Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)

Intercity ( IC short; formerly Intercity) is a type of train long-distance traffic. In Germany it is operated within the Deutsche Bahn AG, DB long-distance AG, based in Frankfurt am Main. It operates almost exclusively on domestic routes, its counterpart for the cross-border traffic is the Euro City.

History

The IC traffic was recorded on 26 September 1971 was still written Intercity. The trains were benefiting from the genus F- train off and went contrary to this in a clock schedule with so-called " system hold" on four lines (see route network 1971), which encode the major economic centers of the then Federal Republic of Germany (Hamburg, Hanover, Rhein / Ruhr, Rhine / Main, Rhine / Neckar and Munich) and Basel joined together. "System Maintenance " means that at this station every train that line had a scheduled stop. According to the DB intercity system, the first long-distance train system in the world, the wrong in a regular two-hour clock was ..

Additional comfort features also included larger air-conditioned compartments. After the budget has been reduced for the superstructure for braking the economy and due to increasing traffic demand could not be driven, the desired speed of 200 km / hr. The Intercity subject to a special operation monitoring for intercity traffic ( Bu - IC) in the newly created Central Transport line. The intercity service with 200 km / h required until May 1991 Ausnahmegehmigungen of the Railway Construction and Operating Rules, as the maximum speed of passenger trains 160 km / h provided for by then.

Within three months after the introduction of intercity trains, the number of passengers increased by 40 percent in the long-distance transport. During the same period ten percent fewer travelers were in the D train go. The introduction of these trains was accompanied by an advertising campaign under the slogan Intelligent Travel.

Initially it was trains, which led only places in the first class carriage and frequented the two- hour intervals. Here were involved TEE trains on the lines concerned in the IC clock the ( also only the first class cars ). For a consideration, it was realized that had worked out a 1967 used working group to further develop the existing Fernzugnetzes. This group has probably coined the term Intercity first time.

But in the long run was this rail service, which turned rather to a limited group of customers (mostly business ), does not hold, since this moved more and more to the aircraft. Especially when the DB 1974 had to be recorded in long-distance transport losses, improvements were sought. A working group was set up should work out new solutions and directly subordinate to the Executive Board. It has been recognized that the system could include Zweiklassigkeit the future. Investigations of this working group revealed that 80 percent of all long-haul travelers were moving on the four lines of the existing IC network, but which comprised only 21 percent of the total distance train network. This group was to win it for a new offer. After considerable resistance from the operation of service, give an exclusive offer for an upscale clientele, which largely appeared to some circles, it was decided by the DB Management Board on October 4, 1977 in future offer the Intercity trains generally zweiklassig and every hour.

The first IC trains with two Class cars in 1976 between Bremen and Munich. However, there were only a few trains. This led finally to the realization that in the future of the IC could be. Before the general introduction of the new IC system but was previously a test with IC trains first and second class, and every hour, which the DB started on the route between Hamburg and Cologne at the beginning of the summer schedule 1978.

In 1979, the program IC '79 was "Every hour, every class " was introduced with the slogan on all trains with cars the second car class, doubling the clock to the hourly rhythm. However, it disappeared to the IC sections, most of the previous ( surcharge-free for distances over 50 km ) D trains. Only a few night trains remained unchanged for the moment.

Goods in the 78's test the cars of first class queued at the southern end of the train, was changed at the SBB the car sequence so that there were between Hamburg and Cologne and Basel, the car of the first class at the northern end of the train ( in Basel SBB to trains from Germany always change the direction of travel). In this way, the car of the first class were on arrival at the terminal station Zurich HB at the end of the platform / cross- platform. This was a concession to the DB, SBB, so that the latter led by IC trains agrees on their tracks. This was however accepted that the car of the first class is not " far out " were, at departure, the head stations of Frankfurt or Munich on cross- platform, but.

In addition to the hour, the IC network recorded by the fact that the passenger in the railway link Hannover Hbf, Dortmund Hbf, Cologne main station, Mannheim Hbf and Würzburg Hbf by holding correspondence as in the previous pure first - class network, the possibility had to switch on the same platform of a line in the train the other line. From the network configuration showed that stood facing in all correspondence railway wagons of the first and second class on the platforms, respectively.

