Railway Fleet Revitalization Warns of Potential Constraints - Passenger Group Expresses Concerns

Sprucing Up the Long-Distance Train Fleet - Passenger Group Warns of Capacity Crunch

Restoring Trains - Passenger Group Warns of Potential Capacity Issues - Railway Fleet Revitalization Warns of Potential Constraints - Passenger Group Expresses Concerns

Let's dive into Deutsche Bahn's plan to revamp their long-distance train fleet. The objective? A younger, more reliable fleet, with an average age of ICE and IC trains dropping from the current 18 years to a mere 12 years by 2030. But is this overhaul leading to enough seats for passengers, or are we in for a bumpy ride?

The passenger association, Pro Bahn, isn't convinced. Board member Lukas Ifflaender raises red flags, hinting at potential capacity shortages on certain routes due to an overzealous phase-out of old trains and a seemingly slow replacement process with new ones.

ICE 4 Trains Delivered

Deutsche Bahn's modernization journey is in full steam. Last year, the manufacturer Siemens Mobility handed over the last of a total of 137 new ICE 4 trains. These modern marvels boast bike storage facilities, 444 seats per train, and can zip along at speeds of up to 265 km/h. They now form the mainstay of Deutsche Bahn's ICE fleet.

The ICE 3 Neo, a revamped version of the existing ICE-3 series, has also been under production for years. By 2028, a total of 90 ICE 3 Neo trains are expected to be in operation. This year, 15 ICE 3 Neo trains will be added, with another 16 following next year, as announced by the operator. They're equipped with frequency-transmitting windows for better mobile phone reception and more.

These Neo trains are currently cruising on high-speed routes between North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via Frankfurt and Stuttgart, as well as on international connections from Frankfurt to Amsterdam and Brussels.

ICE L Delivery Hiccups

However, there's a wrench in the works with another new order: the ICE L from Spanish manufacturer Talgo. Deutsche Bahn had initially planned for the first trains to be in operation by last autumn, but now delivery isn't expected until the second half of this year at the earliest. Four of the trains might not arrive until 2025, according to the operator. Optically, these vehicles resemble Intercity trains more than ICE trains.

"The fleet strategy of DB Fernverkehr aims to rejuvenate and modernize the fleet to stabilize operations," the company asserted. And it seems to be working, as the availability of ICE-4 and ICE-3 Neo trains is significantly higher than that of older series. Through improved maintenance concepts, the share of drive failures has been reduced by 58 percent between 2019 and 2024.

But the new trains haven't yet led to more punctuality. Over a third of all long-distance trains are still running late.

Pro Bahn's Criticism

The passenger association Pro Bahn is unimpressed by these figures. "Overall, the vehicle strategy appears slapdash to us," said Ifflaender. He specifically highlights the retirement of older trains. "On many connections, we'll see fewer seats, at least temporarily, until the new trains eventually arrive." Routes most affected include Wiesbaden-Frankfurt-Leipzig-Dresden and Hamburg-NRW-Bonn-Frankfurt-Nuremberg-Wien, where the second train section will be missing more often in the future. "For us passengers, this means: It's bound to be tight and crowded. Turn around - no, thank you," Ifflaender warned.

Bahn Rids Itself of KISS Trains

In April of this year, Deutsche Bahn retired 14 older ICE 3 trains of the 406 series. Another 10 ICE T trains, considered less reliable and more maintenance-intensive, are set to be phased out gradually by year's end.

Additionally, around three dozen ICE-2 trains, in service since 1996, are to be phased out by the end of 2027. Lastly, Deutsche Bahn recently sold 17 double-decker trains of the "Intercity 2 KISS" type to the Austrian Federal Railways. They had purchased these trains used in 2019 "to bridge delivery problems with other vehicles," as it was reported. These problems have since been resolved.

Uncertainty Surrounding the Flickering Fleet

It remains unclear whether the missing trains can be quickly replaced by the late ICE L trains from Talgo. The consequences are already visible, Ifflaender pointed out. "The early train from Leipzig will be canceled at the timetable change, as it has so far been operated with a five-car ICE T, which are to be taken out of service at the timetable change," he explained.

The Bahn admits that the ICE fleet numbers will fluctuate in the coming years due to the phase-outs and the addition of new trains. However, they assure that the number will remain at a comparable level in the long term, with increasing seat numbers.

But Ifflaender remains skeptical. "Although the seat capacity theoretically grows until 2029, it actually decreases due to poor fleet availability, as even new vehicles are often defective in front of the workshops," he stated.

While Deutsche Bahn's fleet is getting younger, but not necessarily larger, the competitor Flixtrain has recently announced a major train offensive. They have ordered around 30 new high-speed trains, with an option for 35 more, possibly from the same Spanish manufacturer, Talgo. No word yet on when these trains will be delivered. Let's hope for smooth sailing ahead for both Deutsche Bahn and its passengers.

1. The introduction of the new ICE 4 and ICE 3 Neo trains, while providing improved amenities, raises concerns from the passenger association Pro Bahn about potential capacity crunches on certain routes due to the phase-out of older trains and a seemingly slow replacement process with the new ones.
2. As Deutsche Bahn embarks on a transition towards a more finance-friendly, industry-competitive, and public-transit-oriented long-distance train fleet, there is uncertainty about whether the absence of some older trains can be quickly compensated by the late delivery of new trains, such as the ICE L from Talgo, potentially leading to overcrowding in some routes and a overall capacity crunch, as indicated by Pro Bahn.

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