Intercity Express

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Intercity Express

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InterCity Express: Connecting Germany and Europe

The ICE or Intercity Express is a set of high-speed trains which are operated by the DB or Deutsche Bahn. The ICE predominantly runs across Germany, connecting various important cities within the country. The Intercity Express operates in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich and, Berlin to name a few.

However, the train also connects Germany with other European countries. Countries such as Switzerland, Netherlands and Austria are connected with Germany through ICE. These trains attain a maximum speed of three hundred twenty km/hour. The ICE is undoubtedly one of the fastest way to travel within Germany and the neighboring countries.

In this fast-moving world, if you are looking for a faster option of the ICE, then there are the ICE-Sprinter trains. These trains are specifically operated during the peak hours of morning and evening so that you are never late for that meeting.

Apart from comfortable seating, these trains are well equipped with all modern amenities. There is a restaurant within the train to cater to the needs of the foodie in you. Equipped with audiovisual systems and high-speed Wi-Fi, the ICE definitely stands out among the other class of trains.

About Deutsche Bahn

DB, DBAG or DB AG all stand for the Deutsche Bahn AG, which is a German Railway company. Started in 1994, Deutsche Bahn in German literally stand for ‘German Railway’. This company is the successor of the German Federal Railway or the Deutsche Bundesbahn and the German Empire Railway or the Deutsche Reichsbahn.

The Federal Republic of Germany is the single shareholder for this company. The company describes itself as the second-largest company dealing in the transport industry in the world.

History

The ICE-V or the Intercity Experimental was the first test train used by the Deutsche Bahn in 1985. However, this train was just used for experimental purposes, and for setting up a new world record as the world’s fastest train touching a speed of 253 miles per hour. This record was set up by the Deutsche Bahn on the first of May in the year 1988. The train was soon retired in the year 1996 and was replaced with ICE S, a new trial unit.

An extensive conference was then held between the Transport Ministry and the Deutsche Bahn, particularizing the onboard equipment, the width and length of the train and the total amount of train sets required to function. Following the meeting, the ministry ordered a whopping forty-one units of the train in the year 1988.

The Intercity-Express network was then officially inaugurated on the 29th of May. 1991. The Kassel-Wilhelmshohe station was the converging point of several trains that were inaugurated.

  • ICE 1

The first Intercity Express trains came into service in the year 1989. These train sets were classified as ICE 1 indicating them as the first generation train. Three lines operating from, Hamburg to Altona, Hanover to Wurzburg and, Manheim to Stuttgart were attached to the network in the very same year. There were also plans of opening the Bremen Hbf to Munchen Hbf in the very same year, but due to lack of train sets, it was delayed till the first of June, 1992.

In the year 1993, the Intercity Express Line six’s terminal was moved to Berlin from Hamburg.

  • ICE 2

In the year 1997, Intercity Express 2 or just ICE 2 trains were put into service. These trains were powered by power head Class 402. One of the most important alteration made in the second generation trains was the size of the train. The size of the trains was reduced in order to improve load balancing. This also meant that the trains could be easily attached or detached as and when needed.

These trains ran on the intercity line ten which connected Berlin and Cologne/Bonn. Since the pending approval of trailers were still awaited the Deutsche Bahn decided to join two portions of the train to form one single long train. This model was similar to the first generation trains. It was on 24th May 1998, that the trailers were approved, and the ICE 2 were now fully equipped to function from Hamm to Solingen-Ohligs.

During late 1998, the third high-speed line was opened which operated from Hanover to Berlin. This cut the travel time of passengers by almost two and a half hours.

The loading gauges of the first and second generation trains exceeded the permissible limits laid down by UIC. The initial plan was to only run the trains within Germany, but some units of trains were granted licenses to run in Austria and Switzerland. The Second Generation Intercity Express could run at a speed of 280 km/h.