Since it was still concerned that the previous first-class passengers may avoid the new trains, seven TEE train movements were a total new to the rail service, which operated on major routes in time before the actual clock trains. Later on these trains but were adjusted for lack of demand - the potential for its own premium offering parallel to the taking root ends doppelklassigen IC proved to be too low. (See Trans - Europ - Express)

With the addition of rapid transit with ICE trains 1991, before traveling on that IC lines were replaced by ICE. However, some routes are served today again competitive, because after setting the inter-regional trains some of these lines were " upgraded " to IC lines. To operate on the relation Rhine -Ruhr - Rhein-Main ICE trains mostly on the high-speed line through the Westerwald, while IC / EC sail the connection via Koblenz and along the Rhine; the travel time difference is about one hour.

In 2000, the EC / IC trains provided a transport capacity of 11.3 billion passenger-kilometers ( pkm ); 0.6 billion pkm less than last year.

In October 2001 began a comprehensive modernization of the fleet: On 14 March 2002 the first renewed IC / EC- car was introduced. A total of 200 million euros were invested in order to toughen the comprehensive 1198 vehicles of a total of around 1750 IC / EC- car fleet for at least another ten years of operation. In the summer of 2012 began another redesign program, in which a large part of the IC car gets new seats and other detail upgrades.

Ranked IC trains sprinkled on top of the national rail transport, they are now classified in terms of comfort, service and travel times below the ICE trains. Thus onboard restaurants found only in puffs, otherwise there is usually only one BordBistro with limited service. The IC trains on the line 61 (Karlsruhe -Stuttgart -Nürnberg ) run since the timetable change in June 2011 entirely without gastronomic service after the after the abolition of the board bistros introduced as a "substitute " in December 2010 Snack Caddy service was also halted. In addition, the IC trains stop on routes with competitive ICE traffic sometimes more often or run on other (usually slower ) routes. Even former InterRegio cars are used with less convenience repeatedly, in particular, not all cars of a train air conditioned. While in the second class almost exclusively Großraumwagen be used either compartment car or just Großraumwagen are in first grade often encountered.

From the earliest mid-2014 new double-decker coaches are coming on strong demand less lines of intercity network used. From 2017 the trains running today sets are to be further replaced by ICx trains.

Vehicle use

Cars ( earlier)

In 1971 the Rheingold cars formerly used in the TEE trains were used now in the IC - Service. These were 99 air-conditioned first-class seating car with 48 seats, type Apmh -62 ( Apmz121 ), and 266 compartment car AVMH -62 ( Avmz111 ) with only nine compartments with the construction years 1962 to 1975. The last delivery series of 1975, the Avmz - car was to for conversion to Drehfalttüren equipped to turn of the century with sliding doors.

As an amplifier to the delivery of 100 Eurofima compartment cars of the first class of 1977 blue long distance coaches of type Am203 the previous F- train network were required. From 1975, a new wide-body cars of the type Apmz122 with slightly different windows and sliding doors also new was added (as in the Avmz ) and now 51 seats. Many of the former TEE cars can still be found in the IC applications.

But meantime planned five European railway administrations the common ordering new standard car, the previous IC car corresponded in size. These cars were financed by the Eurofima. After the first prototype in 1972 and 1974 ( Avmz 108 today ) came from Europe 500 1976 car of the types A9 (First Class with nine compartments ) and B11 (second class with eleven compartments ) in the production, of which the DB 100 cars as Avmz207 in TEA painting as an IC car stopped. After conversion of most of the cars on Pressure-tight, these were classified as Avmz107.

One of the IC used in traffic cars are also dining car types WRmz132, WRmz135, the Quick -Pick wagon WRbumz139 and half dining car types ARmz211, ARmz217 and ARmz218. Later DR- wagon type WRm130 were also used in IC trains from QuickPick converted pressure-tight board restaurant - type cars WRmz137 as well as from 1991.

With the introduction of IC trains first and second class in 1976, the A block consisted usually of three first-class carriage, the B block of up to seven well for 200 km / h approved type cars Bm234 that from 1979 were referred to as Bm235. Until 1985, were on the IC line 1 are observed in a train up to four first - class carriage (Hamburg - Munich - Rhine / Ruhr). On line 4 (Bremen - Hannover - Munich ), however, usually shorter train sets came with only two first - and five to six second-class carriage for use.

