The authorisation for the ICE 4, which is equipped with ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3, includes operation to Basel-Bad station in Switzerland, via the border crossing at Basel. Type approval for the trains, including the ETCS system, has already been completed for the Swiss network, paving the way for the pending operating certification of the ICE 4 in Switzerland.

DB announced on September 27 that it is investing more than €1bn in its high-speed ICE fleet, including the purchase of an additional 18 seven-car ICE 4 trains and 50 intermediate second-class vehicles to lengthen half of the 100 12-car ICE 4 trains currently being delivered by Siemens to 13 cars. All of the trains will be equipped with ETCS and able to operate in Germany and across national borders.

Of the total 137 ICE 4 trains it has ordered from Siemens, 100 12-car and 13-car trains are intended for use in Germany, Austria and Switzerland while the remaining 37 seven-car trains will operate in Germany and Austria.