InterCityExpress (ICE)

Mercurio ICE pages by Tobias B. Köhler (unci@tigerden.com)

Welcome to the ICE pages! Here, I am providing information about the current and future generations of the ICE, the high speed train in Germany and neighbour countries.

WWW links

Generations of the ICE


ICE/V (class 410/810)
InterCityExperimental, a single experimental train. For a short period, it held the world record with a speed of 406.9 km/h (252.9 mph).


ICE1 (class 401/801-804)
60 ICE1 trainsets are in regular service on three lines in Germany, some go to Switzerland.


ICE2 (class 402/805-808)
44 shorter and lighter trains with only one locomotive are currently being built.


ICT (class 411/415)
43 tilting InterCity trains, derived from the ICE family.


ICE2/2 (class 403/404/406)
50 trains under construction, with motors in half of the cars instead of separate locomotives.

ICE21
A new experimental trainset similar to the ICE-V, currently in planning stage, for testing new technologies.

ICE history

1982: ICE/V ordered (first experimental train)
1985: ICE/V delivered to DB
1989: ICE/V reaches world record (406.9 km/h)
1991: ICE1 delivered to DB, first ICE line opened
1994: ICE demonstration tour in the USA for Amtrak
1996: First ICE2 delivered to DBAG (long trains at first)
1997: ICE2 reconfigured to half trains with cab cars
1998: First ICE2/2 delivered to DBAG (3 systems for DBAG-NS)
1999: ICE2/2 delivered to DBAG (1 and 4 system versions)
2000: ICE21 delivered (new experimental train)

ICE lines

[Map of the three ICE lines]

ICE fares

The ICE tariff is a bit complicated. There is a special price for every ICE relation, which is a bit higher than the regular price. On classic lines, this is not much more expensive than a ticket with EC/IC supplement. With BahnCard, it is sometimes even cheaper. On high speed lines, the ICE price is higher than the EC/IC price.
Tobias Benjamin Köhler (unci@tigerden.com)