Intercity Express

Intercity Express, generally known as ICE, is the high-speed rail service and train family operated by Deutsche Bahn. It is the flagship long-distance passenger brand of Germany’s state-owned railway group and forms the backbone of fast intercity travel within Germany, while also providing cross-border services to Austria, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands. ICE services are designed around frequent connections between major cities, dedicated high-speed infrastructure where available, and a level of onboard comfort positioned above conventional regional and many classic intercity services. The ICE concept emerged from Deutsche Bundesbahn’s high-speed development program in the 1980s. The InterCityExperimental test train demonstrated the technical potential of German high-speed rail and reached 406.9 km/h in a 1988 test. The production ICE 1 entered service in 1989, and the public network was formally inaugurated on 29 May 1991, when ICE trains from several directions converged at the newly built Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station. Regular scheduled operation began on 2 June 1991, initially connecting Hamburg, Hannover, Kassel, Fulda, Frankfurt, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Munich. The fleet has developed through several generations. ICE 1 established the original long-distance high-speed format with separate power cars and passenger coaches. ICE 2 introduced shorter, separable train sections intended to improve capacity management and route flexibility. ICE 3 adopted distributed electric traction and a narrower loading gauge, allowing operation across more of Europe’s standard-gauge network and supporting speeds of up to 300 km/h on suitable German lines and up to 320 km/h on France’s LGV Est. ICE T trains added electric tilting technology for winding conventional routes, while the diesel ICE TD was developed for non-electrified services but later withdrawn. The ICE 4, originally procured under the ICx name, expanded the fleet and was intended both to replace older intercity locomotive-hauled trains and to renew ICE 1 and ICE 2 capacity. The ICE 3neo, based on Siemens’ Velaro platform, represents the newer international and high-speed generation. ICE trains are marketed as a rail alternative to air travel, particularly for business passengers, long-distance commuters and travelers between major metropolitan areas. Fares are generally structured around station-to-station journeys, with ICE services carrying a premium associated with speed and comfort. The brand’s visual identity is distinctive: pale-grey vehicles, a red waist stripe and a continuous dark window band. This design, first developed for the InterCityExperimental program by designers led by Alexander Neumeister, has become one of the most recognizable identities in European rail transport. The ICE brand is a service system rather than an independent legal corporation. Its routes, rolling stock, fares and customer proposition are managed by Deutsche Bahn and coordinated with partner railways on international corridors. The trains have also had broader industrial influence: the ICE 3 served as a development basis for Siemens’ Velaro family, later exported or adapted for high-speed operations in countries including Spain, China and Russia. In 2025, Deutsche Bahn retired its multisystem Class 406 fleet after persistent maintenance and reliability concerns and announced the gradual retirement of its five-car Class 415 ICE T units. The overall ICE service remains active and central to Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance strategy.

