Germany’s incredible BRAND-NEW high-speed train - the ICE 3neo

Today I'm going to show you the latest generation of Germany's high-speed ICE trains, and see if this newcomer meets their high comfort standards. :)
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Journey Details:
Origin: Köln Hbf
Destination: Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbahnhof
Company: Deutsche Bahn Fernverkehr (DB)
Train: DB 408 'ICE 3neo'
Accommodation: First Class Seat (1st)
Distance: 169 kilometres / 105 miles
Price: €55.90 (£49.10 / $59.80)
Time: 1h 09m, arrived 3 minutes early
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[@Khilo_Oh]

"unfortunately, this wasn't working today, but it's a really good feature when it does work!" sums up a lot of my DB experiences

[@MrINKOMPATIBEL]

exactly

[@mimimotor]

There is always something that doesn’t work in this train including arriving on time. In Germany transfers almost always go wrong.🤪

[@Brainreaver79]

that sounds about right,.. sadly you have to add .. "if the train isnt canceled"

[@freibert]

Apologises for things that do not work "today" is the most heard announcement on German train stations // I have been travelling by train a lot in many countries confirming this is the worst railway system I ever saw - and one of the most expensive, too - you don´t even have a reservation duty, so in busy hoers you may ride standing from Hamburg up to Munich - try second class and find out! //

[@peterlacey5187]

Interesting....i'm currently in Germany/France right now and the ICE service has been immaculate. On time, comfortable, quiet, everything working as intended, no missed layovers. Idk, maybe they upgraded with the Neo trains, and they are quite nice.

[@Jerry_1293]

As a german it is surprising to me how well informed you are and how well you train the pronounciation of every word you say. Brilliant. Checkout any video on this chanel of your home country and finally that would be the moment when you will notice how informative these videos really are.

[@__Dude_]

I can only agree to this! I just have one comment: Unlike USA, in Germany, there are not many cities with equal names. So mentioning the state name (e.g. Hessen) in addition to the city name is not common practice.

[@Jerry_1293]

@@__Dude_ and he is mentioning special knowledge about the infrastructure around not only famus buildings but the stations and comuter trains and local political discussions and that kind of stuff that even locals barely know.

[@Jerry_1293]

To know all that you have to be a local yourself living close to that area and read the local newspaper every day or once in a week, or you are doing an incredible good job.

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

As an Irishman, I totally agree with our German friend’s observations here - I’m amazed by the high quality of Germany’s railways and I just wish the U.K. and my native Ireland could reach such high standards in our railways

[@osasunaitor]

He also nailed the Spanish pronunciations when he visited my country, better than any other Englishman I've ever met. Truly a polyglot

[@arnav_mish]

As a daily commuter at Köln Hbf I would recommend avoiding rush hour timings as much as possible.... It once took me 10 minutes to get from the underground concourse to the Platform because both stairways were filled to the brim because someone thought it was a great idea to dock 2 ICEs on the same platform at the same time.

[@user-td3yi1mq7p]

Especially good idea considering how narrow the stairs are

[@speisewagenschnitzelklopfer]

Even at the most heavily congested times the westernmost parts of the platforms are mostly deserted. It's just a matter of not standing in front of the stairs

[@Rorimac67]

@@speisewagenschnitzelklopfer And was does THAT help you when you want to ENTER the platform as the commentor wrote. The problem are not corwded platforms but to less and to narrow stairs.

[@Deepthought-42]

In complete contrast to the “not in my back yard” attitudes in the UK which perpetuates the antiquated under developed rail network where improvements and modernisation proceed at a snails pace. 😡

[@jemand8462]

imagine what happens if there's a panic or fire..

[@BingoRL]

As a german it is very refreshing to view a very positive look at DB's services. Usually everybody is simply hating on DB for delayed trains and broken features (which is often true), but I really like seeing other great aspects like the train station and new technology getting some highlight. Thanks for your video!

[@jckonstanz]

That doesn’t help much though when you are stuck on yet another broken down train in the middle of nowhere. Without air conditioning of course.

[@Drinkyoghurt]

They get a new train and features are already broken. Peak German IT engineering.

[@ulfw]

Germany has zero IT engineering. The software for Mercedes and VW EVs is made in their Indian subsidiaries. Germany has nothing but old (tech).

[@Tuukkohakee]

@@ulfwThe germans clearly focus on engineering, not IT engineering

[@cooltwittertag]

​@@jckonstanzyou must be the worlds most unlucky person

[@Jumbo_storm]

The German ICE trains are my favourite train when it comes to (the) exterior design. Love the train's paint and/or colour scheme. The ICE 3Neo looks even better in my opinion.

[@gbrasil75]

Frecciarossa is better!❤

[@colanitower]

In the Netherlands the color and paint scheme made them known as "Tube tandpasta" (Toothpaste tube) 😊

[@FalconsEye58094]

Shame they'll be replaced, the way it looks currently is much nicer than the pictures he showed for how they're going to change it

[@GrandTheftChris]

@@FalconsEye58094 He was talking about the exterior, not the interior (that will change).

[@GrandTheftChris]

Fun fact: The ICE's exterior is black-white-red striped. Like the good old flag of the German Reich.

[@tobys_transport_videos]

I travelled on an ICE train from Munich to Berlin via Nuremburg at around 220-250 kmh (one with a seperate power car on at least one end), taking around 6 hours for the journey, and came back to Munich a week later on a service taking 4 hours (possibly an ICE 3). I travelled 2nd class both ways and was quite happy with the train overall. Coming back I'd studied the timetables and used my newly acquired knowledge of high speed trains in Germany to insure I got a train *_timetabled_* to do 300 kmh! In Australia (where I 'm from) we don't know what true "high speed" means, so to do such incredible speeds on a train and see the looks on the faces of German Nationals who couldn't understand why I was so enthused by it, was quite something!

