ICE International's high-speed train takes you to Germany and Switzerland | NS International (2023)

FAQs

What does ice train stand for in Germany? ›

The ICE (InterCity Express) is a high-speed train that connects all major cities in Germany. With speeds up to 300km/h, this is one of the fastest ways to travel between cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.

(1) ICE trains – all of which travel on a high speed line for at least part of a journey. There are now five different types of ICE train which operate on different routes within Germany. (2) IC trains – long distance express trains that tend to be slower than ICE trains because they rarely use the high speed lines.

To travel by ICE train, you can purchase a Deutsche Bahn e-ticket which gives you two fare options: Standard Class or First Class seating. If you're buying more than one ticket though, consider buying a German Rail Pass instead, as it may be cheaper and offers more flexibility.

If you are traveling on Long Distance (ICE, IC) trains, then technically you can, but they are going to be quite expensive. You'll need to find a conductor (either standing on the platform or walk around until you find one onboard) to request a ticket ASAP.

What are the fines? Boarding a Deutsche Bahn train without a paper or an online ticket could get very expensive. According to the new rules, passengers without a ticket will be charged double the fare, with a minimum fine of 60 euros.

Passengers using the German Rail Pass, which is valid only in Germany, are entitled to lump-sum compensation of EUR 5.00 (2nd class) and EUR 7.50 (1st class) for each delay, provided there have been at least three delays of at least 60 minutes at the destination station.

Reservation is compulsory on the ICE trains to and from Paris, and tickets on the Paris route always come with the necessary seat reservation included, free of charge.

Power sockets, WiFi & toilets...

IC trains are being fitted with WiFi, although not all cars have it yet. Every car has at least one toilet.

All ICE trains have a restaurant wagon where you can sit down and receive table service. It's not a Michelin-starred restaurant, but you can eat plenty well on the train.

In Germany you can travel on a train even if all the seats are already taken. This may be the case at peak times (Friday afternoon or Sunday evening). Therefore, we recommend that you reserve a seat with your ticket. Make your journey comfortable and relaxing with a seat reservation.

Do German ICE trains have toilets? ›

On most ICE and some IC trains, reservation info appears on a small electronic display. All trains in Germany have toilets, and most intercity trains come with bistro and restaurant cars serving hot meals, snacks and beverages. There's no issue with bringing your own food and drink.

Some ICE trains also operate between major international destinations including Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands. The ICE trains are quiet and fully air-conditioned with reclining seats, tables at seats, dining and bistro cars.

Each passenger may take the following luggage on board: two items of regular luggage such as a suitcase, rucksack, travel bag or trolley with maximum dimensions of 85 x 85 x 85 cm and one item of hand luggage, or: one item of oversized luggage, one item of regular luggage and one item of hand luggage.

In first class on ICE you'll often be asked if you want to order food or drink, and it will be brought and served at your seat. Alternatively, feel free to bring your own food and drink (even a bottle of wine, if you like) onto the train, there's no rules against that on the rails.

Free Wi-Fi has been available on ICEs since 2017. Now it's being rolled out to the Intercity fleet. Since summer 2019, DB has been making wireless internet avialable on its Intercity trains. Free Wi-Fi will be available on the entire long distance fleet by the end of 2021.

If you miss your connecting train

This means you'll usually be permitted to travel on the next available train free of charge if your first train is delayed. They do not entitle you to a full refund of your order. You may need to show your tickets on later services as evidence of the delay.

The difference between 1^st and 2^nd class rail travel is the level of comfort and the facilities provided. A 1^st class Eurail Pass is more expensive than a 2^nd class Eurail Pass, but it also gives you access to seats with more space and extras that can even include food and beverages.

The giant 2 to the right of that display tells you that this is a second class car. Once inside you'll need to find your seat. If you do have a reservation, the seats will be marked by a small electronic displays somewhere above each pair of seats. If the display is blank, there's no active reservation.

According to DB, only 75.2% of its inter-city services known as the ICE and IC trains reached their destinations on time. This represents a significant dip from 82% in 2020. The 2020 numbers had marked a 15-year record high in punctuality.

Do ICE trains have charging? ›

You can use and charge your electronic equipment while travelling on the following trains: Thalys: There is a power socket at each seat in Comfort 1 (1st class) as well as Comfort 2 (2nd class). ICE International: There is 1 power socket at each pair of seats in 1st class as well as in 2nd class.

Some coaches/carriages only have one door, while others have two. and the doors won't open automatically so you may have to press the green button. So look out for the signs on the exterior and interior of the trains indicating whether a particular coach has these zones.

The allocation of seats that can be reserved is fully booked or you booked your ticket close to the departure time and the seat reservations have already closed. Not to worry, a portion of seats are always left unreserved, you can sit in any vacant unreserved seat.

While modern trains won't litter the tracks with human excrement, the traditional method did just that. This is what was known as a hopper toilet. It could either be a simple hole in the floor (also known as a drop chute toilet) or a full-flush system.

these train have Sleeper and Couchette cars.

The ICE Sprinter connect the largest cities of Germany several times each day. Calling at principal intermediate stations only they can provide faster journey times than regular ICE trains. The "Sprinter" symbol indicates these trains in the schedules.

Open Train Cars. In an open-saloon style car, seats are clearly numbered once you get on the train, usually overhead (similar to where the numbers are on an airplane). The aisle seat is often depicted with a person standing next to it, and the window seat with a rectangle representing the window.

