Deutsche Bahn: Modernizing Long-Distance Trains Causes Concern for Passenger Association
Railways refresh their vehicle roster - Passenger association flags potential shortages - Railway Services Reinforce Overhaul - Passenger Group Alerts about Potential Clogging Points
Through the lens of a chatty insider:
- The average age of Deutsche Bahn's long-distance ICE and IC trains is set to plummet, with the anticipated drop from 18 to 12 years by 2030, aiming for a notification of dependable, smooth operations.
- The passenger association, Pro Bahn, however, sees looming concerns, as the swift retirement of older trains and sluggish replacement by new ones could dent the train offerings on specific routes, according to Lukas Ifflaender, the board member of Pro Bahn.
King's Pearls of Wisdom (okay, let's call them tasty insights):
- Getting the timing right: The shift to swankier, more reliable trains is bound for the Bahn's fleet. Yet, archaic moves might take place a tad too soon, potentially affecting certain routes due to limited alternatives on hand, until the fresh kiddos arrive.
The scoop, served à la carte:
- Last March, 137 cutting-edge ICE 4 trains from Siemens Mobility were delivered, marking the beginning of Bahn's fleet transformation. Each train sports at least 444 seats and a top speed of 265 km/h, setting the stage for the ICE fleet's anchor. The addition of these trains has boosted the ICE count from around 270 in 2017 to an impressive 400 today.
- Rolling in the ICE 3 Neo reissued variant, 90 trains are projected to be operating by 2028, with 15 joining the ride this year, and another 16 in 2023. These beauties feature frequency-transparent windows enhancing mobile reception. Currently, they are making waves on high-speed routes between North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via Frankfurt and Stuttgart, as well as international connections from Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Brussels.
- ICE L delivery hiccups abound, as the Bahn's Spanish manufacturer Talgo is tardy in bringing the merchandise. Initially slated for delivery last fall, the first trains won't hit the tracks until the second half of 2022, at the earliest. The skewed timing may thrust four vehicles into next year, making them arrive in 2025. These aesthetically pleasing trains resemble Intercity rather than ICE trains.
- The shiny, new additions have generated consistent availability for the ICE-4 and ICE-3 Neo trains, improving their dependability by 58% between 2019 and 2024. However, timeliness remains a puzzler, with over a third of long-distance trains still lagging.
- The passenger association Pro Bahn isn't entirely satisfied with the Bahn's figures. Ifflaender, a board member, emphasizes the modernization plan’s disorderly facets, particularly the phase-out of older trains. "Train seats on key routes will likely dwindle at least temporarily until the replacement trains finally arrive," Ifflaender said, "Leaving us passengers with a crammed, congested commute: Not exactly the spa treatment we've got in mind."
- Old-timers, namely 14 ICE 3 trains from the 406 series and 10 trains of the 415 series (the ICE T), teeter on the precipice of retirement, with the ICE Ts being branded both unstable and maintenance-heavy. By year-end, these tattered relics are set to bid farewell.
Passengers brace for a mélange of service disruptions, as roughly three dozen ICE-2 trains, a fleet serving passengers since 1996, approach their swan song, vanishing from the scene by 2027. Recall Deutsche Bahn sold 17 double-decker trains of the "Intercity 2 KISS" variety, a purchase made to tackle temporary vehicle delivery conundrums, which have since been resolved.
Does Deutsche Bahn's declining train herd stand a chance of being boosted by the delayed, new additions? Ifflaender urgently raises the point: "The clock is ticking, and it's uncertain whether the withdrawn trains can be replaced swiftly enough by the delayed arrivals." As if on cue, the coming years will present a seesaw scenario, marked by fluctuating train numbers. Keen on remaining vague, the Bahn advises that the number will settle in the medium term, but only after temporary phase-outs and debuts of the new trains.
One skeptical Pro Bahn doubts these tall claims: "Even though the seat capacity theoretically builds on paper until 2029, it actually fewer seats due to poor fleet availability, as even new vehicles are prone to defects and are often deemed too poorly maintained to be of service."
Enter Flixtrain, the champion ready to charge ahead: Flixtrain recently announced the acquisition of around thirty high-speed trains, with an optional 35 more on the table. The deal, which includes maintenance costs, may top out at 2.4 billion euros. The Spanish manufacturer Talgo is behind the deal, but the anticipated delivery dates remain elusive.
[1] Sparkasse NrW (2021). Projekt Hamburg–Berlin: 180 Kilometer Bahnlinie umzustweakeln.[2] Deutsche Bahn AG (2021). Bahn Berlin-Hanover Linie stillschließen muss für sechs Monate im ersten Halbjahr 2026.[4] Deutsche Bahn AG (2025). Elektrifizierung der Marschbahn läuft an.
- The passenger association, Pro Bahn, is concerned about the potential impact of Deutsche Bahn's policy on vocational training, specifically the swift retirement of older trains and the sluggish replacement by new ones, as it may lead to a decrease in train offerings on certain routes within the transportation industry, particularly in finance.
- As Deutsche Bahn continues to modernize its long-distance ICE and IC trains, focusing on vocational training for improved dependability and smooth operations, it may face challenges in maintaining consistent service, especially during the transition period when older trains are phased out and new ones are slow to arrive, potentially affecting the finance sector.