[@smeagleification]

Relatable af (from India) 😂

[@wanderschlosser1857]

As a German living in WA now I had to learn that traveling 110 on a motorway is considered fast 😂 Well, it fits better to the more chilled down way of live in Oz. But honestly the distances here are made for high speed trains especially in the more densely populated areas on the east and south-east to reduce short haul air-travel.

[@cooltwittertag]

i might be a bit of a geek about it but even i as a german enjoy the 300kmh parts, you should definetly try out TGV services tho, especially the ones operated with the 3Neo, which is the best train to ride in france (no joke) for ride quality and speed

[@makssachs8914]

@@cooltwittertagIt really upsets me how much politicians have neglected the railway network here in Germany.

[@rmHawk765]

If only there was a Brisbane-Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne-Adelaide high-speed link.

[@peterschadel6373]

Just a note on Montabaur and Limburg. Not every train stops there, usually only one per hour or less. Nevertheless, the ICE-Stations gave a huge boost to local economy with a lot people living there now, working either in Frankfurt or Cologne (or couples taking trains in separate directions each morning). Also a lot of companies, like mir former employer moved there because of the great connections. (you can get from an office in Montabaur to Frankfurt Airport LH Baggage Drop in less than 40 minutes if you take a cab to the station;)

[@aivm]

The connections from Montabaur would be dreadful without the ICE station, ~2.15 to Frankfurt and Cologne. There would be only a slow bus to koblenz (with connections to cologne there) and a slow train to Limburg where you can change to Frankfurt.

[@ncard00]

How come brightline is still the only train, at least as far as I know, with the best possible level boarding possible through all doors, and you can roll a wheelchair through the entire train... so embarrassing.

[@NFSHeld]

One additional fun fact about Montabaur: it is located in the "Eifel" region, one of the least populated areas in western (the cardinal direction) Germany. Montabaur was always one of the "bigger" cities, but the deal with the Deutsche Bahn was that they would agree to the new track if they got a station and the Deutsche Bahn would agree to have at least 1 ICE train stop in that station per hour. Being located so close to Bonn and Köln (Cologne), Montabaur saw a rise in housing from commuters that could now get to one of the biggest cities in Germany with a fast train, plus more than 80 new companies with over 1800 new jobs created, most notably the "United Internet AG" as parent company of 1&1, Ionos, GMX, web-de [written this way to prevent auto-link], Strato, United Domains, and Sedo, which are all amongst the biggest providers of various products around Internet technology (domain sales, web hosting, mail providers, ISP, etc.). In the 12 years up to the announcement of the plans (1975-87), the Montabaur region had grown from 30.3k inhabitants to 33k (+2.7k). In the following 12 years (until 1999), it grew to 38.5k (+5.5k), doubling the growth speed. The whole region profited from their deal-making and subsequent marketing campaign.

[@Raphiii]

Thats very interesting thank you for the informations. Thats going in my nerd facts brain x) Train Driver from DB here ;)

[@cirnochan5130]

Its located in the "Westerwald" region, hence the highspeed line having "Westerwaldachterbahn" (Westerwald-Rollercoaster) as its nickname, as its not only located there, but also having one of the steepest track profile up to 40‰ (trust me, i live there and drive those high speed trains myself down that line :D) The Eifel is located on the other side of the rhine.

[@edda4919]

Nevertheless, it's still an hillbilly hicktown of no relevance.

[@Kuhscheisse_Amageddon]

The only interest fact about Montabaur is a man named Marcel Davis. He worked as head for customer satisfaction for 1 &1 ( mobile company)16 year long.

[@Raphiii]

@@Kuhscheisse_Amageddon would you say that if someone can't be helped via phone that he comes to you personally to help?

[@Stromschlag]

Nice video! You missed mentioning the ICE3neo having a new window technology implemented that doesn't block mobile carrier radio which is a great deal and welcome change! This greatly improves reception on your phone in the train.

[@ohhello3234]

Nice! Would love to know whether it’s considerably better. I think train travel would gain a lot of attractiveness if it had a reliable cell signal to participate in calls etc

[@Foxy_AR]

10:36 I don’t know, but there’s something about that soap splatting out that made me burst out into laughter 😂

[@deepwoodguy2]

👍👍😊😊

[@rastapopoulos7870]

The trains themselves are fine and perfectly comfortable. I always go second class because it is already a first class experience (also price wise). The problem is how they are operated, services are unreliable and notoriously late. The trains aren't well maintained, which often leads to teachnical issues and the railroad network is overstretched. This is where DB needs to work on so that travel is not only comfortable but actually frustration free. Quality video, you're well informed and your pronounciation of the Umlaute (ä ö ü) is spot on!

[@_yonas]

Yep. I frequently travel from the Netherlands to Germany, and back by train. What should be a 3h journey with regional trains (1h50m by car) often ends up being 5-6h, and I once got stuck at night at a small station in Germany, because the signs and the automatic announcer voice claimed that my next connection was just about to arrive - this was a lie. There wasn't a single train in sight... I was in the DB support phone queue for 30 minutes on a weekday night not able to reach anyone at DB to help me to continue my journey. The best of all: the online Fahrgastrechteformular hasn't worked for me in months. I fill out all the fields, go through all the steps, and as soon as I click the final submit button it tells me that it ran into some kind of "unexpected" error, and that's that. DB is in such terrible shape that it is always stress inducing to use their services.

