Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)
Intercity is the second-highest train classification in Germany, after the ICE. Intercity services are loco-hauled express train services, usually over long-distances. There are Intercity routes throughout Germany, and routes generally operate with a two-hour frequency, with multiple routes giving a more frequent service on core routes. Intercity services are operated by the DB Fernverkehr sector of Deutsche Bahn.
The Intercity name was introduced in Germany in 1971, replacing the old F-Zug category, and was the top category of train in Germany until the introduction of the ICEs in the early 1990s. With the proliferation of ICE services, the role of IC trains has diminished slightly, and they have taken on the character of many former InterRegio trains. Nonetheless, Intercity trains still offer a very high standard of speed and comfort – all services convey first class accommodation, and most include catering – usually a Bistro Cafe, but some services include a restaurant. A number of Intercity services serve destinations outside Germany; most of these are under the EuroCity classification.
History
Inception
The idea for Intercity services on the Deutsche Bundesbahn network was first proposed in 1967, inspired by the success of British Rail's InterCity brand. After some planning, the proposal was approved in 1969, and the services were finally introduced in September 1971, after some delays in delivery of new coaching stock. The original network consisted of four lines, operating every two hours, and connecting the largest cities in West Germany. At this time, Intercity trains were first-class only. The original lines were:- line 1 : Hamburg-Altona – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Ulm – Augsburg – Munich
- line 2 : Hannover – Bielefeld – Hamm – Dortmund – Hagen – Wuppertal-Elberfeld – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Wiesbaden – Frankfurt – Würzburg – Nuremberg – Augsburg – Munich
- line 3 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Fulda – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Freiburg – Basel
- line 4 : Bremen – Hannover – Göttingen – Bebra – Fulda – Würzburg – Munich
Additionally, there is also another new line 5, running from Dortmund to Munich. It was opened since 2 May 1985.
- line 1 : Hamburg-Altona – Bremen – Osnabrück – Münster – Dortmund – Bochum – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Köln – Bonn – Koblenz – Wiesbaden – Frankfurt
- line 2 : Hannover – Bielefeld – Hamm – Dortmund – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Ulm – Augsburg – Munich
- line 3 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Fulda – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Freiburg – Basel
- line 4 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Bebra – Fulda – Würzburg – Augsburg – München
- line 4a : Oldenburg or Bremerhaven – Bremen – Hannover
- line 5 : Dortmund – Hagen – Wuppertal-Elberfeld – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt Airport – Frankfurt – Würzburg – Nuremberg – Augsburg – Munich
- line 3a: Amsterdam – Utrecht – Oberhausen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Köln – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – or or
Reunification and growth
The network continued to evolve throughout the 1980s, and in the early 1990s it saw major changes. One major driving force for this was German reunification, which saw the network expand across the former East Germany, but also the opening of two high-speed lines in 1991: Mannheim to Stuttgart and Hannover to Würzburg. The first generation ICEs were introduced around this time, and took over most services on the Hannover – Fulda corridor, while the remaining services expanded in all directions.The routes on 2 June 1991 were as follows:
- IC line 1 : Hamburg-Altona – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt Flughafen – Frankfurt – Aschaffenburg – Würzburg – Nürnberg – or
- IC line 1a : Wiesbaden – Frankfurt
- IC line 2 : or – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Köln – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Ulm – Augsburg – Munich
- IC line 2a : Wiesbaden – Mainz
- IC line 3 : Berlin – Potsdam – Magdeburg – Helmstedt – Braunschweig – Hildesheim – Göttingen – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Fulda – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Karlsruhe
- IC line 4 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Fulda – Würzburg – Augsburg – Munich
- IC line 5 : Braunschweig – Hannover– Bielefeld – Hamm – Dortmund – Hagen – Wuppertal – Solingen-Ohligs – Cologne – Bonn – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Freiburg – Basel
- EC line 5a : Amsterdam – Utrecht – Emmerich – Oberhausen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf – Cologne
- ICE line 6 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Fulda – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Stuttgart – Ulm – Augsburg – Munich
- IC line 6a : Oldenburg or Bremerhaven – Bremen – Hannover
The new changes on 31 May 1992 were as follows:
- IC line 1 : from Nuremberg to Munich
- IC line 3 : Hamburg-Altona – Hannover – Göttingen – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Fulda – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Karlsruhe
- ICE line 4 : either Bremen or Hamburg-Altona, to Nuremberg
- IC line 6a : every two hours Bremen – Hannover
- IC line 8 : Berlin – Flughafen Berlin-Schönefeld – Leipzig – Naumburg – Jena – Saalfeld – Probstzella – Lichtenfels – Bamberg – Erlangen – Nuremberg – Ingolstadt – Munich
Modern era
The next major change to Intercity services came about in 2002, with the opening of the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed rail line largely to replace the West Rhine Railway, a major trunk route for Intercity services. While previous high speed lines in Germany had been designed for mixed usage, and could be used by Intercity trains, this line can only be operated by new ICE 3 units. This, along with the introduction of another generation of ICEs, the ICE T, saw large numbers of Intercity routes converted to ICE. Meanwhile, the InterRegio classification was abolished, and many of its services converted into Intercity routes.As a result, the character of Intercity has changed. Having been on an almost equal footing with the ICE, it is very much secondary. While it still provides a high quality of service, trains now stop more frequently, and are more commonly found on lesser routes. Most current IC trains convey fewer first-class coaches, more open seating as opposed to compartments, and a Bistro Cafe instead of a restaurant or no on-board catering at all, although this is as much a reflection of the changing habits of modern passengers than it is a change in the status of Intercity trains. Lines 30 and 31 – Hamburg to Frankfurt/Stuttgart are the closest in character to a 'classic' Intercity train.
