The new Deutsche Bahn ICE maintenance facility was officially opened in Cottbus today. A total of 1,200 new jobs are expected to be created there in the coming years.
The most modern and largest ICE maintenance facility of Deutsche Bahn went into operation today in Cottbus. Less than 20 months after the groundbreaking ceremony, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke and Bahn CEO Richard Lutz officially opened the almost 450 meter long workshop. The ICE 4 fleet will be serviced there in the future.
The double-track hall was built in 20 months; Scholz spoke of a new “Germany pace”. The work sets standards for large projects across the country. Woidke emphasized that sustainable jobs in the region undergoing structural change would strengthen trust in political promises.
Maintenance in just two weeks
The railway works is one of the most important projects to support the Lusatian coal region. It is financed through the federal Structural Strengthening Act. When it goes into operation, 450 jobs will be created at the site. By 2026 there should be a total of 1,200. According to its own statements, the group has also strengthened vocational training and significantly increased the number of training positions. This means that jobs in the factory can be filled with our own trainees.
In the hall, the trains are partially dismantled and heavy parts such as traction motors or bogies are replaced. This can be done within around two weeks – according to Deutsche Bahn, this is faster than in any other factory. The full length of the 374 meter long ICE trains fits into the hall for maintenance. This means work on the trains can be carried out at the same time.
The ICE 4 is the backbone of long-distance rail transport. The DB will receive 137 trains of this type. A total of around 450 ICE trains from different series are expected to be on the road by the end of the decade. The construction of a second, four-track maintenance hall in Cottbus is scheduled to be completed in 2026.