[@cooltwittertag]

You can experience how the ice3neos are world class on the route between Paris and Frankfurt, on the french LGV it is hands down the most comfortable, least noisy hsr train ive ever travelled with. Best part is it holds 320kph consistently, unlike tgvs which often need to slow down slightly. Combined with the great onboard service, a TGV like system with the siemens trains would be absolutely world class and possibly the best in the world.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Now that’s one beautiful high speed train. Very slick, fast, smooth and comfortable. 😍

[@petervonhunerbein68]

Love the bicycle compartment on all ICE trains, which have only been introduced recently. Great +++

[@michaelb4047]

The ICE3 Neo is something that we, as Siemens employees, are very proud of... A beautiful multi-system train. However, I don't understand the criticism of the ICE4, as it has a different area of application and, apart from a few SFS, fits in wonderfully with Germany. The unreliability of the ICE is unfortunately also due to the lack of a high-speed network. Thanks for the short review For your information: the VelaroNeo is nevertheless a new development, not just a modernised Velaro D.

[@tuftelkaman3618]

Then tell us please the difference between the BR408 and BR407, except for new interior and some other small parts. I would call "a new development", for example - ICE 3 (BR403) over ICE 2, but definitely not 408 over 407.

[@kennichdendenn]

​@@tuftelkaman3618 All the parts that a passenger doesnt see - i.e the wheel assembly and suspension are new, new more efficient motors, more efficient electrical systems...

[@Kuatier]

It is a "new" development but heavily based on the Velaro D.

[@tuftelkaman3618]

​@@kennichdendenn Ok, thanks, I got it. Anyway, still sounds closer to definition "upgrades" over 407, rather than "a new development".

[@KaiHenningsen]

@@tuftelkaman3618 How about like this: it uses the same design language, but there's a lot of engineering effort in the upgrade.

[@Simon-Andersen]

Love the phone tablet holder, such a nice feature especially on longer journeys!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yes Simon, that's a great idea! Thanks for the comment. x

[@jochem2029]

Nice video! The seats look very comfortable with the new padding. Feels like a good upgrade for this high speed train. 😊

[@volkhardhenschel1863]

1:01min the Kölner Dom is the third tallest Kathedral in the world with 157 meters height. The tallest Kathedral in the world is the Ulmer Münster with 161 meters height.

[@Devillunar]

Ahead of schedule? Come on! Last time mine was 1.5 hours late! (The followed track was closed for a reason and the train had to make a detour. Ok not totally DB's fault :D)

[@Immudzen]

A lot of the time it is delayed they will announce it is because of people on the track. What I can't figure out is why there are people on the track. What kind of idiot is on the train tracks all the time?

[@jan-lukas]

It IS totally DBs fault most of the time

[@Devillunar]

@@jan-lukas Yes, but not this time. The excuse was "medical staff is on the rail" so... yeah. But mostly it is DB's fault, experienced that quite often as well

[@Immudzen]

@@jan-lukas I just always wondered about it. I can't imagine so many people would be on the tracks but that is what it shows in the app and what they say on the train.

[@speisewagenschnitzelklopfer]

​@@Immudzen In our network there are about 3 to 5 casualties a day (suicide or accident) in Germany. Sad but fact. The only reason not every one of them ends up in the media is to avoid even more

[@powgames]

The reason you arrived ahead of schedule is that the ICE 3 never completely use the 300 kph max speed, they usually cruise at about 250, in case they have to catch up on a previous delay. So when there is no delay, they can easily get a little too fast for the schedule ^^ And only about a quarter of ICEs stop at Limburg Süd and Montabaur, the others can make the journey from Frankfurt Hbf to Cologne Hbf in just 1 hour!

[@osirisdatz]

thats simply wrong …. you mix up. … on. the relation FFM - Cologn younalways drive fully 300 ! as long as possible …. the more and longer the less you stop … ICE4 by example xan only drive by. 250 upnto. 265. and need to leave out. dtops to keeping shedule .. so its absolutely wrong what you try to tell

[@jan-lukas]

​@@osirisdatzwhere do you have that information from? Can you please cite sources? Because from all what I've heard, they DON'T always go 300km/h

[@stephanweinberger]

@@osirisdatz the maximum possible speed is almost never used to plan the timetables, to have some leeway in case of irregularities (which happen a lot, especially in busy parts of the network like the Köln/Bonn area).

[@olli2591]

@@osirisdatz That is not correct

[@saadisave]

​@@osirisdatz Depends on the situation. Realistically, under high traffic, that line is limited to 280.

[@moritztaut3577]

Your pronounciation is mind blowing. Great video I really enjoyed it as a Kölner Jung :)

[@ce1834]

Probably the best high speed train out there in my opinion, spacious, modern, good seats, and looks great too!

[@EnterSpacebar]

I think you need to discover the latest Shinksnsen models and the Chinese CR400 (Fixing) series. The upcoming CR450 is even faster (450 kph).

[@tomcarr1358]

Spacious? See obstructed gangways because of inadequate luggage shelving . "Sissy trolley cases' now too heavy to lift into the capacious racks above head height.

[@johncrwarner]

Every time I have been to Köln Hbf and I have been a lot of times as it is a hub for services for western Germany I have experienced delays, trains coming in on different platforms and coming in the wrong way round. I often travel with my disabled partner so changing platform and having to change ends is a nightmare - though the DB staff we book to help are always very good. I can Köln Hbf my exercise station I always get a good bit of exercise in when travelling through. BTW the food shops includes a mini-supermarket and often on the way home I pick up stuff for an evening meal or breakfast

[@jan-lukas]

Köln Hbf is far too small for its amount of partners, but there sadly is no way to expand it without destroying what feels like half the city center

[@SeverityOne]

One thing to mention in Köln Hbf is the bookshop. It's been a very, very long time since I last was there, but (at least at the time) they had an amazing amount of book on the subject of railways. In German, obviously.

[@samtrak1204]

Sorry I missed the bookshop during my short turn around in Köln last September.

[@paulheydarian1281]

Do they sell any English language books about railroads? 🤔

[@kdato774]

This is a very nice video. I appreciate how you make an effort pronouncing the German names.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you so much! :)

[@anthonywarrener1881]

I agree with all that you say. I find the ICE3 Neo the very best of the ICE trains, with superb finish, and great ambience, especially in 1st Class.

