DB Long-Distance business unit

Development of our fleet

Vehicle projects and procurements

• To date, 13 ICE 1 trains have been modernized. Six more will follow in 2022. Implementation of the improved drive technology (IGBT converters) was also taken up in parallel with the modernization work to optimize the robustness of the drives. Twenty-four modified multiple units are currently in use.
• The redesign of the ICE 3 is continuing. A further nine multiple units will be redesigned by the end of 2022. The redesign program will be completed by the end of 2024 once 50 ICE 3 trains have been redesigned.
• In 2020, the first nine Intercity 2 trains (KISS) were put into operation. Another eight vehicles will be added in 2022.
• A further 12 new ICE 4 trains were added in the first half of 2022. This makes the ICE 4 the largest ICE series.
• The gradual purchase of ICE 3neo trains will begin in 2022. The first ones will go into operation in late 2022. The ICE 3neo trains will further strengthen our ICE fleet.
• The ICE T customer program will address the most important measures to improve customer satisfaction and the marketability of the ICE T by replacing seats, partially refurbishing WCs, upgrading the vehicle interior, and carrying out repainting work by the end of 2024. Both the procurement process for the EU tender-relevant components and the design and construction process for the new components were finalized in the first half of 2022.
• ICE L will only gradually start operation from October 2024 due to supply chain delays on the part of the manufacturer Talgo brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. From June 2025, all routes between Berlin and Amsterdam will then use the 230 km/h ICE L.

Vehicle availability

In the first half of 2022, the vehicle availability of the ICE fleet was increased. The systematic modernization of the existing fleet has a positive effect on operational stability. The delivery of new vehicles is helping to increase vehicle availability.

There is also a positive development in terms of operational deterioration in the passenger sector (for example Wi-Fi, reservations). There was a reduction in this regard across all fleets in the first half of 2022.

Further vehicle projects will be implemented in order to maintain this positive development in the future. These include the launch of new vehicles such as the ICE 3neo and continuous optimization measures.