Quick but the comfort difference between the DB - IC car was in second grade clear to the chariot of the neighboring European railway administrations, which began air-conditioned for the second-class part material, such as the Eurofima B11- wagon or the French Corail Greater - and compartment cars. Based on the Eurofima wagon now a second-class seating car developed for the IC transport, carried the type designation Bpmz. The type numbers ranged because of different equipment from 291 to 296 in the construction principles of this vehicle meets the Eurofima wagon. Due to unrelenting customer demand and new mixed Großraum-/Abteilwagen type Bvmz185 were in 1987 purchased, which had only a total of five real compartments, in addition to a large room cabin with 34 seats in the middle of the car, which consists of six "quasi " compartments with four seats and two seats was formed over the transition. These cars were druckertüchtigt at the factory.

Following the extension of the IC network to the new federal states in 1990 there were train sets with two first - class cars, the train restaurant, three compartment and two open seating car as standard. Since the existing rolling stock of the Deutsche Reichsbahn to the rising expectations of the customers could not meet, 112 compartment car type Bmz236 were procured, which were derived from the UIC Z-car the Halberstadt design. Thus, the DR had cars, each with eleven compartments which were not air conditioned, but now had fabric-covered cushions and the former color corresponded to taste. While the ( air-conditioned ) First - class car and the seating car of the Second Class were provided by the Federal Railways, the DR could use even their non- air-conditioned dining car WRm (built in 1984).

In some IC trains, especially in the days outlying areas, railway mail cars or baggage wagons were carried for the Expressgutverkehr. These were upgraded specifically for this use for the speed of 200 km / hr. The railway mail traffic in IC trains ended in 1997.

Pull trains were first used in the late 1980s in intercity traffic, this latter is converted to commuter cars. This had received the other intercity coach corresponding high-capacity seating and was served by the connection of Wiesbaden on the intercity network. The cars were splinter classes is in intercity traffic and were retired by 1998.

A rather unusual sight was to be seen from the end of 2003 on the Nuremberg- Dresden: After the trains, the ICE TD were retired after numerous problems for the time being, some train units of the series have been 612 provided with a long-distance painting and attended the former ICE line with the BR 612 as IC trains. However, could the designed for the commuter trains, mainly because of the equipment, the IC standard not do justice. Meanwhile operate on the Sachsenmagistrale no more ICs. DB Regio operates on this route the IRE Franken- Sachsen- Express on behalf of DB long-distance traffic - but again with railcars of Class 612

As of 2004, the two train sets of the now-defunct Metropolitan luxurious train were repainted to the current IC design, used as IC or ICE trains in its own circulation. Since 2009, the Metropolitan trains run on schedule exclusively as ICE.

Car (today)

Even today, DB for their IC trains different types of cars a. The classical IC consists of the compartment and open seating car, both car classes, used the latter for the second class in the first class cars are exclusively air-conditioned car until around 1981.. With the delivery of new air-conditioned open cars of the Eurofima type Bpmz since the mid- 1980s outweighs the proportion of cars with air conditioning in the second class, since the late 80s there with the Bvmz185 also air-conditioned compartment car in the second car class.

The positive experience with the use of control car in the head and terminal stations resulted in the inter-regional trains from 1995 to the fact that since 1996, also for InterCity trains control cars were procured. These were - as with the Inter Regio - converted from former state railway passenger cars of the type Halberstadt. Here are two types can be distinguished:

• Bimdzf269: These cars are largely in built for inter-regional traffic control car. Since setting the inter-regional traffic, the inter-regional control cars are repainted used in intercity trains. These cars do not have air conditioning.
• Bpmbdzf297: These cars are designed as open seating car and meet in the passenger compartment largely the Bpmz seating car, but these cars are air-conditioned.

All control trailer compartments for transporting bicycles.

The non-air conditioned second-class compartment car types Bm235 and Bmz/Bomz236 are no longer used. Instead, the resulting from the predecessor model series InterRegio conversions of types Bimz are still common. Amplifier car are usually former InterRegio car, but in some cases also the complete second car class is made up of this car. No control car is in train, a Bimdz instead is usually adjusted so that in nearly all IC bicycle transport is possible.

The cost-intensive to farm dining cars of all types have been largely replaced by the cheaper board to be operated bistros ( ARkimbz ) of the previous inter-regional. Only in a few IC trains and some provided by the DB EC trains are still dining car ( " restaurants on board " ) of today's design to find WRmz134. However, In single IC sets also wagon type WRmkz, one to the Bistro converted from restaurant dining car and wagon type Bvmkz, eingesetztj a compartment car with kitchen area.