[@notepass]

For me, nothing goes over ICE 1 compartments in first class. That option is sadly completly missing on all newer variants.

[@SCOTTRUSE]

I’ll be looking forward to trying this train when I visit Germany for the first time.

[@Fuerwahrhalunke]

I remember travelling to Montabaur 10 years ago. It was the most awkward experience I ever had. It felt like I was in Rock Bottom. For 2 hours there were no trains coming in, leaving or even passing by. It must've been around 7pm. All the stores were closed and nobody was there. Luckily it was the only time I was there.

[@egmm91]

What a way of presenting!!! Thanks I really love it. It was concise, clear and right to the point... Thanks

[@Sechmut]

If you book about 4 weeks in advance you can get inexpensive first-class tickets for ICE routes throughout Germany. I recently went from Frankfurt am Main to Berlin in a first-class quiet compartment and the ticket including seat reservation came out to 32€. Remember that the prices vary greatly, and DB doesn't explain how their dynamic pricing is set up. In the past, I found first-class tickets from Luxembourg to Berlin for 89€. Booking the same tour from a German translation I was passing anyway would have been 120€. It's a wonderful way to travel as some routes are rather beautiful but beware that if you have to change trains during your journey this is where things become exceedingly difficult. If your connection gets canceled or you miss it because of delays, you will lose your seat reservation. Only first-class tickets are able to get reimbursed for up to 25% of the purchase price - second-class tickets have a lower percentage and the delay can be longer until you actually are entitled to reimbursement.

[@niklasscheidtmann6127]

The reimbursment actually is similar to all classes and is (or should be) the same in all EU states. 60min delay at your destination = 25% reimbursement 120min delay = 50% reimbursement. If you book a new seat reservation in a new train because you missed the previous one it will be reimbursed as well. Meanwhile one can apply for the reimbursment quite easy in the App and usually it takes just 1-2 weeks until they transfer the money. However the law recently has been changed that they don't have to reimburse if there are "force majeur" events the company is not responsible for. For example suicide or other medical incidents as well as police interventions. As far as I know there is no difference what class you are travelling in as well as which company you use. From recent DB experinece it is now just a 1 minute task after arrival to click on your ticket in the app and clc the button: "Request reimbursment", usually the information is already taken from the ticket, you just enter the actual arrival time and the train you arrived with and you are done. Just if you have an non-€ bank account your bank may charges fees for the currency exchange when you ll get the rembursment in €. (happend to a frined from czech rep.)

[@juriwuw]

I wasn't sure if you are German or not because you pronounced the German city names so well, until I saw the popup to translate the German DB WiFi landing page into English. 😄 Yes, the new ICE is a nice looking and comfortable train. I don't mind crowded train stations that much, but I certainly mind overcrowded train and that's much more common than you might think. All in all an entertaining video, good job. Subbed.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you very much! Yes, I am from the UK. :)

[@IschmarVI]

as a German I can say, that the way he pronounces the city names isn't quite German, but it is MUCH better than the "normal" pronunciation of English native speakers. It's really fascinating. As closely related as German and English are, the pronunciations are so different that it is actually really hard for speakers of one language to pronounce words of the other.

[@michaelhall8586]

Germany is just so cool

[@rbrouns9569]

Last summer i used a regional rrx train and an ice3 for a trip from Herzogenrath to Munich and back. There were no problems with the time and on the way back the ice was a couple of minutes ahead of schedule. The ride on the ice was very comfortable, the seat could benefit from more padding.

[@antonnurwald5700]

Oh goody, oh goody! Edit: just finished watching. Did I see this correctly that the restaurant area does not use up the entire wagon? I've seen this configuration before where they cram regular seats into the restaurant car and I'm not a fan. This is one of the things I love about the ICE 1. The restaurant car has an elevated roof and extra windows up there, it just provides this lavish amount if space, it's fantastic.

[@bunchofparticles3580]

The ICE 1 carries about 60% more passengers, so the higher demand justified a bigger restaurant area. I personally have never had trouble finding a seat in these smaller restaurants, so I think the size is just perfect.

[@xr6lad]

@@bunchofparticles3580Given how crowded that train was and how crowded that cafe was I think your comment was proven entirely wrong. It is very much evidently inadequate. And needs to be bigger.

[@SidneyKenson]

@@bunchofparticles3580 for the ICE 1 I actually loved the split approach on the restaurant, half seated with tables, half more a bistro style, giving more of a relaxed flair.

[@cirnochan5130]

Well, the 408s interior is mostly based on the 407, which also has this small restaurant area. Its caused by the intended usecase of the 407: international lines to france. France/TGV doesnt support restaurant cars tho, they cater with trolleys they store in the 1st class. But after the initial design (without a restaurant) they added a small one after mostly negative feedback.

[@deepwoodguy2]

Great video....as they say, Happy Soap. Happy Traveler.... good tour of the train, thanks for taking us along... 🚂🚂👍👍

[@williamdfr1715]

I've just returned from a week in Germany where I had to take a train every day. Bar one on a Sunday, every single train was delayed, by at least five or ten minutes, the worst by over an hour. A one hour trip with connections from Nuremburg to Rothenberg took over three hours. My international leg back to France was over half an hour late and I would have missed my connection to get home. Luckily, though I had a DB ticket, the SNCF stepped up to the mark and found me a connection via Lyon by TGV free of charge. I was shocked by how bad the German Rail Service has become

[@noidea5597]

Yes, it has become unreliable. Now they want to fix the many problems, but because of the construction sites, the trains come even later...

[@Sedna063]

It really has become bad. Problem of decades of underinvestment into the system - given the massive need to upgrade the former East German infrastructure.

