Siemens ICE 4 train for Deutsche Bahn. Photo: courtesy of Siemens.
Deutsche Bahn CEO and Chairman of the Management Board Dr. Rüdiger Grube was joined by German Minister for Transportation and Digital Infrastructure Alexander Dobrindt and other officials to present Deutsche Bahn's new long-distance train, the ICE 4, to the public.
“The ICE 4 ushers in a new era: it is the backbone of our future long-distance transport system,” stated Dr. Grube. “We are planning to expand our range of long-distance rail services by 25 percent by the year 2030, linking up more and more cities and regions. This new flagship will make a lasting contribution towards the future viability of the DB Group.”
“Twenty-five years ago, the ICE heralded the dawn of a new mobility era and quickly became an export hit,” remarked Minister Dobrindt. “Today, the ICE 4 is the most modern and customer-friendly upgrade of high-speed train travel, thanks in part to free WiFi in the first and second class cars. I am confident that the ICE 4, like its predecessors, will become another showcase for quality made in Germany and an example of Deutsche Bahn's innovative leadership. The ICE 4 is a key step towards the digital railway, a modern mode of transport for the Gigabit Society.”
Deutsche Bahn has ordered delivery the first of 130 trains from the total of up to 300 trains covered by the framework agreement signed with Siemens in May 2011 at a cost of roughly €5.3 billion, the largest investment in rolling stock in Deutsche Bahn's history.
The ICE 4 is composed of 12 cars and has an overall length of 346 meters. It has a total of 830 seats, 205 in first class and 625 in second class. Its low weight and aerodynamic design reduce energy consumption per seat by 22 percent compared with a modernized ICE 1. The traction system uses power cars and allows for flexible train formation. The train can travel at a top speed of 250 kilometers per hour.
The new train features a modern passenger information system, an improved air-conditioning system, a parent-and-child compartment and family area, and has space for eight bicycles and four wheelchairs. Two on-board hoists ensure that wheelchair users can board and leave the train at all stations. The ICE 4 has state-of-the-art WiFi and telephone technology, which DB will have installed in its entire ICE fleet by the end of the year.
The ICE 4 is the first high-speed train in Europe to undergo an introductory phase that will last several months before it goes into regular service in December 2017. Deutsche Bahn wished to test the reliability of the train's technical components and systems under real operating conditions.