Current services
Below are services as listed in the 2014 timetable. IC 50 has been replaced by ICE line 50, although some relief services operated on Fridays and Sundays and four train pairs a day on the Mid-Germany Railway still operate as IC line 50. Most IC 26 services are now operated as ICE line 26. Services on line 28 have generally been replaced by ICE line 28 but individual IC 28 services run between Berlin and Binz, Berlin and Rostock and Nuremberg and Munich. Some services on lines 30 and 31 are now operated as services on ICE line 30 and ICE line 31.| Line | Core route | Variations and branches | Frequency |
| 26 | Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Gießen – Frankfurt – Heidelberg – Karlsruhe | Binz – Rostock – Hamburg Westerland – Hamburg Karlsruhe – Offenburg – Konstanz Kassel – Würzburg – Nuremberg – Passau Kassel – Würzburg – Ansbach – Augsburg – Oberstdorf Kassel – Würzburg – Ansbach – Augsburg – Munich – Berchtesgaden Kassel – Würzburg – Ansbach – Augsburg – Munich – Zell am See - Schwarzach St. Veit | 2 hourly |
| 27 | Hamburg – Wittenberge – Berlin – Dresden – Prague | Westerland – Hamburg Binz – Stralsund – Berlin Prague – Vienna – Budapest / Villach | 2 hourly |
| 28 | Berlin – Leipzig – Nuremberg – Augsburg – Munich | ||
| 30 | Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart | Binz / Heringsdorf – Rostock – Hamburg Westerland – Hamburg Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Basel – Zürich – Chur | 2 hourly |
| 31 | Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Wuppertal – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt | Kiel – Hamburg Puttgarden – Lübeck – Hamburg Frankfurt – Würzburg – Nuremberg – Passau | 2 hourly |
| 32 | Dortmund – Essen – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Ulm – Munich | Berlin – Hannover – Hamm – Dortmund Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Essen Stuttgart – Tübingen Ulm – Lindau – Innsbruck Munich – Salzburg – Klagenfurt | 2 hourly |
| 35 | Norddeich Mole – Emden – Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Oberhausen – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz | Koblenz – Trier – Luxembourg Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Stuttgart Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Offenburg – Konstanz | 2 hourly |
| 50 | Leipzig – Naumburg – Erfurt – Eisenach – Fulda – Frankfurt – Frankfurt Airport | Binz – Stralsund – Berlin – Halle – Naumburg Dresden – Leipzig Eisenach – Kassel – Paderborn – Hamm – Dortmund – Düsseldorf Frankfurt – Darmstadt – Mannheim – Saarbrücken | 2 hourly |
| 55 | Leipzig – Halle – Magdeburg – Hannover – Hamm – Dortmund – Wuppertal – Cologne | Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Ulm – Oberstdorf Riesa - Dresden | 2 hourly |
| 56 | Dresden – Leipzig – Halle – Magdeburg – Hannover – Bremen – Oldenburg | Cottbus – Berlin – Magdeburg Magdeburg – Stendal – Wittenberge – Rostock – Warnemünde Oldenburg – Emden | 2 hourly |
| 60 | Karlsruhe – Bruchsal – Stuttgart – Munich | Basel – Karlsruhe Munich – Salzburg | 2 hourly |
| 61 | Karlsruhe – Pforzheim – Stuttgart – Ansbach – Nuremberg | Basel – Freiburg – Karlsruhe Nuremberg – Jena – Leipzig | 2 hourly |
| 62 | Frankfurt – Heidelberg – Stuttgart – Munich – Salzburg | Siegen – Frankfurt Saarbrücken – Mannheim – Stuttgart Salzburg – Graz / Linz / Klagenfurt | 2 hourly |
| 75 | Hamburg – Lübeck – Puttgarden – Copenhagen | ||
| 77 | Berlin – Wolfsburg – Hannover – Osnabrück – Bad Bentheim – Amsterdam | Osnabrück – Münster | 2 hourly |
| 87 | Stuttgart – Singen – Schaffhausen – Zürich | Frankfurt – Stuttgart | 2 hourly |
| 88 | Munich – Lindau – Bregenz – Zürich | 4 train pairs | |
| 89 | Munich – Rosenheim – Innsbruck – Italy | 2 hourly | |
| 95 | Berlin – Frankfurt – Poznań – Warsaw | Poznań - Gdańsk - Gdynia | 4 train pairs |
| 99 | Hamburg – Lüneburg – Stendal – Berlin – Cottbus – Wroclaw |
Named services
Originally, all Intercity services had names, usually named after a famous figure from one of the cities along the route. Nowadays, fewer services are named, usually those that serve the extremities of the rail network. Names are usually taken from a geographical location along the route.| Line | Train No. | Route | Name |