[@DenzelPF-jl4lj]

I even stopped complaining if the train is 5-10 min late 😂 it's better for my mental health 😅 But lucky me I haven't had longer delays in a long time. The worst time was during the 9€ ticket last summer 🙈

[@-----REDACTED-----]

Now that’s the DB I have come to know intimately and disdain passionately 😂

[@guidomunch3121]

Cologne Cathedral is neither the largest nor the highest Cathedral in the world. But definitely worth a visit if you have some spare time at Köln Hbf which can happen more often due to the sometimes massive delays of the trains. The Hohenzollern Bridge adjoining the station is a real bottleneck for rail traffic in western Germany.

[@mdhazeldine]

Yeah, I had to double check that one. The tallest is Ulm Minster. Cologne is no.3.

[@Ginkoman2]

It is the tallest Cathedral in the world, but not the tallest church. the Ulmer Minster (in Ulm, Germany) is the tallest church but its not a Cathedral since its Lutheran. The important discriminator here is Cathedral. its a bit stupid but technically true.

[@felixk9221]

@@Ginkoman2 nice save 😉😄

[@Mawa991]

It ialso has the biggest front facade of any church in the world.

[@HippasosofMetapontum]

@@Ginkoman2 then it would be the cathedrak in Barcelona since 2021

[@wrobb3]

Awesome video! Haven’t yet had a chance to ride the ICE 3 Neo yet but I’m really looking forward to doing so someday. And thanks for showing off my home station of Köln Hbf in such a good light. :)

[@elisaberghaus328]

"unfortunatly it didnt work today, but its a really nice feature if it does work" sums up my expierences with DB pretty well😅😂

[@IschmarVI]

As the german acapella band "wise guys" once said (in a flawless German accent) "sänk ju for travelling wis deutsche bahn"

[@NeoRatio]

It is my favorite ICE. At high speed, it is still quiet. I agree that the Wifi is good. I would love to see some improvements as a working space for single or group traveling during longer journey.

[@billhart9832]

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I'm due to return to Europe to work for the next couple of years and though based in the Netherlands, I plan on returning to Deutschland frequently as I have a number of friends there having spent several years there since 2006.

[@borispankovcin9359]

One thing that wasn't mentioned is that DB didn't keep the lounge area (seats behind driver cabin with glass wall) that was in the original ICE3. Though to be fair, seems like that change already came with the ICE3 Velaro D version. I hope that one day you'll travel with the original ICE3 and show us the lounge view.

[@windowseatplease]

Sadly, the lounge view is almost always switched off. Train drivers can switch the glass between transparent and milky/opaque, which was designed to be used to prevent passengers witnessing suicides on the tracks. However, as they don't like to be watched, train drivers always switch the glass to milky. On very rare occasions, the glass is left transparent in the backwards facing lounge area, but even that is mostly left opaque.

[@SidneyKenson]

@@windowseatplease I guess that really highly depends on the drivers. Some want to share the view through the front window, only setting the opacity up in your aforementioned cases or when they're about to eat (and I must say i can understand this, I wouldn't want someone to watch me eat while I keep my blood sugar levels up on the fly), most others just hate to know that some random person now can watch everything they do and just avoid it.

[@calnamu2571]

Wow, didn't even know these existed!

[@richardlenthall1268]

They got ditched because the drivers thought it invaded their privacy. The other problem was that at one end the panaroma lounge was 1st class and the other 2nd class so there was no guarantee the passengers could enjoy the view when they bought a particular ticket. The other advantage is that you can now take your bike on the ICE which is being phased in with the newer sets. To be honest I would value taking my bike than having the panorama lounge. It remains a nice feature if you ever use this class of ICE but i fear the concept is destined for the history scrap book.

[@Narthanael]

The Panorama view was the best. Compared to that the ICE4 Seating behind the driver is just shit, one seat half blocks the drivers door. And overall the ICE4 is just the worst ICE. Sure bikesthingy is nice but 9 Euros is a pretty hefty price

[@vintubeable]

Had lived in Köln more than a decade ago. I travelled in ICE a couple of times traversing through Köln Hbf. Lovely station situated in a scenic spot next to the Köln Dom. Travelling in ICE is altogether a different experience. The ICE is super convenient to travel to other cities inside Germany and also neighbouring countries.

[@memespert]

I'm gonna say it, the Intercity Express might as well be the most prestigious train brand in Europe. It's uniqueness is what makes it loved!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Agreed, it's really one of my favourites!

[@memespert]

@@SuperalbsTravels Glad to hear! 👍

[@breadmachine_official]

Nice video! (It's now good in the first 10 seconds and it will get even better :D)

[@misterincredible6819]

Hey, forgot to mention that the "sprinter" ICE trains go straight from Köln Messe Deutz to Frankfurt Airport with no futher stops in Siegburg/Bonn, Montabaur and Limburg. Taking it frequently from Düsseldorf. Total travel time 1:10 hrs for 213 km... wow...

[@AG-cr6tm]

Excellent report! Happy Travels!

[@jurgnobs8178]

in my couple dozens of travels through germany, the train comfort was never an issue. lack of reliability and punctuality was the far bigger problem.

[@jimjim8645]

...''...lack of reliability and punctuality ..'' in german (trains)? really?

[@svr5423]

Train comfort is an issue in local trains. The rolling stock is often from the 70ies and 80ies, without air conditioning. It's so loud with open windows that you have to shout. Other local trains are just made for children, so a normal adult is too big for a seat.

[@XiaoP76]

Such a beautiful train. Thanks for the great video.

[@friddevonfrankenstein]

I'm gad to see that DB finally seems to get their shit together and actually think about what they're doing ahead of time. This interior is really well thought out and does all the 2023 stuff, like power outlets, tablet holders, working and surprisingly fast wifi...Well done DB, please keep it up. You still have a lot of work to do ;)

[@DaringlyLDN]

Awesome video mate. And as others have pointed out already, great German pronunciations!

