Long-Distance Rail Modernization: Deutsche Bahn's Game Plan - Is there enough room on the train?
Passenger Association Warns About Potential Capacity Shortages as Rail Refreshes Its Fleet - Railways modernize rolling stock - passenger group cautions about potential congestion points
Let's take a peek at the current state of play for Deutsche Bahn's long-distance fleet modernization. But don't get too comfortable, 'cause it ain't all smooth sailing!
Deutsche Bahn is giving their long-distance fleet a well-deserved makeover, with plans to reduce the average age of ICE and IC trains from the current 18 years to a sprightly 12 years by 2030. Apparently, a younger fleet means better reliability on the rails, yeho!
But our good mates over at Pro Bahn aren't so sure about this move. They fear that too many old trains are being retired and replaced way too slowly. Board member Lukas Ifflaender is maintaining a watchful eye over this situation, warning that certain routes might suffer from reduced train offerings. Ouch!
The modernization is underway, fer sure! The last of the 137 ICE 4 trains, the first long-distance train with bike storage facilities, was delivered by Siemens Mobility last year. With at least 444 seats per train and a top speed of 265 kilometers per hour, these babies are the new backbone of the ICE fleet.
The ICE 3 Neo, a revamped version of the existing ICE-3 series, has also been in production for a while now. Around 90 of these trains are expected to be in operation by 2028, with 15 ICE 3 Neo added this year and 16 added next year. These bad boys boast frequency-transparent windows for better mobile signal reception.
The ICE 4 and ICE 3 Neo are currently cruising on high-speed routes between North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via Frankfurt and Stuttgart and on international connections from Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Brussels. But there are delivery issues with another new order: the ICE L from Spanish manufacturer Talgo - oops!
So, while things are looking up, there are a few challenges to overcome. The passenger association Pro Bahn thinks the fleet strategy is a bit chaotic, with concerns about the phasing out of older trains. They warn that temporary capacity issues may rear their ugly heads as new trains are phased in. Especially affected are the east-west connections Wiesbaden-Frankfurt-Leipzig-Dresden and Hamburg-NRW-Bonn-Frankfurt-Nuremberg-Wien. Bummer!
It's not all doom and gloom, though! Deutsche Bahn is getting rid of some older ICE 3 trains, with 14 already removed from service in April. And around three dozen ICE-2 trains, which have been in operation since 1996, are set to be phased out by the end of 2027.
And let's not forget that the competitor Flixtrain is planning a major train offensive, with around 30 new high-speed trains on the way. The future is bright, after all!
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- The modernization plan by Deutsche Bahn involves reducing the average age of ICE and IC trains from 18 years to 12 years by 2030, focusing on better reliability in the vocational training industry.
- The ICE 4, the first long-distance train with bike storage facilities, has been delivered, offering at least 444 seats per train and a top speed of 265 kilometers per hour; it's a part of the technology sector.
- The public-transit and transportation sectors might face temporary capacity issues as Deutsche Bahn phases in new ICE trains, with concerns raised by the passenger association Pro Bahn.
- In the finance sector, Deutsche Bahn is planing to remove 14 older ICE 3 trains from service and set to phase out around 36 ICE-2 trains by the end of 2027, while the automotive industry's competitor, Flixtrain, is planning a major train offensive with around 30 new high-speed trains.
