Record: The ICE 3neo goes into service just two and a half years after it was ordered – First trip from Frankfurt/Main to Cologne – DB invests ten billion euros in expanding its long-distance fleet – 73 ICE 3neo by 2029
Frankfurt am Main, 5 December 2022
Deutsche Bahn (DB) is putting its latest generation of ICE trains into service: around a week earlier than planned, the ICE 3neo will today complete its first passenger journey between Frankfurt/Main and Cologne. Together, DB and manufacturer Siemens Mobility have succeeded in getting the train on the rails at record speed. Despite constraints from the Corona pandemic and disrupted supply chains worldwide, the first passenger journey will take place just two and a half years after the order was placed in July 2020.
DB is thus continuing to rejuvenate and systematically expand its long-distance fleet. By 2029, DB will have invested ten billion euros in new trains, including 73 ICE 3neo. With its top speed of 300 km/h, the ICE 3neo is an important component of the German timetable. With 32,000 additional seats by 2029, it will contribute to the seating capacity needed for passenger growth.
Dr. Michael Peterson, DB Board Member for Long-Distance Passenger Transportation: “DB and Siemens have delivered on time. Just two and a half years have passed between the award of the contract and the first service for our passengers. Usually, ICE procurement procedures take twice as long. With more comfort and improved technology, the new ICE will delight our passengers.”
Michael Theurer, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport: “The new ICE represents progress on the railways – fast, digital, barrier-free. Initially here between Frankfurt and Cologne, soon throughout Germany. The total of 73 new trains with their 32,000 additional seats make a major contribution to implementing the Deutschlandtakt. This brings us another step closer to our goal of doubling rail passenger numbers over the next eight years.”
Michael Peter, CEO Siemens Mobility: “Together with Deutsche Bahn, we are accelerating the transport revolution in record time: never before has Siemens Mobility delivered a new ICE so quickly. This success is possible primarily thanks to the outstanding cooperation with DB, but also because the ICE 3neo is based on our proven Velaro platform. So despite the construction time, we were able to implement many innovations in the interior in record time, benefiting passengers with greater comfort.”
Today, the new ICE is in passenger service for the first time between Frankfurt/Main and Cologne. From the timetable change on December 11, passengers will then be able to experience the train in regular service between Dortmund, Cologne and Frankfurt/Main and as far as Munich via the new high-speed Wendligen-Ulm route. With the delivery of further trains, DB is gradually expanding the area of operation. From 2024, the ICE 3neo will also run on international services to Belgium and the Netherlands.
With eight spaces per vehicle, the new ICE allows bicycles to be carried on high-speed trains at speeds of up to 300 km/h for the first time. New reservation displays with coloured LED lights provide information at a glance about reserved and free seats. In addition, the ICE 3neo features mobile radio-permeable window panes for stable reception, a time-of-day-dependent lighting control system, and power outlets and tablet holders at every seat. A completely new development is the robust lift: it is easy to operate and installed on a door reserved exclusively for passengers in wheelchairs. In record time, DB also trained around 5,000 employees from on-board service and maintenance as well as train drivers – a prerequisite for the rapid commissioning of the ICE 3neo.