The New High-Speed Train Germany LOVES to HATE! - DB ICE 4 Review

MORE TRAIN JOURNEYS HERE: / superalbstravels
Today we're going to be riding on-board the new DB ICE 4, a modern high-speed train in Germany. These trains come under a lot of criticism among their regular users for a few reasons, so naturally I was curious if they are in fact any good or not.
Deutsche Bahn has a large fleet of high-speed trains, ranging from the classic ICE 1 to the newest ICE 3neo. These trains are known for their fantastic comfort and ambience, as well as of course the tasty on-board restaurant.
So, let's find out if these trains are really as bad as they say...
Enjoy!
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Journey Details:
Origin: Frankfurt(M)Hbf / Frankfurt am Main main station
Destination: Basel Bad Bf / Basel Badischer Bahnhof
Company: DB Fernverkehr (Deutsche Bahn)
Train: DB 412 (ICE 4)
Accommodation: Second Class Seat (2nd)
Distance: 203 miles / 327 kilometres
Price: €49.90 (£45.20/ $58.40)
Time: 2h45m - 1E
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[@natewp]

The main complaints were mainly from railway enthusiasts since DB went a bit cheap with the ICE 4 compared to the previous ICEs, where the ICE 1, in particular, was very classy and comfortable, and offered plenty of compartment seating. From a public point of view, the ICE 4s are very welcome since they have very high capacity, are very reliable, have great acceleration (compared to 1 and 2) and don't cost a lot of money for DB to acquire, yet still offer a descent amount of comfort.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Fair enough, I must admit it's not perfect, but it's a good modern train.

[@betaich]

If I remember correctly it was alaos criticised by the disabeld, because less room for wheel chairs

[@brendanmay9585]

So you mean the most important guests complained. Like the ones that are the core revenue for the company. Aw - who cares.

[@prpr8904]

@@brendanmay9585 i dont think railway enthusiasts are the most important costumers

[@brendanmay9585]

@Ih, Ey! Apparently you missed the shitstorm when the new seats were released. It was on my evening news. This was not just "railway enthusiasts" in the sense of people who follow train KZbin channels. There was an uproar from the most frequent guests Stammfahrer" (regular guests).

[@smowl2679]

Having migrated to Germany a year ago, I can pretty confidently say that complaining is the German National Sport/Hobby. I think a lot of people in Germany just don't have much perspective on how well they have it, and/or compare themselves to the few countries that do these things better (Switzerland in the case of trains). I think it's actually a good thing; if people are satisfied/content, things don't have a reason to improve. Still, it can give the wrong impression to foreigners.

[@paul_ko]

The netherlands don't even have a high speed rail service lmao

[@smowl2679]

@@paul_ko Yeah, but I’ve heard people saying how much better it is than DB Regio and the private regional transit companies in Germany, and also their infrastructure/station design.

[@m0llux]

As a German: can confirm. Complaining is one of our national pastimes.

[@nrichthof]

Having migrated from Germany to the UK 17 years ago, I can tell you that The Bri'ish (TM) complain just as much as the Germans. The difference is, in Germany things do get improved based on the criticism (not always, of course) whereas here... not so much.

[@jag19966]

Exactly. And why would you compare trains to anything else than a Swiss or Japanese one!? Would you compare your car to an American one? 😅

[@uncinarynin]

What you didn't mention is an actual advantage of these: A few bicycle spots on one end of the train (requires reservation). For a long time Deutsche Bahn has refused to allow bicycles on ICE, making it difficult to take one's bike on a lot of connections mostly served by ICE. This in contrast to IC trains that often have a spacious bicycle section in the cab car. I don't often take my bike along but I enjoy having the opportunity.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Good point!

[@WKPExpressMovies]

That is actually because the ICE 4 was originally meant to be an Intercity train which should replace the old locomotive-hauled trains. But later DB decided to change most of the existing Intercity connections into ICE connections, whereby it made more sense to run these trains as ICE.

[@florianmeier3186]

But still there are stairs even for wheelchairs and bikes which should not be the case on a new train. As ICE4 will replace some of IC4 the gain for cyclists is also limited. However it is better than before.

[@vincenthugo4036]

I tried taking my bike with me from Munich to Cologne in an ICE but there where no bikereservations left this whole week. So you have to reserve early. I took the REs and RBs which worked really well for only costing 9€.