| 35 | 133–134 | Norddeich Mole – Emden – Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Trier – Luxembourg | Ostfriesland |
| 35 | 2004–2005 | Emden – Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Offenburg – Konstanz | Bodensee |
| 35 | 2006–2007 | Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Offenburg – Konstanz | Bodensee |
| 32 | 2010–2011 | Berlin – Hannover – Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Stuttgart – Tübingen | Loreley |
| 55 | 2012–2013 | Leipzig – Halle – Magdeburg – Braunschweig – Hannover – Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Stuttgart – Ulm – Oberstdorf | Allgäu |
| 35 | 2018–2019 | Norddeich Mole – Emden – Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Mannheim – Stuttgart | Nordeney |
| 27 | 2072–2073 | Westerland – Hamburg – Wittenberge – Berlin | Sylter Strand |
| 26 | 2082–2083 | Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Würzburg – Ansbach – Augsburg – Munich – Freilassing – Berchtesgaden | Königssee |
| 26 | 2084–2085 | Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Würzburg – Ansbach – Augsburg – Oberstdorf | Nebelhorn |
| 26 | 2170–2171, 2190–2191, 2193 | Westerland – Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Gießen – Frankfurt | Wattenmeer |
| 26 | 2184 | Hannover – Hamburg – Rostock – Stralsund – Binz | Strelasund |
| 31 | 2220–2221 | Fehmarn – Puttgarden – Lübeck – Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt | Fehmarn |
| 56 | 2238–2239 | Warnemünde – Rostock – Wittenberge – Stendal – Magdeburg – Halle – Leipzig – Dresden | Warnow |
| 30 | 2310–2311 | Westerland – Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt – Stuttgart | Nordfriesland |
| 30 | 2314–2315 | Westerland – Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt | Deichgraf |
| 31 | 2327 | Fehmarn – Puttgarden – Lübeck – Hamburg – Bremen – Münster – Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Mainz – Frankfurt – Würzburg – Nuremberg – Passau | Lübecker Bucht |
| 35 | 2332, 2336–2337 | Emden – Rheine – Münster – Gelsenkirchen – Oberhausen – Düsseldorf – Cologne | Borkum |
| 35 | 2333 | Cologne – Düsseldorf – Oberhausen – Gelsenkirchen – Münster – Rhine – Emden – Norddeich Mole | Nordeney |
| 26 | 2355–2356 | Binz – Stralsund – Rostock – Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Gießen – Frankfurt | Arkona |
| 26 | 2370–2371 | Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Gießen – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Karlsruhe – Offenburg – Konstanz | Schwarzwald |
| 26 | 2377 | Binz – Stralsund – Rostock – Hamburg – Hannover – Kassel – Gießen – Frankfurt | Strelasund |
| 56 | 2431 | Emden – Oldenburg – Bremen – Hannover – Braunschweig – Magdeburg – Potsdam – Berlin – Cottbus | Borkum |
| 56 | 2432 | Cottbus – Berlin – Potsdam – Magdeburg – Braunschweig – Hannover – Bremen – Oldenburg – Emden – Norddeich Mole | Ostfriesland |
| 56 | 2434 | Leipzig – Halle – Magdeburg – Braunschweig – Hannover – Bremen – Oldenburg – Emden – Norddeich Mole | Borkum |
| 56 | 2435 | Norddeich Mole – Emden – Oldenburg – Bremen – Hannover – Braunschweig – Magdeburg – Halle, Leipzig | Ostfriesland |
Rolling stock
Motive power
The original Intercity services were hauled by the Class 103 electric locomotives, built in the early-1970s and capable of 200 km/h. Lesser routes were operated by Class 110 and 111 locos, but these had a lower maximum speed, and with line speeds increasing, their use became untenable. A new Class 120 was introduced in 1987, and these classes were relegated to Regional duties. In the mid-1990s the Class 101 was introduced, and these locomotives now dominate Intercity services, with the 103s having been largely retired in the early-2000s.On non-electrified Intercity routes, such as Hamburg to Westerland, or Ulm to Lindau, Class 218 diesel locomotives are used, usually double-headed. For cross-border services, multi-voltage electric locos are needed, such as the Class 181 to France and Luxembourg or the Class 180 into the Czech Republic and Poland.