Some carriers don't provide seat reservations on all or some of their trains. This is common on regional trains, shorter routes and during peak travel times on commuter routes. On these trains you can sit in any vacant seat in the class your ticket is booked for. To amend your seat, you will need to contact us.

Transport Minister Volker Wissing said in November that the move was aimed at cutting emissions and helping people to cope with the cost of living crisis. In summer 2022, a €9 per month ticket was introduced as an experiment. The new ticket raises that to €49 or around €1.60 per day.

What are toilets like in Germany? ›

If you've ever been to Germany, you've probably encountered them before: Many German toilets will have a step inside so that excretions don't land in the water directly. They just kind of sit there. It's like a little display area, in case you want to admire what you've done before you flush it.

Unlike those low-flow toilets I've encountered in the States, most Germans toilets feature impressive suction despite the low water levels. Back in the States, the overabundance of water felt positively decadent.

It works completely differently than a standard toilet. Instead of having a standing pool of water, the toilet is essentially dry (except for a very thin pool of water) and the bottom of the toilet is flat – like a shelf.

It is the highest service category of rail and the flagship train of the German state railway, Deutsche Bahn. There are currently 315 trainsets in use. ICE trains are the highest category (Class A) trains in the fare system of the Deutsche Bahn.

You will also find your coach (Wg) and seat (Pl) numbers for your train/s in this section. Some tickets, for example, "Normalpreis" tickets, have optional reservations so you may be permitted to travel on other services on the specified route.

Small cases and bags can be stored under your seat, medium sized bags can go in the overhead racks and large suitcases must be placed in the luggage racks at the end of each carriage.

Stowing your luggage

You can stow your luggage under your seat or on the luggage rack above. In the open saloon section of many trains luggage racks for larger suitcases can be found, either near the doors or in the middle of the coach.

Yes. Food and drink are absolutely permissible on German trains. Just like with the food, you can purchase drinks on long distance trains and many RE trains as well. RB trains don't always have someone selling items, since these journeys are much shorter.

Hbf – Hauptbahnhof, the main or central station of a town or city. Also the only abbreviation commonly found on station timetables and signs. Pbf – Personenbahnhof (passenger station), usually used to differentiate in places that have several types of stations, but only one passenger station.

Your ticket must be validated, either before you board the train (using machines at the station entrance or on the platform), or immediately after you board a bus or tram (using machines in the aisle). The “Entwerter” stamps your ticket with a code for the date and time.

What is the difference between ICE and re trains? ›

long distance Regional Express (RE) trains, which can be an alternative to IC, ICE trains between closely spaced cities; when travelling between cities they are usually slower than IC or ICE trains, but faster than S-Bahn trains. Trains that link smaller towns, some of these services can travel fairly long distances.

ICE trains are the flag-ship trains of Deutsche Bahn. They are the fastest (up to 300km/h) and most comfortable trains. There are international ICE services to most neighboring countries. IC trains are often older, slightly less comfortable long-distance trains.

The giant 2 to the right of that display tells you that this is a second class car. Once inside you'll need to find your seat. If you do have a reservation, the seats will be marked by a small electronic displays somewhere above each pair of seats. If the display is blank, there's no active reservation.

The ICE trains are quiet and fully air-conditioned with reclining seats, tables at seats, dining and bistro cars. And they are fast. An ICE line connects Frankfurt and Cologne in only 58 minutes.

All ICE trains have a restaurant wagon where you can sit down and receive table service. It's not a Michelin-starred restaurant, but you can eat plenty well on the train. Plus there's something especially enjoyable about having lunch and seeing the countryside whiz by.

Food & drink

ICE3 class 403 & 406 and 5-car ICE-T trains have a bistro car with a cafe-bar area and small 12-seat restaurant area. Breakfast in the restaurant costs around €8, €10 or €15, depending on what menu you want. 3 courses with a beer costs about €30. Treat yourself!

Should you reserve a seat or not? Reserving a seat is optional on most German trains. You can add a reserved seat to your booking for around €5, when buying a first class ticket it may be free. If you don't reserve, you simply sit in any empty unreserved seat.

Free Wi-Fi has been available on ICEs since 2017. Now it's being rolled out to the Intercity fleet. Since summer 2019, DB has been making wireless internet avialable on its Intercity trains. Free Wi-Fi will be available on the entire long distance fleet by the end of 2021.

What trains offer wifi? Wifi is available on board all of our ICE trains, on some of our IC trains and on selected regional trains.

How do I know which seat is free on my train? ›

A: To check information about your seat on the train, check your PNR status. This includes the booking status that shows whether you train ticket is confirmed, or it is on the waiting list (WL) or is it under reservation against cancellation (RAC).

Making a reservation

Seats can get reserved quickly for busy times, such as weekends and holidays, so try to book ahead if you can. Seat reservations can be made online, at stations, over the phone, or at Rail Appointed Travel Agents. They are normally free of charge if made at the same time you buy your ticket.

Some coaches/carriages only have one door, while others have two. and the doors won't open automatically so you may have to press the green button. So look out for the signs on the exterior and interior of the trains indicating whether a particular coach has these zones.

You can use and charge your electronic equipment while travelling on the following trains: Thalys: There is a power socket at each seat in Comfort 1 (1st class) as well as Comfort 2 (2nd class). ICE International: There is 1 power socket at each pair of seats in 1st class as well as in 2nd class.