In general, the IC trains today consist of one to two and only in exceptional cases three cars of the first class, including one seating car (if more than one car in the first class), one taken from the inter-regional " board bistro " car and up to nine cars of the second class. Most IC trains are now run as a push-pull train, so have a control car.

Since 2003, electronic displays for the seat reservation was fitted in almost all air-conditioned IC car. Also, were displays showing the route inside and outside - similar to the ICE trains - built (so-called passenger information system FIS ). In addition to color refresher ( new interior colors and seat covers ) and conversion of the lighting in the seating car ( not visibly fluorescent strip instead of the former indirect lighting on the sides) it was mainly in the Bvmz185 major modifications. Many Bvmz were converted to Bvmsz while equipped with a service compartment for the train conductor and a mother-child compartment. Through these measures, courts have been lost, but there were the open compartments in the center of the car replaced by a large space compartment in the style of Bpmz cars, which again seats were gained. A few Bpmz were modified so that in them the carriage of bicycles is possible. However, these are mostly used in international train routings.

Since 2012 there is a new modernization program (referred to as IC mod ) that will toughen the Intercity cars for further use until the 2020s. In the period until the end of 2014, the car in the works Neumünster, Kassel and Nuremberg are modernized for 250 million euros. This includes both technical measures in the areas of bogies, brakes, doors, energy supply and air-conditioning systems to increase the reliability of the vehicles as well as measures in the interior. There, a total of 46,000 new seats with grab bars, seat numbers are incorporated into Braille and sockets. The first class will get leather seats. Further, wall coverings, tables and 42,000 sqm. Carpet replaced. The design is based on the establishment of the ICE. In addition, the bistro car and the toilets are revised. The number of cars with bicycle parking spaces is increased from 129 to 163. The IC line Stuttgart -Cologne- Hamburg is in this case preferably converted to modernized car.

From mid-2014 at the earliest and 27 double -decker trains to be used as IC trains. These 135 new bi-level cars and 27 locomotives were ordered from Bombardier Transportation. The double-deck cars, which come from a regional transport framework agreement are, however, allowed only for 160 km / h.

Under the working title ICx the German Bahn wrote in the summer of 2008, a framework agreement. This is the procurement of seven - and twelve -piece train set. These will replace today's IC vehicles successively from the end of 2017.

Legend:

Locomotives

Only on a few routes (eg Hanover -Hamburg, Mannheim - Offenburg, Leipzig, Dresden, Cologne, Duisburg, Augsburg- Munich or Dortmund- Berlin) with trains their maximum speed limit of 200 km / h from. Above all six-axle express train locomotives series 103 were used. Bw Hamburg- Eidelstedt set a circulation plan for 56 locomotives, Bw Frankfurt / Main announced for a 58 locomotives. This is only true for the second half of the 1980s. On other lines, such as on the north- south route between Bremen and Munich, was the covering of the trains with locomotives of the series 111 Later the mentioned series were replaced by three-phase locomotives 120. With the introduction of the 101 series, the 103 series has been retired gradually almost completely, the 111 is only used in regional traffic.

Above all EC trains to and from France (Strasbourg -Stuttgart and Metz-Frankfurt/Main ) and IC trains two-system locomotives of the series 181 were used; to and from Luxembourg is the case today.

Furthermore operated by ÖBB locomotives of series 1016/1116 before IC trains in the German domestic traffic.

On non-electrified lines diesel locomotives series 218 are used, often in double traction, such as north of Itzehoe for trains to Westerland / Sylt and from Hamburg in Puttgarden. After the change in the GDR and DR Diesel locomotives of the series 119 ( 229) 132 (232) and electric locomotives of series have been 243 (143 ) before IC trains in use. Later, the technically compared to the 143/243 amended 212 ( 112) came about. Since December 2007 locomotives of the series 112 are used in front of such an IC again, whose maximum speed does not exceed 160 km / h. Also in regular use locomotives of the series 110/115 and 113

Together with the new double-decker coaches are locomotives of the series 146 are used. These are not traffic red as opposed to the current locomotives intercity use, but (like the car) painted light gray with a red stripe.