[@gerardosalazar161]

My favorite German train station is the one in Frankfurt. I love it’s old fashioned looks and specially the food therein; everything is perfect over there.

[@davinnicode]

Have you been to Leipzig? For me it's the best station in Germany since it is grand and spacious with bright natural lights flooding in and you could spend a day there with all kinds of shops and restaurants over 3 floors I believe. Also the architecture is pretty neat.

[@hii4973]

Complementary to the food, you can also enjoy one of the biggest selection of drugs on the market, from cocaine to heroin to speed, you will find it all in the very close viccinity of the train station :)

[@ulrichhille5241]

@@davinnicode Leipzig has - without any doubt - the most beautiful central station in Germany. It's like a palace. Frankfurt HBF looks like its scruffy twin. I think. both central stations are impressive and a must see for people interested in great public buildings' architecture.

[@FORTHIENVU]

Love your video, great!!! I been at this location before on a tour in Europe, thanks for sharing.

[@Scherrah1010]

The ICE3 neo is a brilliant example that the Siemens Velaro train platform is still a masterpiece despite of being 23 years old. The refurbishment of the interior makes this train fit for another 10 to 15 years before the ICE5 will finally start replacing first ICE1/ICE2 units. Also the ICE3 units will see a replacement then but maybe the „neo“ program will save these marvellous units from their fate…

[@moritzm.3671]

The ICE 5 will not replace the ICE 1/2 it will be most likely a replacement (and in the beginning an addition) for the ICE3. And to my knowledge it's at least planed to be introduced earlier than 2030.

[@moritzm.3671]

Btw. The ICE 4 will replace the ICE 1 and 2

[@kraenk12]

It’s a new platform, not an old updated one.

[@PM-vv3uc]

Absolutely great video with everything you said is correct. Great to see not native Germans traveling with Deutsche Bahn. Your spelling of german words is outstanding!

[@deathisimminent9518]

As a german and fairly frequent train/ICE rider, i feel that the while the ice looks very clean from inside it simply isnt comfortable at all. If you want to sleep for example(there are ICE's departing as early as 3:00am) it is impossible due to the seats being uncomfortable in my opinion and the lighting being so incredibly excessive at all times of day, it feels as if you were sitting straight under an OP lamp(op as in surgery).

[@Martin-on2pp]

A proper bike storage for 8 bikes! That is really great. I hope the ICE between the Netherlands and Germany will get a bike storage too.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

They will, as these units are due to replace the ones on that route too. :)

[@Martin-on2pp]

@@SuperalbsTravels Thank you for your answer. Any idea when?

[@SuperalbsTravels]

@Martin Not sure, will be a while yet. None have even been to NL yet, so they will need to be tested and approved first. Maybe next summer.

[@aarondas]

This is a German Train Station! Its prettier than most airports here in India 😅

[@DennisSchmitz]

It's one of the ugliest train stations in Germany actually. 🤣

[@BassGuitarSlide]

I am travelling in an ICE3 neo right now - and it is a great train, both in first and second class 😊

[@LexusLFA554]

3:17 I think the ICE 4 had a more friendly looking front end, but the new one doesn't look bad either. The ICE 3Neo still has the same squeaking brakes every ICE seems to have. I always forget how good your pronounciations are, only to be blown away again each time. That was so good, Köln and especially the Hohenzollernbrücke. The route progress feature on those onboard screens is amazing, was that in the ICE 4 or ICE 3? Good internet and two power sockets on a GERMAN train? Wow. I still "enjoy" 1.6 Megabites of internet on copper cables here. And it was ahead of time? What world was that train coming from? BTW, the Bundesland is called Hessen, not Hesse.

[@bunchofparticles3580]

The English name is actually Hesse.

[@LexusLFA554]

@@bunchofparticles3580 Ah, very good to know, thanks.

[@MrTrainFrog]

The "squeaky" brakes are necessary since they have to be suitable for emergency braking from 320 km/h and most likely even more as a buffer.

[@LexusLFA554]

@@MrTrainFrog Very interesting, didn't know that. Thanks.

[@antonnurwald5700]

@@bunchofparticles3580 I was perplexed too when I heard it for the first time a couple years ago, but yup, this is the name. I find it amazing that there are official English names for German states. Like Northrhine Westphalia.

[@jazz749]

Thank you very much for the detailed information. It is really useful for travel planning.

[@antonnurwald5700]

The two NIMBY-stations reminded me of the debate around California high-speed rail. Somebody should tell the Americans that this sort of thing is normal in a decentralized system of government like Germany and the US have.

[@zeisselgaertner3212]

A lot of trains skip these stations or provide service to just one or two of them. So there is a stop at least once an hour, people in these rural areas have their fast connection to Frankfurt and Köln and everybody is happy.

[@davinnicode]

These stations are ridiculous. These towns are close to two of the major German cities and probably already had existing lines to either one of them. Why is their a need for a high-speed connection? I think 1&1, a rather large German telecommunication company has their HQ in Montabaur but that alone could not be the reason.

[@jan-lukas]

​@@davinnicodethere's actually no or really few train services with acceptable travel times from these two cities. So the ICE stops there do actually make sense in my opinion because most trains don't stop, only one out of 6 or so

[@MarioFanGamer659]

What's been more criticised is the stop at Montabaur as Limburg is 20km distant of it and also a regional hub with services to Frankfurt, Koblenz, Gießen and Siegen while Montabaur only has a connection to Limburg (despite physical connections, other services in Montabaur appear to be non-existent). Limburg also is the bigger of the two cities. In addition, CAHSR is in California only so what happened there is at best a dispute between the LA Metro, Bay Area and Central Valley while here, there was some coordination between three governments necessary. A better comparison would be Cascadia HSR since this too goes through three states (actually, it's even cross border between Canada and the US), though its plans also has yet to be put into execution.

