Content
Intercity 2 (Germany)
This guide will tell you all you need to know about travelling on the new double-decked trains now used for some IC services in Germany.
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At a Glance
Travel Pass Supplement
Rail Pass Reservation Fees
Reservations
Available
Time of Day
Day
Accessibility
Accessing the train
Wheelchair Spaces
Bikes Allowed
Train Specification
Attributes of the train
Double Deck
Has a Conductor
Country
Which country these trains operate in.
Germany
Travel Passes
Eurail
InterRail
On Board
1
Perks
Power Socket
The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.
Trolley Service:
A catering trolley with hot and cold drinks and snacks should be taken through the train at some point during its journey.
WiFi
A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.
2
Perks
Power Socket
The power sockets on this train are compatible with standard E.U. two point plugs.
Trolley Service:
A catering trolley with hot and cold drinks and snacks should be taken through the train at some point during its journey.
Intercity 2 travel guide:
There are now two types of German IC trains in service:
(1) THESE brand new double deck Intercity 2 trains - also known as Twindexx trains
Other trains known as 'Kiss' trains are now operating Intercity 2 services on the Dresden <> Rostock via Berlin route.
(2) The older single deck trains - find out more HERE
Routes:
These newer double deck (Twindexx) IC trains have now replaced the overwhelming majority of the older trains which for decades were used for the German Intercity services,
On these five routes it is likely that you will be travelling on an Intercity 2 train:
- Karlsruhe - Stuttgart - Cralsheim - Nurnberg - Bamberg - Jena Paradies - Leipzig
- Leipzig - Halle - Magdeburg - Braunschweig - Hannover - Bremen - Oldenburg - Leer - Emden
- Dresden - Leipzig - Halle - Magdeburg - Braunschweig - Hannover - Bielefeld - Dortmund - Wuppertal - Koln - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Frankfurt (Main) or Mannheim - Heidelberg - Stuttgart (ICE trains share this route)
- Koln - Dusseldorf - Duisburg - Gelsenkirchen - Munster (West) - Rheine - Leer - Emden
- Frankfurt (Main) - Siegen - Dortmund - Munster (West)
Reservations:
Reservations are now only automatically included when upgrading Flexpreis tickets to 1st class, or when booking Flexpreis Plus tickets for 1st and 2nd class travel.
When purchasing the cheaper Super Sparpreis and Sparpreis tickets for journeys by express train, you can opt to either:
- travel 2nd class and add a seat reservation for an additional fee of €4.90.
- book 1st class / upgrade a 2nd class ticket to 1st class and add a seat reservation for an additional fee of €5.90.
When booking Flexpreis tickets for travel in 2nd class, you can add a seat reservation for an additional fee of €4.90.
If your journey involves more than one IC train, you will only have to pay one reservation fee, as it will cover all the trains you will be taking.
It is also possible to book reservations at a later date separately from the ticket booking, both online or by using DB branded ticket machines at stations.
Although if you do book your reservations later and your journey involves more than one train, you will then have to pay for separate reservations per train.
*Select specific seats
When you opt to reserve, or automatically assigned reservations when booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets/ Flexpreis Plus tickets, DB tends to assign seats randomly.
So if you want your seats to be:
- by a window or on the aisle
- adjacent to a luggage rack
- in a compartment (when available)
- in a Quiet Zone
- at a table
you can select any seats which are still available on the seating plan
Note that facilities such as compartments and Quiet Zones may be in an entirely different coach / carriage to that in which the seats you have been initially assigned are located.
On Board:
Unlike the older single deck IC trains, all seating on these Intercity 2 (Twindexx) trains is in open plan saloons,
If you haven’t reserved, you have the freedom to choose between sitting on the upper or lower deck.
Upper deck = better views, but more cramped
Lower deck = easier access to the toilets and catering
There are luggage racks at the entrances to the upper and lower deck seating saloons.
The seating areas on this trains are divided into 'Phone' and 'Quiet' - no phone zones.
If you haven't reserved seats pay attention to the signs when boarding, you'll find them on the glass walls which separate the doors from the seating saloons.
A useful feature of these trains is the information panels in the seating saloons - they display a variety of info screens, including the departure details of connecting trains from the next station that the train will be calling at.
Finding a reserved seat:
Whether a seat is reserved or not will be indicated by red text on an electronic display, next to the seat numbers, that are on the edge of the luggage racks.
Catering:
These Intercity 2 trains have no separate bistro car, if the train isn’t too busy, a catering trolley will be pushed through the lower deck seating saloons.
However, if you are travelling on the upper deck, or don’t want to wait for the trolley to appear, then you can go in search of the catering attendant.
Bicycles:
All of these IC services should have bike racks, so to take a non-folding bike on board you need to both purchase a ticket AND a bike reservation, in order to secure a space for your bike.
The flat rate fee, irrespective of distance, for a combined bike ticket and reservation is €9.
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