Overview
- Deutsche Bahn announced the direct ICE link between Paris and Berlin is not fully available because of technical faults tied to an onboard European Train Control System supplied by Alstom.
- Affected trains are Siemens-built ICE sets that received the Alstom equipment as part of an ETCS retrofit to allow cross‑border signalling and interoperability.
- Passengers can still travel between Paris and Berlin but must change trains in Germany, typically at Frankfurt or Mannheim, and some direct stops such as Berlin Südkreuz will not be served.
- Deutsche Bahn has demanded that Alstom correct the faults immediately and Alstom says its teams are fully mobilized and working closely with the operator to fix the problem.
- The disruption highlights the difficulty of integrating new onboard signalling across different manufacturers and could cause timetable knock‑on effects and customer delays until a full technical fix is confirmed.