  • ICE 3

The third generation of the Intercity Express had to solve the problems faced by its predecessors. Thus the ICE 3 was designed in a particular way that the smaller size of the loading gauge could pass the standard European gauge network. Unlike the first and second generation trains, the ICE 3 was not built as a locomotive train. These trains were aerodynamically optimized and used underfloor motors powered by multiple electric units. This helped the trains to comply with the UIC standard, as the new technology reduced the per axle load.

There were two classes of these trains that were developed: Domestic ICE 3 or the Class 403 and ICE 3M or the Class 406. The ‘M’ in ICE 3M stood for ‘multi system’ or Mehrsystem.  This class of trains was marketed and labeled by the manufacturer Siemens.

Like the second generation of ICE, the third generation trains were produced as half-length trains. One of the most important features of these trains was that they could run on the Koln Frankfurt line which has a four percent inclination.

The Deutsche Bahn has ordered sixteen more units of the third generation train, considering the international traffic which flows especially to France. The Nuremberg to Ingolstadt is the newest addition to the network. This line became functional in the year 2006. This is one of the only two lines that can reach a top speed of three hundred kilometers per hour. Although on the LGV Est Strasbourg to Paris line, the train touches a top speed of 198 mph or three hundred twenty km/h.

  • ICE 4

The usage of ICx (initial name) began in the year 2008. This was a replacement for the first and second generation locomotive trains. In the year 2011, Siemens was awarded the contract. Siemens made one hundred thirty 7-car intercity trains and ninety 10-car ICE trains. In the year 2013, the name was changed from ICx to ICE 4 as it was given the designation of 412 by Deutsche Bahn.

  • ICE-TD and ICE T

Siemens along with the third generation trains developed certain trains with tilting technology. Although the interior and exterior design of these newly developed trains were similar to that of the third generation trains, they were designed to operate on the older railway lines of Thuringia, which had twisting lines. ICE-TD had diesel traction. On some occasions, the ICE TD and ICE T were jointly operated, but this was not a regular practice.

  • ICE T

A total number of sixty Class 411 and eleven Class 415 have been built till date as the units post-2004 were named as ICE- T2. Both the classes of these worked perfectly. Austria purchased a total of three units in the year 2007 and operated them in coalition with Deutsche Bahn. The T in ICE T stands for Triebwagen and not ‘tilting’, which means ‘railcar’ in English. This class of trains was developed in the year 1999. The Fiat Ferrovairia, now part of Alstom, developed the tilting systems for these trains.

The ICE-T trains can attain a maximum speed of 230 km/h or 140 mph.

  • ICE-TD

It is deemed as an ill-fated option to run this set of trains as they run on diesel services. The Dresden to Munich and Munich to Zurich lines opted for these trains and a total of twenty units were manufactured in the initial stages, in 2001. During the FIFA football World Cup, these trains operated as supplemental units. Its top speed as compared to other trains was on a lower side, with the maximum speed being just two hundred km/h. These trains proved to be very costly within Germany, as full diesel tax was supposed to be paid. The Hamburg-Copenhagen line uses these trains since the line has no electricity supply. Later the Hamburg to Aarhus line started to use the class 605 trains. The ICE-TD trains do have a low operational cost in these lines as the train halts at Denmark for refueling purposes due to lower diesel tax in the country.

ICE Equipment and Decorations

The Intercity Express trains observe high technological standards. Let us now look at more details of the trains:

All coaches within the train are fully air conditioned.

  • Every seat within the trains has audio jacks. In the first-class section of the train, there are video displays.
  • In-train repeaters in all trains for a better mobile reception.
  • Designated quiet zones within trains for tranquility.
  • ICE 3 trains have digital displays which will give you information about the ETA, information about upcoming destinations and, the train’s speed.
  • In some trains of the third generation, there are touch screens which enable passengers to print the timetable of the train. The restaurant car of the second generation train also has this feature
  • The first generation fleet now has refurbished seats, added electric sockets and, audio-video systems.
  • ICE 3 and ICE T has electric sockets in almost every seat of the train.
  • In almost all the generations of the ICE, there is a restaurant car. The third generation of the ICE has a bistro coach instead of a restaurant.
  • Wheelchair and disabled spaces within restrooms of every train.