[@1968konrad]

In former times trains had baggage compartments.. a problem with bikes was their huge size and the long time most bikers need to locate and unload them, this process is time consuming, especailly if unexperienced groups of lame asses dont hurry up.

[@maisonusher]

I noticed that the yellow LED lighting in the cars always switches off and on at a certain time in the morning and during the evening. They should leave it on all the time, because as you say, the atmosphere is much nicer and warmer when on.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Is it automatic? I thought it was controlled by the train manager.

[@maisonusher]

@@SuperalbsTravels There must be an automatic preset, I ride on the ICE4 a lot and happened to notice that the slow change from white to yellow (and vice versa) always happens around the same time.

[@randomnickify]

@@maisonusher I dont remember the details - you sure can find them here on youtube - but there are some health benefits of having white/yellow light at certain hours. Basically it does not mess up your internal clock, yellow lights make you sleepy while blue lights keep you awake so having the wrong color at wrong time is generally bad for you. I assume system is automatic and based on scientific research and clock, not the "atmosphere" in the car. :)

[@duckface9425]

@@SuperalbsTravels Yes, the light should change automatically, depending on time and outside light. If it is darker Outside, yellow light has the benefits, to Not stress the eyes as much as white light (it‘s because of the Blue light, if you loser that component, you recieve yellow light)

[@SirDerpofCamelot]

That sounds like a bad use of energy

[@Wakajce]

Something the ICE 4 has which I consider is genuinely a technical marvel - its traction motors don't require cooling! The motors are cooled entirely by the air flow from travel, and even during the hot summer this system has still prevailed. I think that that is an astounding technological milestone. This is also why it is so quiet when stood in stations, because the only source of sound is from the Aircon, and of course the mad beeping from the doors, but that is an EU norm

[@jnievele]

Love the "ggf freigeben" signs on the seats... it means the reservation system was buggered again, because normally it should show you which seat IS reserved (and from where to where)

[@frauleinbird]

DB in general have some very odd seating signage. Instead of putting up some stickers on the lines of "please give up this seat for Bahn Comfort travellers", they decide to plaster "Bahn Comfort" on every reservation sign, which leaves non-regular passengers extremely confused.

[@crashoverride6413]

@@frauleinbird and what the heck are these "Bahn Comfort Travellers" ? i have seen these Stickers (yes, there are even a few stickers on the ICE from Munich over nuremberg to Hamburg-Altona), but i even don't know what it is.

[@niten2887]

@@crashoverride6413 like a status they give for people which travel a lot with DB or for people which have Bahncard 100 tickets. But only a reservation if someone like that would show up I guess

[@achim8239]

@@crashoverride6413 With every ticket purchase, you collect bonus points. These bonus point have two functions: Apart from being convertible to premiums such as free tickets or travel gadgets, they can promote you (if you really travel a lot) to the "Bahn Comfort" status (just like with airlines). This status makes you popular: Access to 1st Class Lounge (if such exist at your station), and the right to uhser other people away who were happy to have found an empty seat.

[@manuelbergler6884]

It wasn't bugged. Some of the seats are kept in reserve for last-minute reservations. These are then marked as "ggf freigeben" because at the time you board the train the seat might not yet be booked, but someone might be assigned that seat 5 minutes before they board at the very next station. So this is a way to let people know that they take a gamble by sitting on these seats and they should prefer to use a free seat that isn't marked with "ggf freigeben".

[@stephanweinberger]

Having seats without window, while luggage racks occupy window space is just really annoying. Apart from that there's actually not much to complain. Maybe a power socket for each seat would be nice on a long distance train, but that's really 'first world problems'.

[@randomnickify]

Well, for someone like me who watch movies on longer trips lack of "power socket for each seat" is a major problem. :)

[@leDespicable]

Tbf, it'd be pretty hard to lay out the coaches in a way that no luggage rack ever takes up a lot of window space.

[@bobbirdsong6825]

considering the price and clientele, it ought to be standard.

[@leDespicable]

Really depends on the day of the week and the time of day you're traveling. ICE tickets can be extraordinarily cheap when you book a few weeks in advance or if you're lucky enough and the Sparpreis tickets haven't sold out even a few days prior, so there's not really a specific clientele you can find onboard.

