Fleet development

Vehicle projects and procurements

The vehicle projects for the expansion of the ICE fleet continued in the first half of 2026:

• The gradual acceptance of the ICE 3neo progressed further; by mid-2026, 45 ICE 3neo trains were in operation, six of which were newly accepted in 2026.
• Six trains from the new ICE L fleet were delivered in the first half of 2026, bringing the total number of ICE L trains in operation to eight by the end of the first half of 2026.
• The ICE 1 modernization program continued in the first half of 2026, resulting in the modernization of four additional ICE 1 trains and the optimization of the robustness of their drives.

Vehicle availability

Thanks to the modernization of the existing fleet and the commissioning of new trains, the availability of the ICE fleet was stabilized in the first half of 2026. Functionality (e.g. drives, toilets and air-conditioning) also saw positive development, thanks in particular to the measures under the immediate action program for more comfort on long-distance trains. Projects to procure and modernize vehicles are continuing. This includes, among other things, the inflow of new vehicles and the optimization of the existing fleet. In addition, processes based on artificial intelligence (AI), predictive maintenance and condition-based maintenance are further improving availability.