Let us now have a look at the differences in layout of these trains:

  • ICE General: this set of trains are colored in pale gray with red stripes. They have rubber gaiters that are convoluted. These trains uses wheels-on-rail technology.
  • ICE first generation: this set of trains have up to fourteen coaches and have two power heads. The nose of the train has a Deutsche Bahn logo which runs over the red stripes. The restaurant car in the train has a high roof.
  • ICE second generation: this set of trains have only one power head. The restaurant car in the train has the same height as other coaches. The nose of the train is vertically divisible.
  • ICE third generation: this set of trains have no power heads. Although it has an Electric Multiple Unit. The end cars of the train have rounded windshields. The ICE logo interrupts the red stripe at the end of the car.
  • ICE-TD/T: the design of this set of trains is similar to the third generation. Although the train does have a steeper front. The ICE logo is located on the end coaches towards the left side. The red stripe is drawn straight and culminated near to the lamps.
  • ICE T2: although this set of trains have painted metal sheets as opposed to glasses between windows, the design is very much similar to the first generation of the ICE T. The front lamps of this train has LED’s.
  • ICE V: this set of trains have clad rubber gaiters. The power heads attached to the train is much bigger that other models. The front is circular in shape and has the ICE logo with the sign of Deutsche Bahn.
  • ICE S: the logo of ICE goes with the addition ‘S’ painted all in white. Between the carriages, there are high voltage lines. Most of these trains have just a single intermediate coach.

ICE Sprinter

The Intercity Express- Sprinter trains provide services similar to the normal ICE, but these trains are designed to be extra fast. These trains run across all the major cities in Germany. These trains usually depart early in the morning. Reservation in the ICE sprinter was mandatory until the December of 2015.

The sprinter lines are as follows:

  1. Berlin Ostbf to Frankfurt Hbf: The journey takes about three hours and thirty-six minutes and runs both in morning and evening.
  2. Frankfurt Hbf to Berlin Ostbf: This journey takes about the same time as above and runs both in morning and evening.
  3. Hamburg-Altona to Koln Hbf: This journey takes about three hours and twenty-nine minutes and runs only in the morning.
  4. Koln Hbf to Hamburg-Altona: The journey ETA and time is same as above.
  5. Hamburg-Altona to Frankfurt Hbf: this journey takes about three hours and nineteen minutes and runs only in the morning.

 Accidents

The ICE trains comply with high standards of safety and accidents are a rare occasion. From the start, there have been many minor accidents but with no casualty. However, the Eschede disaster was the only accident that caused fatalities inside the train.

It was the third of June, 1998, that the ICE 884 plying from Munich to Hamburg got derailed. The train was at a speed of 125 mph and the derailment took the lives of over a hundred passengers while injuring many others. It still remains as the worst high-speed rail disaster of the world.

Fare Structure

  • Germany

According to the fare structure of Deutsche Bahn, the Intercity Express belongs to Class A, meaning they are the highest rated category trains. The price of the tickets is fixed from station to station, rather than being calculated according to the kilometers. This is done due to variations in the railway line and general demand between stations.

  • Netherlands

The only difference in fares in Netherlands is the surcharge on the tickets. If you do not have an international ticket, a mere sum of 2.40 Euros will be charged on the ‘ICE International’. Passengers carrying either a student travel card or an NS- Business card can travel on these trains without having to pay the surcharge.

  • Austria

No additional fees are charged on the Austrian lines.

  • Switzerland

The ICE trains plying to or from Zurich, Chur, and Interlaken and the intra-Swiss trains can be taken without any additional surcharge. Due to shorter lengths of travel and slow speed of trains within Switzerland, the time taken by the ICE is similar to the domestic trains.

  • Denmark

The Euro City trains and the ICE trains running from Hamburg to Copenhagen have similar costs. However, an extra surcharge of nine Euros has to be paid on the Hamburg to Aarhus line.