SIEMENS Mobility announced on May 17 that it had received an order for an additional 17 ICE 3neo high-speed trains from German Rail (DB), worth €600m and bringing the total of ICE 3neo trains ordered to 90.
DB placed its first €1bn order for 30 ICE 3neo trains in July 2020 under a framework agreement for up to 90, and ordered a further 43 in January 2022 for €1.5bn.
The first trains to be ordered entered service in December 2022 after being built at the Siemens Mobility plant in Krefeld in “record time,” according to the manufacturer. The latest batch of 17 is due to be delivered to DB by August 2028.
Based on the Velaro MS platform, the ICE 3neo has a maximum speed of 320km/h and is equipped to take traction current at 1.5kV dc, 3kV dc and 25kV 50Hz ac as well as 15kV 16.7Hz ac, enabling it to operate international services to Belgium and the Netherlands.
Each eight-car train has 439 seats and passenger amenities include special window glass for optimum mobile phone reception, redesigned luggage racks providing more space, and interior lighting levels that vary according to the time of the day.
Tablet holders and power outlets are provided at all seats and there are eight bicycle spaces on each train. Compared with previous ICE trains, there are more passenger doors for faster boarding and alighting at stations and a door lift provides easier access for wheelchair users.
“DB will be undertaking comprehensive rejuvenation over the coming years. This includes our nationwide rail network as well as our trains,” says Dr Michael Peterson, DB board member for long-distance passenger services.
“This year we are already taking delivery of an average of three new ICE trains per month. And we are further accelerating the renewal of our fleet.”