Development of the rail network

Route network in 1971

The original network, then only in the first grade and only every two hours, extended to four lines:

• Line 1 (red ): Hamburg- Altona - Bremen - Münster ( Westphalia ) - Dortmund - Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Mannheim - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich
• Line 2 ( blue): Hannover - Bielefeld - Hamm - Dortmund - Hagen - Wuppertal- Elberfeld ( - Solingen- Ohligs ) - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt (Main) - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Augsburg - Munich
• Line 3 ( green): Hamburg -Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main ) - Mannheim - Karlsruhe - Freiburg (Breisgau ) - Basel
• Line 4 ( yellow): Bremen - Hannover - Göttingen - Bebra - Fulda - Würzburg ( - Ingolstadt ) - Munich

Route network in 1979

As of the summer timetable 1979, traveled on all lines IC hourly and led since then carriage of the second class. Was advertised the offer under the motto "Every hour, every class ". In five stations, all trains of two lines held at the same time on the same platform, making it easier to change trains there was possibly possible. It also each kept the car in the same class over. There were more frequently Linientäusche ("Not you to rise, but your train !") To increase in this way the number of direct connections.

• Hanover: Line 3 and 4
• Dortmund and Cologne: Line 1 and 2
• Mannheim: Line 1 and 3
• Würzburg: Line 2 and 4

At the same timetable change the einklassigen series were 403 and 601/602 decommissioned.

In 1980, the traffic performance took on the four IC -year by 18%; the total traffic grew by 4.5 % in the same year.

Route network in 1985

In 1985, the German Federal Railroad "150 years of railways in Germany " celebrated. With the concept of IC 85, the journey times were reduced in the long-distance transport, additional stations operated, creating new connections and the service can be improved. In the course of extensive marketing activities including the ICE was advertised, which should be introduced only six years later.

The number of lines has been increased from four to six, the. Trains of 157 to 205 per day To start up the IC -85 system a top speed of 200 km / h is reached on a total of 440 route kilometers. The average travel speed increased from 100 to 108 km / h The travel time between Hamburg and Munich was reduced by almost an hour. In international relations driving time reductions of up to 71 minutes have been achieved. The Frankfurt airport was involved in every hour in the IC network.

Innovations also experienced the service concept with the introduction of IC bosses and IC carers. On the IC - line Hamburg -Hannover -Würzburg -München tentatively an at-seat service of food and drink for travelers of the first class was offered.

As part of the opening ceremony of the Western introduction of Riedbahn in the Mannheim Hauptbahnhof DB introduced an IC network reform that expanded the network to five main lines and two secondary lines. On this occasion, the former longest line 1 was divided into two, in order to mitigate the delays often occur on this line. The southern section of Koblenz - Mannheim - Munich was re- served by the line 2 whose previous southern sector via Frankfurt and Würzburg to Munich 5 of the new line, but soon the trains were back on their interim final stop in Frankfurt (Main) also extended nowadays are train routes from Kiel on the Rhine / Ruhr, Rhine / Main, Nuremberg to Munich or Vienna are not uncommon.

The section Dortmund-Mainz/Wiesbaden was served by two new lines. The line 1 takes the lead from Koblenz to Wiesbaden on the Rhine right track while Line 2 and Line 5 wrong on the left Rhine line. Since now three instead of two ICs in a 12- minute time slot per hour drove along the Rhine, should, by shortening to ten cars ( three first-class carriage, restaurant and six to second class ) and the associated reduction in weight more easily comply with the trains timetable can. A little later, however, the needs are appropriately more cars of the second class, again, usually up to nine per IC. A related problems were to comply with the calculated for ten cars clock schedule with now thirteen cars.

Network from the timetable change on 2 June 1985

• Line 1 (red ): Hamburg- Altona - Bremen - Osnabrueck - Muenster ( Westphalia ) - Dortmund - Bochum - Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt (Main)
• Line 2 ( brown): Hannover - Bielefeld - Hamm - Dortmund - Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Mannheim - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich
• Line 3 ( green): Hamburg -Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main ) - Mannheim - Karlsruhe - Freiburg (Breisgau ) - Basel ( - Switzerland )
• Line 4 ( Yellow): Hamburg- Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Bebra - Fulda - Würzburg - Augsburg - Munich
• Line 4a (gray): Oldenburg and Bremerhaven - Bremen - Hannover
• Line 5 ( blue): Dortmund - Hagen - Wuppertal- Elberfeld ( - Solingen- Ohligs ) - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Frankfurt (Main ) Airport - Frankfurt (Main ) (- Aschaffenburg ) - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Augsburg - Munich

There were also some additional IC, such as on the track, which sailed until its abolition and the TEE Rheingold:

• Line 3a: Amsterdam - Utrecht - Oberhausen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - (Mannheim - Karlsruhe - Freiburg (Breisgau ) - Basel ) or ( Mannheim - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich - Salzburg) or ( Frankfurt (Main ) Airport - Frankfurt (Main) - Würzburg - Augsburg - Munich - Innsbruck)

In addition, as before the exchange of the waterways single IC between lines 4 and 5, 2 and 5 ( food or Wuppertal ) and 2 and 3 ( Basel and Stuttgart) was practiced.