[@peterfalk6388]

These seats without windows are perfect for people who want to sleep comfortable on ICEs. These are the only seats where you can lean your head against something comfortable. The windows are just too far away.

[@Mergatroid]

I’ve ridden on every type of ICE except for the ICE T and I have to say the ICE 3 remains my favorite, however I do still love the ICE 4. It just feels so much more modern and I don’t think it’s any less comfortable than the older ones.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I've also used all ICE trains, except the ICE TD if that counts! ;)

[@Mergatroid]

@@SuperalbsTravels Ah I forgot about that since it was never used a lot. I haven’t been on that either. Sad it was retired.

[@Mgameing123]

@@Mergatroid ICE TD were the only ICE trains in Denmark. They used to fly by my home town!

[@outdoorolli5754]

With ICE 4 Deutsche Bahn introduced new seats with much less space and less capability to ergonomically adjust especialy to long leged people. So the ICE4 for taller people is much less comfy than other ICEs. Morover no one understood, why ICE4 had a maximum speed of just 250kph. On both topics Deutsche Bahn is trying to improve but the results are not compelling yet.

[@lgerigk]

@@outdoorolli5754 the new seat doesn’t intrude into the space of the person sitting behind when reclining, this is a disadvantage if the seat behind is unoccupied, otherwise it is a great plus bc you can always recline.

[@danielslovacek2101]

9:32 What a professional transition 😀

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thanks! I love sneaking those transitions into my videos, it's just so slick.

[@AtorThorn]

I didn't even realise, well done!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

@@AtorThorn Thanks!

[@NiklasRi]

I think the ice 4 had it really difficult after the amazing ice 3 with its top speed of 330kmh. It just was disappointing that it is even slower than the ice 1 that has a top speed of 280kmh. This even created an issue with the planned "Deutschlandtakt". In the future in every major city in Germany all the trains are supposed to arrive within a short time frame each hour and offer quick transfers between all those trains before leaving. But the ice 4 would've been too slow to reach some of its destinations within the required time. That's why they are upgrading it and that's why they also ordered additional ice 3 neo trains. When thinking of the ice 4 not as a replacement of the ice 3, but as a complement to it, it is actually fine. They are supposed to replace the IC Trains, which will be a nice upgrade for many... And the new 13 car configuration offers incredible capacity.

[@obelic71]

like the also critisised new doubledecker IC2 trains the ICE4 is also slower. Ad some teething problems and warrenty work that had to be done on them on top and the press went bezerk. f.e. the wheels on the IC4 did wear out way to fast and on the IC2 there were structual issues found due to bad weldings at some cars. Yes they are not perfect but also not way as bad as portraied in the press. It just shows that safety and maintenance inspections work!

[@NiklasRi]

@@obelic71I think it's kind of unfair to compare the ice 4 with the ic2. There were severe problems with the ic2 trains of the first versions taking an eternity to start or even failing to do so entirely which resulted in the trains regularly being canceled. Additionally their doors often failed and the train wobbled around more than expected. All that for a Regional train that they put carpets in and painted white. To me it's hard to justify giving it the Inter City branding as 160kmh topspeed is quite disappointing compared to the 200kmh of the much older and more comfortable original IC trains. They are actually called "Teppich-Regionalexpress" (Carpet-Regional Train) because they are so unimpressive. The ice 4 wasn't perfect in the beginning and they had some problems with the welds, but the major criticism was about comfort of the seats and a lower but still high speed and at least it felt like it actually deserved its name. But yes I fully agree with you, it's really good that they find and fix these errors!

[@obelic71]

@@NiklasRi The manufacturer Bombardier at that time hat dubious quality issues. It was not only the IC2 and ICE4 also 2 classes of new IRE trains who were way overdue due on certification on technical issues. 1of those new classes is now canceled entirely by DB. Since Alstom took over Bombardiers railwaystock division quality in general increased. And yes the IC2 is a IRE train on speed but with IC comfort seats.