[@speisewagenschnitzelklopfer]

​@@davinnicode 1&1 moved to Montabaur AFTER the construction of the line because of the good connection now provided by the KRM

[@Immudzen]

I have been to that train station so many times. I like walking around before my train.

[@aModernDandy]

Really interesting video, thank you! I think the biggest problem with the new trains though is that they are not accessible (barrierefrei). The steps to enter the train are a huge obstacle for people who have issues walking, but also to people with strollers, heavy suitcases etc. And for wheelchair users they are practically insurmountable. Now, this is meant to be dealt with by service accommodations, like mobile elevators on the platforms etc. but these are also big hurdles, notoriously unreliable and they cause delays. (The lack of staff to work the elevators and the slow speed of the machines themselves cause delays, not the overworked staff or the people who need the elevators to access the trains) I am looking forward to the ICE-L which is supposed to start running next year, where this will be addressed.

[@t3chb0y67]

Thanks for unboxing ice 3 neo

[@DavidMorley]

I hope they run more reliably than the current ones.

[@100Creed]

Doesnt matter bc DB doesnt have the tracks to run them anyway!

[@danielbeck9191]

Looks like a very nice train to ride! Thanks for the video!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@schnelma605]

12:55 Ahead of schedule 😲

[@lukasoffen2420]

Yeah, not that big of a surprise. There is planned extra time and if nothing goes wrong... Well you have a chance of about 65% that nothing goes wrong...

[@mccoy79productions66]

Great share

[@salia2897]

The problem with the seats isn't the padding or the cushion. It's the way they are adjustable. You can move forward the the seat the lower part of the backrest then tilts but the upper part and the headrest completely stay in place. This way it is almost impossible to sleep in these seats. The previous generation of seats did not have that problem the whole backrest tilted so you could lay back a bit. No idea why they changed that, the old design was never really a problem. Maybe it needs a little less space or something.

[@miktr7664]

I'd assume that is so the seat can be adjusted without moving the seat shell and invading the personal space of the passenger behind you like it does on older models, although I haven't checked that.

[@salia2897]

@@miktr7664 No, that was already the case with the previous seats. I don't know why they changed that. It might be that there is slightly less room between the rows. It is also possible they changed the seats for different reasons and just messed up. For the DB to mess up is not that unlikely.

[@reaver1808]

I had a good laugh when you said "If its up to DB's high standards".

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I aim to please! :)

[@omarhamid3638]

Grest review. Hope the interior designs stay the same as i think they are very classy. Currently travelling between Austria and Germany by DB and have made journeys with DB and always found it impressive 👍

[@100Creed]

impressiv how a company can be that bad? Yeah really impressive!

[@BjoernSellnau]

thanks for the video the ICE 3neo looks like a mix of ICEx and ICE3 did not know about this new one.

[@zugbilder_rlp]

Was this recorded on the 2nd of May? I caught that train on the way back on ICE 818 at a station called Montabaur with the exact same trainset!

[@standom2390]

The interior lighting is one of the best I have to admit

[@Huey-UH-1]

Great video! I think the Ice 3 Neo is a addition to the ageing ice 3 "classic" fleet from 1997-2006

[@Jhihmoac]

When I saw the station, I knew right away it was Köln - without looking for the Dom...The station is at the end of one of the busiest and most scenic DB/ICE lines in the whole country!

[@Tokax]

The neo looks amazing as a rail fan, love to see new high speed trains

[@CabrioDriving]

Fantastic review, nice voice. A pleasure to watch.

[@frederique.michelle.louise]

🤗 Superb achievement 🔝 Deutsche Bahn AG calls it ICE 3neo Series 408 Siemens Mobility that it designed in a record time of 1 year based on an IC3 class 407 platform Velaro D has commercially designated it Velaro MS for Multisystem 🇪🇺 in dual frequency and dual voltage in 1.5 kV DC 160km/h, 3kV DC 200km/h NMBS 🇧🇪 and 25 kV AC NBS 320km/h🇳🇱 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 LGV 🇫🇷 and 15kV16, 7 Hz 🇩🇪 . DB AG did not want a long and tedious study like ICE4 30 multiple units were ordered in August 2019 for a total of 1 billion euros planned to replace the IC3 406 classes in international traffic with 320km / hour certified on NBS and unprecedented facilities on ICE 3 based on IC4 XXL. A second tranche of 43 additional trains in 2022 was also signed. ETCS Siemens Trainguard 200 instead of Ansaldo STS on the Velaro IC3 range

[@novatraugott]

I like all those flowers in the station in the beginning!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yeah it's quite cute! 😅

[@novatraugott]

@@SuperalbsTravels But it looks like it only comes at one time of the year! Near our house is a big mall, and every now and then there are tons of hearts hanging everywhere! But they´re not there all the time! And in December it all gets crazy!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

@@novatraugott Oh interesting, it must be a seasonal thing then!

[@novatraugott]

@@SuperalbsTravels May is the time when the flowers are everywhere, and this video was made in May! In September-October there could be red-orange leaves or pumpkins!

[@novatraugott]

@@SuperalbsTravels And the ICE 3 Neo looks very nice too--it has like a pink-orange-blue look on the inside! It looks so nice when it goes 300 km/h!

[@seth_deegan]

The quality is insane

[@jasperhunter8386]

Is it brand new? I though it had been out for many years?

[@mijos3]

No, you mean the ICE3 Velaro D, which is in service since 2012, I think. But this is the Velaro neo, in service since this year.

[@jasperhunter8386]

@@mijos3 Oh yep, you're right. Just because I went on the Velaro D like 6 or maybe 7 years ago, I wondered why he said it was new

[@itmkoeln]

​@@jasperhunter8386 The first ICE3neo entered service in Dezember 2022. The 407 (Velaro D) entered service in 2013. The 407 will at some point get some stuff of its newer sister class 408 at some point

[@jasperhunter8386]

@@itmkoeln is the difference only on the inside?