Route network in 1988

For a small change in the network diagram it came in 1988 after the commissioning of the first section of the high-speed line Mannheim -Stuttgart between Mannheim and Graben-Neudorf. Line 1 was again performed on the left Rhine route, Mainz and Mannheim, and from there directly to Stuttgart.

In the spring of 1988 also the section of the Fulda -Würzburg high-speed line Hannover -Würzburg had been completed and opened to traffic. The trains of the line 4 sailed from the summer schedule 1988 now this section, instead of as before to use the route via Gemünden and Jossa, which caused a reduction in travel time between Fulda and Würzburg by almost 30 minutes. Because of the twenty tunnels on this stretch of the high-speed line now but the use of druckertüchtigtem rolling stock was required. The locomotives now used to date the series 103 had to be withdrawn due to lack of pressure upgrading of the driving cabs of the line 4 and replaced by the then brand-new series locomotives of the series 120.

Through the minutes by 30 to the IC line offset 3 buses running 4 was first offered a half hour in intercity system between Hamburg and Fulda. Among the other new features of the guided via the high-speed railway line 4 included the continuous use of air-conditioned cars in the second class and a new color scheme ( " Intercity red " in light gray). Together with the first two newly created inter-regional lines 325 trains per day were offered long-distance transport on eight lines.

Since Wiesbaden had now been suspended from the IC network, the line 1a/2a was established per hour Wiesbaden linked to the so-called " correspondence IC trains " with the catchy name " Wiesbaden -City" twice with Mainz. These consisted of a locomotive of class 141 and two coaches. In order to avoid locomotive changes four times per hour, a control to second class was at this point in addition to an ordinary passenger cars of first class first used in IC trains. Lack of demand has been thinned out the offering in the following years, or modified ( line 1a every two hours to Frankfurt, line 2a hourly to Mainz) and later all set.

Otherwise, the network was maintained until the opening of new lines Hannover- Würzburg and Mannheim -Stuttgart essentially:

Route network in 1991

With inclusion of the ICE - traffic intercity system underwent significant changes and additions. Berlin was first integrated over the lines 3 and 5 in the IC system; the average travel speed on the five lines was 107 km / h With the summer timetable 1991 613 trains were offered daily in a system clock hourly and two hourly departures in the DB long-distance traffic.

After the German reunification, the proved mainly on north-south traffic oriented IC network to cope with the new requirements in any way, because of the ailing railway tracks of the Deutsche Reichsbahn but only minor corrections were possible for the time being:

Network from the timetable change on 2 June 1991

• IC line 1 (red): Hamburg- Altona - Bremen - Münster ( Westphalia ) - Dortmund - Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Frankfurt (Main ) Airport - Frankfurt (Main) - Aschaffenburg - Würzburg - Nuremberg - ( Ingolstadt - Munich) or ( Regensburg - Passau - Linz - Vienna ) ( every two hours alternately)
• IC line 1a (purple): Wiesbaden - Frankfurt (Main ) ( every two hours )
• IC line 2 ( brown): (Dortmund - Bochum) or (Münster ( Westphalia ) - Recklinghausen - Gelsenkirchen) - Essen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Mannheim - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich ( EC- eight pairs of trains via Salzburg to Budapest, Klagenfurt, Vienna and Zagreb)
• IC line 2a (purple): Wiesbaden - Mainz
• IC line 3 ( green): Berlin - Potsdam - Magdeburg - Helmstedt - Braunschweig - Hildesheim - Göttingen - Kassel- Wilhelm height - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main ) - Mannheim - Karlsruhe ( every two hours, an EC pair of trains on Basel to Zurich )
• IC line 4 ( yellow): Hamburg -Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Kassel- Wilhelm height - Fulda - Würzburg - Augsburg - Munich ( two via Nuremberg )
• IC line 5 ( blue): ( every two hours Berlin - Potsdam - Magdeburg - ) Braunschweig - Hannover Bielefeld - Hamm - Dortmund - Hagen - Wuppertal - Solingen- Ohligs - Cologne - Bonn - Koblenz - Mainz - Mannheim - Karlsruhe - Freiburg (Breisgau ) - Basel ( EC- nine pairs of trains to Brig, Chur, Geneva, Interlaken, Milan and Sestri Levante )
• The EC line 5a (purple): Amsterdam - Utrecht - Emmerich - Oberhausen - Duisburg - Dusseldorf - Cologne ( every two hours, two EC- train pairs of line 5 to Chur and from Interlaken )
• ICE line 6 ( orange): Hamburg -Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Kassel- Wilhelm height - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main ) - Mannheim - Stuttgart - Ulm - Augsburg - Munich
• IC line 6a (gray): Oldenburg and Bremerhaven - Bremen - Hannover