[@NiklasRi]

@@obelic71 oh yes, Bombardier has struggled a lot. Another example wouldve been the talent 3 trains for Austria, that ended up being canceled. However, if I remember correctly they've had only a minor role as a supplier in the case of the ICE 4, the majority was done by Siemens

[@johnstonewall917]

TGVs go at over 320km/h

[@hans-christiantraute1914]

What I hate about the ICE4 is that DB is now using it on the sprinter route from Frankfurt to Hanover at about 5pm. I now regularly miss my connection in Hanover because the ICE4 is slower. The old ICE has no problem to compensate late departure in Frankfurt (they are always late!!! ), 10 minutes delay in Frankfurt was no problem and I still would get my connection in Hanover. Thank you DB 😡

[@Frauenhaus]

Regularly?

[@hans-christiantraute1914]

@@Frauenhaus Yes, regularly. I would say in 80% of all cases. Not right now because right now the „sprinter“ connection is offline due to the construction works on that connection. 🤓

[@RovexHD]

Wow that’s sad.

[@Frauenhaus]

@@hans-christiantraute1914 I do not understand. You travel that much? Thank you.

[@hans-christiantraute1914]

@@Frauenhaus Before the pandemic I shuttled from Hanover to Frankfurt and back on a daily basis except for Friday’s. Now, it’s just two days per week.

[@lukasmadel7600]

I think that the ICE 4 is alright, but in terms of the styling and comfort it is a downgrade to the ICE3 403/406 series. My problem with the seat is that the headrest stayes fixed in place when you slide the seat forward and afer an hour my neck starts to hurt. When talking about reliability the 4‘s are better but the 250 km/h limits the usage of the train on future planned 300 km/h lines needed for the integrated german timetable project.

[@jag19966]

💯

[@Bleifuss88]

Originally, the ICE4 was meant to replace the IC1. It was never designed to be an ICE and is a downgrade of course. However, Deutsche Bahn upgraded the name to ICE in order to charge ICE fares.

[@lgerigk]

@@Bleifuss88 Interregio (IR) was removed, Intercity (IC) took over IR lines and ICE was deployed on IC lines. It doesn’t make sense to run real high speed trains like the ICE3 on slow tracks. 250 km/h is enough for most lines, the real high speed lines like Frankfurt - Cologne stick to ICE3. The high passenger capacity of the ICE4 is a big jump forward for DB and the ICE4 is not meant to replace ICE3.

[@brendanmay9585]

@@lgerigk if what you are saying is true, why the heck is there an ICE 4 on the track between Frankfurt and Cologne (which was specifically build for high speed ice travel).

[@ft4709]

@@Bleifuss88 That’s not true. The ICE 4, or ICx as it was known previously, was always intended to replace ICE 1 and 2. The idea was to replace two aging fleets with one train. Which kind of made sense at the time.

[@kanchanananayakkara8959]

DB getting complaints on seat alignment with windows is fair enough. Who would pay to sit and look at a wall? But the train and its interior look really modern and comfortable. Thank you for the trip update! I really enjoyed it as it was informative.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@samuelitooooo]

It's my least favorite trend in modern train design

[@bahnspotterEU]

@@samuelitooooo It‘s not a modern trend at all. I‘ve had “window seats” make me stare at a wall even in first class on the ICE 1 and 2. Those are over and just under 30 years old respectively.

[@vupert9324]

I think there are at least some people out there actually prefering these faulty window seats, like people who like to work (no sunlight) or simply sleep during their journey. Probably not as many as there are of these wall seats though. I think it would be better if DB didn't sell reservations for these seats as reservations for window seats, so that no one accidentally finds himself staring at a wall instead of looking at the landscape.

[@timothyjoksch]

@@bahnspotterEU the windowseats in the ice 1 and two only appeared with the new seating layout on after the redesign.

[@EdVonPelt]

You should have explained a bit more about the station in Basel. The treaty that grants the extraterritorial status was actually signed between the Kingdom of Baden and Switzerland, it predates Germany (and even the German Empire). There are a few edge cases at the Swiss border that are interesting, such as German lines running through Switzerland with the agreement to not use them for military purposes.

[@m0llux]

Yep. It's a German tail line operated by DB Netz, with a German station operated by DB Station&Service, but the line is equipped so that both German and Swiss trains can be used on it. So, a German DB train wouldn't need to be equipped with a Swiss train protection system to go from Basel Bad Bf. to Germany, and a Swiss train doesn't need the German train protection system to run along from Switzerland all the way to Weil am Rhein (the first Station on the German side).

