Overview
- Flixtrain will deploy the entire new fleet domestically, shifting from earlier cross‑border ambitions, with a €2.4 billion package covering 30 firm orders plus options for 35 more.
- Entry into service will begin in 2028 and ramp up over time, with approvals expected to be faster because the trains share the ICE L design lineage.
- In the next two years, the operator plans to roughly double seat capacity using additional modernised coaches and to offer a two‑hour cadence on major routes, including a targeted Berlin–Munich link.
- The Talgo sets are specified for up to 230 km/h with barrier‑free boarding and fast Wi‑Fi, and reporting notes Siemens Vectron locomotives on the trains.
- Flixtrain positions itself as cheaper than Deutsche Bahn’s long‑distance services but warns rising track‑access charges could nudge fares higher, as policymakers signal support for increased rail competition.