In addition, there were other relations that were traveled only by individual trains and had not yet received any own line number in the timetable 1991/92:

• The EC line (gray): Copenhagen - Puttgarden - Lübeck - Hamburg ( three pairs of trains per day, from 1992 every two hours )
• IC line (purple): Hamburg- Altona - Berlin ( four pairs of trains per day, every two hours from 1992 and on to Dresden, later IC line 7)
• IC / EC line (gray): (Dresden - ) Leipzig - Weimar - Erfurt - Gotha - Eisenach - Bebra - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main) - Darmstadt - Mannheim - Neustadt / Wine Route - Kaiserslautern - Homburg / Saar - Saarbrücken - Metz - Paris (four to five pairs of trains per day, from 1992 every two hours between Dresden and Saarbrücken, later IC / EC line 9)
• The EC line (purple): Munich - Kempten - Lindau - Zurich - Bern ( three pairs of trains per day)
• The EC line (gray): Munich - Kufstein - Innsbruck - Bologna, Milan or Rome ( three pairs of trains per day, plus two pairs of trains, the IC line 2)

Up to seven pairs of trains on lines 1 and 5, which exchanged their train running between Dortmund Hbf Köln Hbf, drove all IC on "their" line, which the network considerably simplified. In addition, former FD ( distance express trains ) was begun, now integrated as IC in the clock schedule ( eg to Oberstdorf, Mittenwald or Berchtesgaden ).

Among the trains with the longest scheduled travel times were:

Given such a long travel times delays were difficult to avoid.

Route network in 1992

In addition to the changes already mentioned in the above list came to the timetable change on May 31, 1992 continued:

• IC line 1 ( red): every two hours just to Nuremberg Munich
• IC line 3 ( green): four additional pairs of trains Hamburg -Altona - Hanover - Göttingen - Kassel- Wilhelm height - Fulda - Frankfurt (Main ) - Mannheim - Karlsruhe ( - Basel - Zurich )
• ICE line 4 ( yellow): every two hours instead of Bremen Hamburg -Altona, via Nuremberg
• IC line 6a (gray): every two hours Bremen - Hannover
• IC line 8 ( light green): Berlin - Airport Berlin- Schönefeld - Leipzig - Naumburg ( Saale) - Jena - Saalfeld - Probstzella - Lichtenfels - Bamberg - Erlangen - Nuremberg - Ingolstadt - Munich ( every two hours )

For the most timetable change in the history of Deutsche Reichsbahn, a continuous two- hour intervals in the IC / EC network was 31 May 1992 in the new federal states introduced, the number of daily trains over the previous year increased from 46 to 90.

Route network in 1993

After the opening of additional training and new lines, in particular the German Unity Transport Projects, more and more IC lines were replaced by ICE lines with high speed trains. First, the vacant IC trains were needed for the traffic in the new federal states or for traffic between the increasingly integrated parts of Germany.

With the inclusion of Berlin into the ICE network from 1993, the IC network was changed again. The ICE line 6 goes now every two hours over Göttingen to Berlin; drive the remaining trains either to Hamburg or Bremen, and later these trains were run to Berlin.

To provide at least a two -hour intervals between Hanover and Bremen, individual features of the ICE line 4 instead of how far out to Bremen to Hamburg now. In return, the IC - line is dropped entirely 6a.

The one with the timetable change again throughout hourly circulating and now pure ICE line 3 goes against it as before again from Hamburg to Basel.

Route network from 1994 to 2002

As of 1996, the IC line was tied 8 from Berlin to Hamburg, which together with the IC line 7 to 1998 hours the clock was realized between the capital and the Hanseatic city.

