercoaster of Numbers
Will the new acquisitions slide in quickly enough to fill the gap left by retiring older trains? Iffländer cautions that we're entering a thrill ride of fluctuating fleet counts due to retirements and new arrivals.
Short-term, the number maybe stable but medievally proportioned, with increasing seating capacity in the long haul. For Iffländer, this means sending us on the Wild West Express. Cheerio!
Flixtrain, in contrast, is stepping up to the plate with a train extravaganza of around 30 high-speed trains lined up for action. With an option to add another 35, a hefty investment from 1.2 - 2.4 billion euros is on the line. Will they beat DB Fernverkehr's new trains to the station? Only time will tell!
Other industries, such as finance and transportation, might be closely watching Deutsche Bahn's long-distance train fleet modernization as potential opportunities for collaboration could arise. For instance, a new sector of investment could be financing the acquisition of newer trains to help minimize the impact of the fleet's aging. Perhaps partnerships could be formed with bike-sharing companies to enhance onboard commuting experiences or even create strategic alliances with ride-hailing services to ensure seamless transportation options for travelers.