After German reunification, former Deutsche Reichsbahn locomotives could be found on Intercity services – not only the Class 180s, but the 112 and 219 locos. While the 219s have been retired, the 112s are now solely used on Regional-Expresses due to their top speed of 160 km/h.
While most Intercity trains have been loco-hauled, a small number of services have been operated by multiple units: early services were operated by the VT 11.5 and Class 403 TEE units, while Nuremberg to Dresden route, was briefly operated by Class 612 DMUs in Intercity livery. This service was later classified as an Interregio-Express and the units were painted in standard DB red. Through service on that route has since been withdrawn altogether with Mitteldeutsche Regio Bahn serving the electrified route from Dresden to Hof and DB Regio serving the route from Hof to Nuremberg.
Gallery
Coaching stock
Early Intercity trains used classic Eurofima stock, shared with TEE and D-Zug expresses, but with the growth of the network in the 1980s, and the inclusion of second class, large numbers of new air-conditioned coaches were built, which are still in use to this day. In the mid-1990s driving trailers were introduced on Intercity and Interregio services, which had the effect of speeding up journey times: many major German railway stations are termini, so a lot of Intercity services include at least one change of direction. With the demise of Interregio in 2002, a large number of IR coaches were incorporated in Intercity services – particularly second class coaches but also the Bistro Café, which has replaced a full restaurant on most routes.Formations
Intercity trains are usually 7 to 11 coaches long, depending on the route. There are one or two first class coaches – one compartment coach, and one open on longer trains. A few routes still use restaurants, but most use a bistro cafe, which also provides half a coach of first-class accommodation. Most of the second class coaches are open, but with some compartments, and some ex-Interregio coaches. Cycle space is provided by the driving trailer, but these are not used on all routes, so there are some non-driving coaches with space for bicycles.Livery
Intercity coaches were originally in the blue and beige colour scheme employed on D-Zug services, with first class coaches in the TEE dark red and beige. A rebranding of the Deutsche Bundesbahn in the mid-1980s saw a new colour scheme for Intercity services, orient red and light grey with a pastel pink stripe in between. When DB adopted traffic red as its corporate colour in the mid-1990s, this replaced orient red, with the pink stripe taken off, before a new livery was introduced in 2000s – based on the Intercity-Express, the coaches are all white with a red stripe.Refurbishment
In 2012, DB began a programme of refurbishing the interior its Intercity coaches with decor similar to that found in the ICE3. Name of the programme is IC mod. The work is expected to be completed by 2014.Overview
Future rolling stock
Deutsche Bahn plans to replace most Intercity and Eurocity rolling stock with Intercity-Express ICE 4 electric multiple unit trainsets by 2025. ICE 4 is a Deutsche Bahn project to procure up to 300 fourth generation Intercity-Express trains to replace its existing Intercity fleets used on long-distance passenger services in Germany.In addition to the ICE 4, Deutsche Bahn has awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract to supply double-decker coaches for Intercity services. These kind of coaches are used in German Regional-Express trains, for Intercity services the coaches will get a more comfortable interior than in regional train double-decker coaches. In both classes only open coaches are provided, there will be no dining car. The double-decker coaches have been in service since 2015. Unlike most previous IC stock the new trains, marketed as "InterCity 2" by DB have a top speed of 160 km/h and are mainly intended for routes where higher speeds aren't possible or would offer little or no benefit with the ICE 4 to take over routes with maximum speeds between 160 km/h and 250 km/h. The IC2 is also intended to expand the Intercity network to cities that had lost their long-distance service upon withdrawal of the Interregio.