faq
From today on, the new Deutsche Bahn timetable applies. Which routes have more trains, where there are more frequent night connections, and which regions are particularly affected by construction sites.
Train travelers have been able to buy tickets for the 2023/24 annual timetable since October 11th. This applies from December 10th. According to Deutsche Bahn, the new concept includes more new connections than in 20 years – for example on the highly sought-after routes between Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia or between Berlin and Munich.
Which connections are added?
Between Munich and Berlin, the railway is increasing the number of ICE sprinters with an additional line that only takes two hours between the cities. This means there are now up to 14 fast connections in each direction per day – twice as many as before and almost every hour during the day. Because longer trains will be used, there will also be a quarter more seats in the future.
The group is introducing a two-hourly connection via Wuppertal between Berlin and Cologne. There is no train sharing in Hamm (Westphalia), which means the journey time is ten minutes shorter. Because of the extended line, there will also be a half-hourly service between Hanover and Berlin – and the number of seats will increase.
In addition, the railway is significantly expanding the intercity connection between Nuremberg, Jena and Leipzig: from one to five per day. Also new is the connection between the cities of Rudolstadt and Ludwigsstadt to long-distance transport. Compared to regional transport, travel time with the IC is around 30 minutes.
Otherwise there is a new direct connection between Magdeburg and Hamburg. An additional Intercity 2 line enables a second daily connection between Magdeburg, Schwerin and Rostock.
Are there other connections that will be faster in the future?
Yes. Three existing ICE Sprinters per day and direction between Berlin and Nuremberg now travel faster by traveling without stopping. You can therefore cover the route between Berlin and Munich in just three hours and 45 minutes.
Train passengers between Berlin and Amsterdam can also expect to save time. There is no need to change locomotives at the border, so you can reach your destination around 30 minutes faster. For this purpose, multi-system locomotives are used and fewer intermediate stops are planned.
What about night trains and trains abroad?
According to DB, traveling by train at night is becoming increasingly popular. The group is therefore expanding its cooperation with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). Since December, Nightjet trains have been running from Berlin and Vienna to Paris and Brussels three times a week. From autumn 2024, daily connections will even be offered on the routes. Deutsche Bahn discontinued its own night train service six years ago on the grounds that it was no longer profitable.
However, several routes in Germany continued to be operated by ÖBB. Since then, the DB itself has only had IC and ICE trains with seats, which regularly travel overnight. These “ICE at night” connections are now getting an upgrade: the company is increasingly using ICE 4 trains, promising more space and better comfort.
Meanwhile, there have also been recent changes to the cross-border long-distance train offering. The ICE route between Berlin and Vienna was extended to Hamburg. In addition, an ICE train will run every day from Berlin via Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart to Innsbruck.
Where do train drivers have to be prepared for waiting times?
In long-distance transport, the railway was recently more unpunctual than it has been in eight years. Every second ICE or IC train was late last month. The main reason was construction work: According to DB information, around 75 percent of long-distance trains were slowed down by at least one construction site. The announcements by the federally owned company give little reason for improvement in the coming year.
Extensive renovations to the rail network are planned again in 2024. According to Deutsche Bahn, the largest construction site will start in July between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim on the so-called Riedbahn. The entire infrastructure on the route will be renewed for around six months. In preparation for the general renovation, there will be three weeks of construction work on the route in January.
Larger construction projects lasting several months are also planned on the following routes: between Kassel and Göttingen (December 10, 2023 to February 29, 2024), between Wolfsburg and Braunschweig (December 10, 2023 to March 31, 2024) and between Hamburg and Berlin (December 17, 2024). August to December 14, 2024). There will also be a construction site between Duisburg and Oberhausen for two weeks (March 23 to April 7, 2024).
What else is changing?
As part of the new timetable, there are new vehicles: From December, ICE 4 trains will also be used on cross-border connections to Austria. The new ICE 3neo also runs more frequently between North Rhine-Westphalia, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. In rail traffic between Munich and Italy, ÖBB’s newest Railjet trains will gradually replace the previous EC trains.
Last but not least, what many train passengers will have noticed is the new design of the DB app. The navigator has some new functions – for example, that tickets for dogs or bicycles can now be booked digitally. The DB is investing 60 million euros in the travel centers at the 25 most visited train stations to provide personal advice.