The IC line 5 was conducted in 1997 from Hanover via Magdeburg and Leipzig to Dresden instead of Berlin. For this, the ICE line 10 from Berlin to Cologne / Bonn has been refurbished. At the same time the road to Basel, which was previously operated by the IC line 5 was abandoned. Line target was now Nuremberg. From 1998, the trains of the ICE line 6 and ICE line 10 sailed then the new line Berlin - Hannover.

Route network from 2002 to 2009

For annual timetable 2002/2003 the then long-haul surcharge-free inter-regional trains were abolished and converted to partially unaltered rolling stock, and often the same retarded cruising speed in a supplementary charge InterCity trains in Germany. Since then drive IC frequently also railway stations in smaller cities. With the opening of the high-speed line Cologne-Rhine/Main the IC trains took over increasingly a certain parallel transport to the ICE high-speed line on the Rhine route. Overall, by this measure, the IC network in Germany - at least visually - greatly expanded. However, these are often not integrated into timed transfer connections. At the same time the German long-distance network was also reorganized by the commissioning of the high-speed line Cologne-Rhine/Main and there were now new two-digit line numbers assigned.

The "girl " thus has become of the former Topzug the German Federal Railroad. He took over the tasks of the former express trains (D), the remote Express (FD) and holiday express trains ( UEx ) and the Inter -regional trains (IR). As to his early days he drives usually only every two hours, but today more on secondary or international routes for which the ICE is not equipped (yet). Setting the tone and - of a few " outliers " in the form of ( equally fast ) ICEs apart - plying every hour of the IC is now only on the route Hamburg - Bremen - Ruhrgebiet - Cologne - Rhine route - Mainz.

In the following, all IC lines are shown, which have existed from the reorganization of the line numbers in the year 2002 to the current schedule, but are no longer operated in the current schedule. This is mostly to former inter-regional connections.

Current line network

In the following the two hourly or four hourly IC lines of Deutsche Bahn AG are shown in the timetable period 2013/14 (see also List of Intercity - Express lines ).

Schedule problems

At its borders came the intercity system on Fridays and Sundays, with particularly the Bundeswehr weekend returnees traffic between Hamburg and Cologne ( -Koblenz ) caused major problems. First utilized the railway relief trains - from conventional D - train rolling stock up to the shekel. Because of the low speed of these trains (140 km / h) were those traveling overtaken by the regular, but crowded intercity trains.

As a consequence, special Bundeswehr intercity trains were used on Fridays in the North-South and on Sundays in the south-north direction, which consisted of only one Amz - cars, an IC bar car and a large number of cars of the second class. These features were also released for general travel, but were mostly shunned by normal audience. Between Hamburg and Cologne drove the regular trains for Bundeswehr travelers quotas ( first two, a short time four cars). After German reunification, the problems have eased considerably.

Nowadays, the Bundeswehr Additional trains are mainly driven from old IR wagon material, so that these traits are often composed of eight to nine cars of the genus Bimz, partially located there also a BordBistro ARkimbz, Großraumwagen rare find, just like the first car class.

With the suspension of conscription are special Bundeswehr IC - connections (eg with Munster / Örtze, Westerland or Flensburg ) was largely set or they are transferred to regular weekend amplifier units.

Relief trains and individual traffic

For several years, intercity trains are of the Deutsche Bahn again increasingly employed as relief trains scheduled for the ICE, which for a time only on special days shock (eg before Christmas) was common with special timetables. Here are additional trains, mostly used in temporal proximity to the scheduled trips from ICEs, these trains especially on heavy traffic days, Friday and Sunday as well as before and after many holidays (Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, etc.).

There are also some pairs of trains that run daily or at least regularly and primarily the umsteigefreien holiday traffic used (eg Hamburg- Berchtesgaden, Heidelberg, Cologne and Hamburg- Westerland, Ruhr - Oberstdorf). These trains take but by integration into existing roadmap documents also quite regular cycle rides true.

Punctuality

Stiftung Warentest evaluated between September 23rd and October 31, 2007 (without strike days ), the arrival times of 94 136 trains at their terminal stations in ten cities 6-24 clock from. According to this survey were of 23,261 long-distance trains 46 percent only a minute later, 16 percent two to three minutes, 10 per cent of four to five, 12 percent of six to ten, eight percent of 11 to 20, three percent of 21 to 30 and four percent more than 30 late minutes.

The German railway rejected the outcome of the survey and spoke of a total punctuality in the passenger of " well over 90 percent " in 2007, without mentioning concrete numbers.