The ICE program developed from Deutsche Bundesbahn’s response to the expansion of high-speed rail in Europe. During the 1980s, German railway engineers and designers worked on a dedicated high-speed train concept intended to combine rapid intercity travel with a recognizable national rail identity. The InterCityExperimental, also called ICE-V, began testing in 1985. On 1 May 1988 it reached 406.9 km/h, demonstrating the performance potential of the future system. The prototype was later retired and replaced by the ICE S test train. A first production order was placed in 1988 for 41 trainsets and expanded to 60 in 1990 after German reunification increased the anticipated demand for nationwide connections. The first production family, ICE 1, entered service in 1989. The official ICE network inauguration took place on 29 May 1991 at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, where trains arriving from several directions marked the opening of Germany’s modern high-speed network. Regular scheduled service began on 2 June 1991 between Hamburg-Altona and Munich via Hannover, Kassel, Frankfurt, Mannheim and Stuttgart. A second principal route, between Bremen and Munich, followed in 1992 after sufficient trainsets became available. The network expanded as new high-speed lines opened. ICE services reached Berlin in the early 1990s, and the Hanover–Berlin high-speed railway, opened in 1998, substantially reduced travel time between Berlin and the Ruhr region. ICE 2 trains, introduced from 1997, used shorter train portions that could be coupled or separated, allowing service patterns to be adjusted to demand. Their design was particularly important on the Berlin–Cologne/Bonn corridor. The third-generation ICE 3 addressed technical limitations of the earlier trains. Its distributed electric motors and smaller loading gauge allowed operation on more European routes and made it suitable for steep high-speed lines such as Cologne–Frankfurt. Domestic Class 403 and multisystem Class 406 variants were developed, the latter for international electrification systems. The ICE 3 also established the technical basis for Siemens’ Velaro family, which was later adapted for several overseas railways. International ICE and joint ICE-TGV services expanded to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Basel and other destinations. ICE T tilting trains were developed for routes where conventional tracks prevented sustained high speeds. Classes 411 and 415 entered service in the late 1990s and used tilting technology to negotiate curves more quickly. The diesel ICE TD was intended for routes without continuous electrification, including links toward Denmark and Switzerland, but technical problems and operating costs limited its career. Although temporarily used during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and later leased for Danish services, the ICE TD fleet was ultimately retired in 2018. The ICx procurement, begun around 2008, initially targeted replacement of locomotive-hauled InterCity and EuroCity trains. The scope was later broadened to include replacements for ICE 1 and ICE 2. The trains were rebranded ICE 4 in 2015 and entered the fleet as Class 412. They added capacity and operational flexibility while modernizing the core domestic network. The newest major generation is ICE 3neo, based on Siemens’ Velaro MS design and classified by Deutsche Bahn as Class 408. Deutsche Bahn ordered the trains in 2020, began deploying them in late 2022 and expanded the order to 90 units by 2023. In 2025, the operator retired Class 406 trains because of maintenance and reliability problems and announced a phased retirement of five-car Class 415 units. Despite these fleet changes, ICE remains Deutsche Bahn’s principal high-speed brand and a central component of German and cross-border European rail travel.

• 2025

  Class 406 fleet retired

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The multisystem Class 406 fleet is withdrawn after maintenance and reliability difficulties.

• 2023

  ICE 3neo order reaches 90 trainsets

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Deutsche Bahn calls additional options, taking the total planned order to 90 trains.

• 2022

  ICE 3neo enters passenger service

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The new Class 408 trains begin deployment on German routes using high-speed infrastructure.

• 2020

  ICE 3neo order placed

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Deutsche Bahn orders 30 Velaro-based multisystem trainsets, with additional options.

• 2015

  ICx is rebranded ICE 4

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The next-generation procurement formerly known as ICx receives the ICE 4 brand and Class 412 designation.

• 2007

  Joint ICE and TGV services reach Paris

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  A cross-border high-speed connection between Paris and Frankfurt/Stuttgart begins, jointly operated with SNCF’s TGV.

• 1997

  ICE 2 introduced

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The second generation enters service with separable train portions intended to improve operational flexibility.

• 1991

  ICE network officially inaugurated

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The network is formally inaugurated at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe on 29 May, followed by regular scheduled service from 2 June.

• 1989

  ICE 1 enters service

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The first production ICE trainsets are introduced.

• 1988

  Prototype sets a high-speed record

  [1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  The InterCityExperimental reaches 406.9 km/h during a test run on 1 May.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A premium, high-speed European rail alternative to air travel, centered on fast city-to-city connections, onboard comfort and integration with Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance network.

• First-generation high-speed train · 1989

  ICE 1

  The original production ICE family, built with separate power cars and passenger coaches. ICE 1 established the visual language and operating model of the brand and formed the foundation of the first national high-speed timetable. Some units were adapted for operation in Austria and Switzerland.

• Second-generation high-speed train · 1997

  ICE 2

  ICE 2 introduced shorter train portions that could be coupled or divided during service. This arrangement was intended to match capacity to demand and support different destinations on parts of the same route. The fleet was particularly associated with the Berlin–Cologne/Bonn corridor.

• Third-generation high-speed electric multiple unit · 2000

  ICE 3

  ICE 3 trains use distributed underfloor traction rather than dedicated power cars. Their narrower loading gauge permits broader European interoperability, while their power-to-weight characteristics support operation on steep high-speed routes. Domestic Class 403 and international multisystem Class 406 variants were developed, alongside newer Class 407 trains.

• Tilting electric multiple unit · 1999

  ICE T

  ICE T trains use tilting technology to maintain higher speeds on winding conventional railway lines that are not built as dedicated high-speed alignments. Classes 411 and 415 share aspects of the ICE 3 design but are optimized for route flexibility rather than the highest top speed.

