ICE 3 Velaro (Germany / International)

ShowMeTheJourney has anticipated what questions are most often asked about travelling on these ICE-3 trains managed by the German national rail operator, DB.

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These trains trave lat up to 330 km/h (205 mph), on the high speed line in France, but they typically travel at up to 290 km/h (180 mph) on the high-speed lines in Germany.

When not travelling on the high speed lines, the maximum speed is 200 km/h (125 mph).

Reservations are now only automatically included in these scenarios:

• for international journeys between Germany and France and within France
• when booking Flexpreis Plus tickets for 1st and 2nd class travel - these are the most expensive types of ticket sold by DB.

When booking any other type of ticket, reservations can be added for an additional fee.

Yes, this is typically available when both opting to reserve and in the scenarios when seats are automatically assigned.
If your preferences include seats at tables, or seats in Quiet zones, you will need to use the seating plan.

They are mandatory for journeys between France and Germany and for journeys within France; On journeys solely within Germany they are optional

These trains have a bar/bistro service and a restaurant car is also available.

A non-complimentary at-seat catering service of the full menu is available in First class

Yes - it is available free-of-charge in both 1st and 2nd class.

Yes and the sockets are compatible with standard EU plugs; Every 1st class seat has socket, but there is one socket per pair of seats in 2nd class.

These trains have 'Quiet zones' in both 1st and 2nd class, though to ensure your seats(s) are either located within or outside of the areas on the train in which mobile calls aren't permitted, it's best to opt to reserve and then use the seating plan.

In addition to hand luggage, one additional larger piece of luggage or item can be taken on board of charge, provided this load can be carried by one person alone.
The luggage racks on the train have been designed to handle a maximum item size of 700 x 500 x 300 mm (height x width x depth).

Yes and they are located within a 2nd class coach by the mobility accessible toilet.

Non-folding bicycles cannot be taken on these trains

Small dogs which can be placed in pet-carriers can be taken on board any train as hand luggage and there is no charge for doing so.

Dogs which can't be fitted in carrier/container, because they are larger than a typical domestic cat, require tickets,
So when booking online for a journey by ICE or IC trains with DB, the German national rail operator, add a larger dog as 'a passenger'.
The price charged will be 50% of the adult rate
If you want to travel 1st class you will need a 1st class ticket for the dog.

Compared to the original ICE 3 trains, an opportunity was taken to create more seating space overall, but this meant that the lounges found at either end of the train wouldn't be available on these Velaro variants.
On these trains the seating is all open-plan, there are no compartments, instead there are additional screens with doors within the seating saloons.
Hence the family zone isn't in a compartment with a door, instead it's in a dedicated space in a 2nd class coach, between sets of screens.

(1) Berlin - Karlsruhe - Strasbourg - Paris (Est)

(2) Stuttgart - Karlsruhe - Strasbourg - Paris (Est); TGV trains are used for other departures

(3) Frankfurt (Main) - Mannheim - Karlsruhe - Strasbourg - Paris (Est); TGV trains are used for other departures

(4) Frankfurt (Main) - Mannheim - Kaiserslautern - Paris (Est); TGV trains are used for other departures

(5) Munchen – Nurnberg – Wurzburg - Frankfurt Main – Frankfurt Flughafen – Koln Messe/Deutz – Dusseldorf – Essen; Some departures

Worth Knowing When Boarding an ICE-3 train:

(1) Aim to be on the platform/track/gleis at the station at least 5 minutes before departure, particularly if you will be joining the train at an intermediate station.
Give yourself time to figure out where you should wait on the gleis (platform/track) prior to boarding.

(2) If you have a reservation before arriving on the gleis (platform/track), check your ticket for the number of the coach in which your reserved seat is located.
Then use the info screens on the gleis, to check in which zone on the gleis you should wait, for easy boarding.

(3) A number ‘1’ and yellow stripes by the doors indicate the location of 1st class, while a ‘2’ indicates second class.
They can be hard to spot on a fast arriving train.

(4) Below these numbers (1 or 2) are electronic indicators which show the destination of the train and the main stations it will be calling at.

(5) If you haven't reserved seats, a less obvious aspect of travelling by ICE 3 trains is that they have 'Quiet' and 'Phone' zones'
So look out for the signs on the exterior and interior of the trains indicating whether a particular coach has these zones.
You can then either target or avoid seats in these areas.

(6) The doors won’t open automatically so you may have to press the green button.

(1) Reservations are indicated by red text next to seat numbers that show the stations, between which the seat has been reserved.
These seat numbers are located on a strip below which runs along the edge of the above seat luggage racks.

So if you board a Dortmund – Munchen train at Dortmund Hbf and see Dortmund – Munchen by a seat number, then this seat will be occupied for the entire journey.
However other seats may only be reserved between Koln and Munchen, so if you’re travelling from Dortmund to Koln you can sit in this seat.

(2) Seat numbers that have no text beside them or have 'bahn comfort' displayed are available for all or the remainder of the journey.

(3) You may see 'ggf. freigeben' displayed which indicates that a seat MAY be free, but avoid these seats if possible, as in our experience it usually means that the seat won't be free for the entire journey.

(4) An unusual feature is that the red text turns itself off 15 mins after the train has departed, from a station from which the seat is reserved.
The logic being is that that if the holder of the reservation doesn’t claim the seat, then passengers without reservations who board at the next station will know that the seat is available.
So if you do have a reservation and are travelling alone, take care to not be absent from your seat when the train calls at stations

There are luggage racks by the doors AND in the middle of the seating saloons.
It can be worth travelling 1st class if you have heavy luggage, as there is more space in which to store it.

Quiet zones:

If you haven't reserved, check whether you happen to be sitting in a 'Quiet Zone', if you are the conductor, or your fellow travellers, will ask you not to make or receive calls during your journey.

Power sockets:

The power sockets are between the seats, but under them; one socket per pair of seats in Klasse. 2

Info Screens

There are electronic info screens in each coach which will feature info about the journey.
They can be found on ceilings and end walls in the seating saloons and in the vestibules by the doors.

They have in effect replaced the paper info booklets which used to be left on the seats for each journey, as the screens switch between:

• showing the station calls, with both the scheduled time and the actual expected arrival time
• Summaries of the connections available at the next station call - with departure times and track numbers
• The current location of the train
  So look out for the changes of info.

There is no trolley catering service on ICE trains.
If you are travelling 1st or 2nd class you can opt to purchase hot/cold food and drink from the bar/bistro car and then either consume it in the bistro car or bring it back to your seat.

Travelling 1st class:

An attendant will also pass through 1st class taking orders for food and drink to be delivered to your seat – try to avoid confusing them with the conductor who will check the tickets etc.
Be aware that you will be charged for all items that you order at your seat.

If you’re travelling 1st class and are particularly thirsty/hungry, don’t wait for the catering attendant to make their round, go to the bar counter and order in person.