Overview

• From December 14, the half‑hourly ICE network expands from 900 to 2,300 kilometers, with more Sprinters on Berlin–Munich and Hamburg–Frankfurt and a new fast Berlin–Stuttgart link.
• Low‑demand services are pared back, including Leipzig–Nürnberg via Jena cut from five to two daily per direction, long‑distance stops dropped in Lübeck and Berchtesgaden, and some direct routes such as Hamburg–Vienna withdrawn.
• DB will standardize start and end points, intermediate stops and train types and largely end train‑splitting to reduce delays, while the new barrier‑free ICE L debuts on Berlin–Cologne at up to 230 km/h.
• Cross‑border options and booking expand, with a new Eurocity Leipzig–Kraków, planned extensions to Copenhagen and Antwerp, and TGV/Eurostar tickets now sold via DB; tickets for the new timetable go on sale October 15.
• Prolonged disruption remains likely with five multi‑month corridor closures set for 2026 and long‑distance punctuality near 60 percent after the transport minister eased the near‑term on‑time target.