• Diesel high-speed multiple unit · 2001

  ICE TD

  The four-car Class 605 was developed for routes lacking full electrification. Technical problems, high operating costs in Germany and limited long-term demand restricted its use. It served temporarily during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and later operated leased services in Denmark before the fleet was retired in 2018.

• Fourth-generation long-distance train · 2015

  ICE 4

  ICE 4 trains originated in the ICx procurement program, which initially targeted replacement of locomotive-hauled InterCity and EuroCity trains. The scope expanded to fleet renewal for earlier ICE generations. Rebranded in 2015 and classified as Class 412, ICE 4 provides flexible train lengths and substantial capacity for domestic long-distance routes.

• New-generation multisystem high-speed train · 2022

  ICE 3neo

  ICE 3neo is Deutsche Bahn’s name for the Class 408 version of Siemens’ Velaro MS platform. The trains are designed for speeds up to 320 km/h, international operation and improved fleet capacity. They entered service in late 2022 and are intended to strengthen both domestic high-speed routes and cross-border services.

• 2025

  Retire Class 406 and phase out Class 415Generation change

  Background

  The Class 406 multisystem fleet faced continuing maintenance and reliability problems, while Deutsche Bahn continued to modernize its train portfolio.

  Action taken

  Deutsche Bahn retired the Class 406 fleet and announced gradual retirement of five-car Class 415 ICE T units from June 2025.

  Aftermath

  Newer Class 407 and Class 408 trains take on a larger role in international and high-speed operations.

  Source

• 2020

  Order ICE 3neo trainsetsProduct launch

  Background

  Deutsche Bahn required additional high-speed capacity and newer multisystem trains for domestic and international routes.

  Action taken

  The operator ordered 30 trains from Siemens, with options for additional units.

  Aftermath

  The order became the foundation of the ICE 3neo fleet, which entered service in 2022 and reached a planned total of 90 trainsets in 2023.

  Source

• 2009

  Order additional international ICE 3 trainsProduct launch

  Background

  Deutsche Bahn sought additional trainsets for international traffic, particularly services to France.

  Action taken

  Deutsche Bahn ordered 16 additional trainsets based on the ICE 3 and Velaro design.

  Aftermath

  The order supported the expansion of cross-border high-speed services and the later Class 407 fleet.

  Order value. €495 million (2009 order)

  Source

• 2008

  Begin ICx fleet replacement programStrategy

  Background

  Deutsche Bahn needed to replace locomotive-hauled InterCity and EuroCity trains and later broadened the program to include aging ICE 1 and ICE 2 trainsets.

  Action taken

  The operator initiated procurement of a new modular long-distance train family, initially called ICx.

  Aftermath

  The trains were rebranded ICE 4 in 2015 and became a major element of Deutsche Bahn’s domestic fleet-renewal program.

  Source

• 1988

  Expand the initial production orderOther

  Background

  Deutsche Bundesbahn planned the first production fleet during the development of the national high-speed network. German reunification increased the expected need for long-distance connections.

  Action taken

  The initial order for 41 trainsets was expanded to 60.

  Aftermath

  The larger order supported the launch and early expansion of the nationwide ICE timetable, although delivery constraints affected the first years of operation.

  Source

• 2025

  Multisystem Class 406 ICE 3 trains retired[1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation · Other

  Deutsche Bahn retired its multisystem Class 406 ICE 3 fleet after ongoing maintenance and reliability problems. The trains had already been restricted largely to domestic use and were replaced on international services by newer Class 407 units.

• 2025

  Deutsche Bahn announces gradual retirement of five-car Class 415 ICE T units[1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation · Other

  Deutsche Bahn announced that the five-car Class 415 ICE T units would begin a phased retirement from June 2025 as the operator continued to rationalize and modernize its fleet.

• 2023

  Deutsche Bahn expands ICE 3neo order to 90 trainsets[1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation · Other

  Deutsche Bahn exercised additional options for ICE 3neo trains, bringing the planned order total to 90 trainsets and extending the renewal of its international high-speed fleet.

• 2022

  ICE 3neo fleet deployment begins on German high-speed routes[1]Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  Deutsche Bahn began placing the new ICE 3neo trainsets into service, initially focusing on routes using the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed line. The trains are designed for operation at up to 320 km/h and were ordered to strengthen and renew the high-speed fleet.

1. 1Intercity Expressen.wikipedia.org