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DB invests EUR 10 billion in expanding its long-distance fleet: Meet Rhineland-Palatinate, the 100th ICE

DB invests EUR 10 billion in expanding its long-distance fleet: Meet Rhineland-Palatinate, the 100th ICE
photo: Archive/ DB invests EUR 10 billion in expanding its long-distance fleet: Meet Rhineland-Palatinate, the 100th ICE
19 / 07 / 2022

Deutsche Bahn (DB), in partnership with Rhineland-Palatinate, celebrated the introduction of the 100th ICE 4 train.

The ICE 4 train marks a significant milestone in DB's fleet expansion program, which is the largest in the company's history. The program includes an investment of ten billion euros for the acquisition of new trains, more comfortable seats, and improved amenities, all to be completed by 2029. DB is modernizing the network and investing heavily in rolling stock to make the trains more reliable, punctual, and comfortable. The 100th ICE 4 train joins the fleet every three weeks, highlighting DB's commitment to climate-friendly transport.

Malu Dreyer, Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, stated that the ICE Rhineland-Palatinate is an ideal representative of climate protection and the much-needed speed in the mobility revolution. The state government of Rhineland-Palatinate aims to enhance rail's role as a central carrier in the mobility mix to promote climate-friendly transport in passenger and freight, both in local and long-distance traffic.

Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG, expressed his delight that the ICE 4 is the backbone of DB's long-distance service and thanked the company for its trust. Busch believes that their trains help DB make rail transport more attractive and protect the climate, and he is confident that the 100 ICE 4 trains delivered demonstrate the right portfolio for high-speed transport.

DB AG

DB will acquire a total of 137 ICE 4 trains in different configurations, including 50 12-car trains and 19 of the 37 seven-car trains on order. Since February 2021, the 13-car XXL ICE trains, of which DB will receive 50, have joined the fleet, offering almost 1,000 seats. The trains will run on highly demanded routes, for example, from Hamburg via North Rhine-Westphalia and the Cologne-Rhine/Main high-speed route to southern Germany. The ICE 4 trains will also be used on individual routes between Mainz and Hamburg or Munich.

To make the 12- and 13-car ICE 4 trains more punctual, their top speed has been raised from 250 to 265 km/h. DB will acquire a new ICE 4 every three weeks, adding another 11,000 ICE 4 seats to its service by the end of the year. The company has a strong presence in Rhineland-Palatinate, with approximately 7,500 employees working in the state.

Meanwhile, Volker Wissing, Federal Minister of Digital Affairs and Transport, stated that the federal government aims to develop rail as the backbone of a climate-friendly transport system. Wissing believes that by providing punctual, clean, and comfortable trains with sufficient space, more people will be encouraged to travel by rail. The federal government is currently modernizing the network and investing heavily in rolling stock to improve the quality of rail travel.

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