[@jan-lukas]

​@@jasperhunter8386efficiency had been improved by a bit, but it's mostly just the internals

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. Finally some improvement for my favourite ICE Train variant.

[@Joelcatsburgv]

i was there a few weeks ago in koln

[@Joelcatsburgv]

i saw some IC and ICE 3 and ICE 4 i loved it

[@freibert]

ICE3 neo is serving main routes only, the are still 58 ICE 1, as well as 44 ICE 2 trains operating, up to 30 years old - and they are scheduled to be in use for 10 more years! - Crab!!

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

The Kölner Dom isn't the tallest in the world; The Ulm Minster, located in Germany as well, is still a few meters taller

[@flierfy]

He said tallest cathedral. The Ulm minster isn't a cathedral.

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

@@flierfy The German term "Münster" can be translated as e.g. minster or cathedral, and the German term "Dom" can be translated as dome, minster or cathedral as well ...

[@olafgogmo5426]

@@EnjoyFirefighting A cathedral is the church of a bishop. In German a cathedral usually is called "Dom" (from domus dei). But in some cases other big churches are called "Dom", too (Wetzlar, Xanten, Frankfurt). "Münster" (from monasterium=Kloster) can mean anything: cathedral (Straßburg), collegiate church (Bonn), monastery church (Mönchengladbach) or parish church (Freiburg). But Ulm Minster is definitely not a cathedral but a parish church. So Cologne has the tallest cathedral in the world.

[@flierfy]

@@EnjoyFirefighting It needs to be the residence of a bishop to be it a cathedral. This isn't the case though in Ulm. Hence why it is a minster and not a cathedral.

[@anonymservice]

The "Kölner Dom" isn't the highest church on earth. The "Ulmer Münster" located in Germany too is about 4 meters taller.

[@dasmaurerle4347]

I know this is not about cathedrals, but Cologne's isn't the tallest in the world. That would be the Ulm Minster. Which can also be visited with an ICE, btw😜😘🍻👍

[@UlliStein]

Ulmer Münster is not the seat of a bishop, so it isn't a cathedral.

[@Asgar1205]

Minor correction ,the Ulmer Münster is the tallest cathedral in the world, the Kölner Dom is only third tallest ;)

[@igorsiuda8108]

2:34 Graffities...😡😠😡 Why people are still vandalising these trains? I think, that DB should repair and clean them.

[@sierragutenberg]

It costs a lot to get them removed and once they are removed, they reappear in a few days...

[@Kontofel]

They get a deep clean every 2 weeks but the grafitis are removed by workers with special gear, wich they pay extra if you do that work btw but yeah you cant atop vandalisim without heavy duty walls but since nobody works at night nobody is there to stop them

[@harrierjames7727]

Around 03:10 when you mention the serious overcrowding on the platforms - I can't help and think how much brighter, lighter and more pleasant the experience on the platform is in comparison to the dark and depressing overcrowded British environments of Birmingham New Street and the appalling TPE overcrowding on platform 16 at Leeds

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Oh yeah, the dark and dirty design of Birmingham New Street is hateful...

[@TACTOR]

Good video, but there is one very small mistake - bike storage isn't available just at the ICE2, which is still in use. The first ICE3 version had only 3 Bike spaces for one train, and the ICE4 has a bike compartment for 8 just as the ICE3neo

[@Slowbroski]

Thanks for this great video

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@nicolasblume1046]

1:01 almost right: it's the second tallest (the Ulmer Münster is taller), but it's the biggest in volume (and it also has the largest floor area of any gothic cathedral)

[@hape3862]

He said "the tallest cathedral in the world", and that is correct, as the Ulmer Münster isn't a cathedral. 🤪

[@flierfy]

The Ulm minster isn't a cathedral though.

[@_Hello_World_]

Looks really cool! I was about to buy me one but I wasn't sure. Thanks to you ordered one now. 👍

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Oh! :)

[@Ian.549]

Looks like Germany needs very strick anti-graffiti laws that are strongly enforced. It is sad that these graffiti mongrels wreck the look of things.

[@NorthSea_1981]

Yeah, we really have a huge vandalism problem here. It's getting worse and worse....I absolutely hate that graffiti crap.

[@nowhere7100]

great video, but have to say tallest cathedral in the world is Ulm Minster.

[@guybrushthreepwood7612]

Nice review, but not sure if travelling in First Class is really representative as the majority is going for second class (and there the travel experience is quite different especially as its mostly superbusy). Also pricing you mentioned is a special "cheap" non flexible price category. Normally you pay in second class for Cologne - Frankfurt around 80 Euros, first class then more...which makes it quite expensive.

[@hamzaahmetasevic5764]

Exceptional video! Well detailed and informative. 👌

[@BJHolloway1]

Out of Koln "towards Dusseldorf" Are you sure about that?

[@germanchickent]

yes thats actually true! The Mainline in Köln towards Düsseldorf splits into 2 Ways (Mainline 2670 and Highspeed 2650 (to DUS) and Into the Rechte Rheinstrecke 2324, the Siegstrecke 2651 and the Schnellfahrtstrecke Köln/Main 2690 (to south of Köln)). But yes there is a second Mainline to Düsseldorf via Dormargen and Neuss (2610). I hope this is understandable what I mean^^

[@wrobb3]

The line crossing the Hohenzollernbrücke is indeed the main line towards Düsseldorf. It branches off shortly after Deutz towards the Airport, Troisdorf and the high-speed line to FFM. That’s exactly what he said in the video.

[@grahamelliott6041]

Not what he said

[@Mark-hd8io]

yes, that is correct. From Köln, at least most trains to Düsseldorf and Frankfurt/Main first travel eastwards and only later go north(D)/southeast(F) after crossing the Rhine river