[@jan-lukas]

Another reason for ETCS, it'll make interoperability so much easier

[@DarrylTalks]

I did not know that when I went to Basel. But it makes sense. I went there to see some particular buildings, Goetheanum. I was into architecture at the time.

[@ctlspl]

I love how quiet and comfortable it is to get some work done while traveling. No comparison to the hassle of flying for less than 500 km.

[@8eileen1]

I've made many journeys from Bern, Switzerland to many cities Germany, and I love the ICE...and in the first class you can have restaurant service at your seat!!! This is a plus!!! Loving it!!!!!

[@hugonottmayr]

I don’t really find the seats on the ICE 4 comfortable. I have been using DBs long distance service as a part of my commute at least twice a week for the last few months. On my connection they mainly use ICE2, ICE4 and old IC1 (yes IC not ICE) trains. I think my main issue with the seats is that I can’t really fall asleep easily in the ICE4, while it is much easier in the other ones, regardless of first or second class. I think I am having trouble because in the 4 when you recline the seat, the headrest part stays completely still, which causes your neck to overstrech. In the other two trains the hole backrest slides down so the relative angle between back and head stays the same, all while not decreasing the space for the passenger behind you.

[@mx338]

As a frequent Berlin to Frankfurt am Main traveller I personally think the seats are okay, I was able to sleep in them and you don't feel bad after you get up from them even after many hours. What many people probably don't like is how the seats still feel like they are getting harder every generation.

[@cooltwittertag]

honestly with the lack of side support i wasnt able to sleep in the ICE4 1st class at all, its a great seat for back comfort tho. The TGV premier gave me a good rest but also back pain

[@danielrose1392]

For me the huge number of trains is quite impressive. While currently receiving delivery of 137 ICE4, DB was also able to order another 73 ICE3 neo, starting delivery this year.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yep, major fleet expansion is coming in Germany!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yep, major fleet expansion is coming in Germany!

[@thierryschilbach2909]

I think it is a wonderful train. But I have to say, it is the weakest ICE in comparison with older models. The new interior is not bad, but is sadly missing the very beloved 6 seat compartments. I know, that these were replaced with normal airline style seats, to have greater capacity.

[@almejri]

I lived in Stuttgart for two years and traveled everywhere on DB trains and rarely had anything to complain about. In fact, except obviously for the exterior, I barely noticed a difference between the ICE 3 and 4. Of course I am from America so all high-speed trains look equally amazing to me.

[@florianflorian1385]

It's much harder to distinguish ICE 1/2 and 3 than it is to tell the 3 apart from the 4 imo.

[@McGhinch]

Windows aligned to the seats (or vice versa 🙂): DB could take a look at Swiss coaches. The windows are aligned to the seats in first and (!) in second class. I was surprised that there was less leg room in second class compared to first class. But then I counted the windows of the coaches...second class coaches have more windows than first class coaches. Here DB could learn something

[@iileonlaw]

I really like youre little "documentarys" keep it up!

[@flenomusic]

WOW - Thumbs up! I notice, that you just put a lot of effort into pronouncing the country specific names quite very well. 😀👌Whether it is Denmark, Sweden, the Czech Republic or Germany. Anyway, you do among many others on KZbin, really brilliant variety of interesting and welcoming presentations of travel videos by train. Keep it up! I wish you indeed, a lot more subscribers!

[@BR218fan]

Great to hear you liked your trip with the ICE 4. And it was a nice video to enjoy. 😁 I don't think they are as bad as some people say. In fact, they bring a lot of improvements with them like more seats, way more space for luggage and can accelerate faster than the ICE 1 or 2. The things I would like to have changed come from the fact, that I compare these new trainsets with the older types. So the seats in the ICE 1 or 2 are more comfortable in my opinion. They are softer and the lower part of the seat can be extended. Then the lighting. In the ICE 4 a circadianic lighting system is used, which I really like. A circadianic lighting simulates the colour behavior of the sunlight during the day, using really cold (blue) light in the middle of the day and the light is getting more warm and orange in the evening. I really like this idea. But the (constant) white lights shining down on the seats should be replaced by indirect lighting above the windows, like it used to be in the previous ICE generations. This way, it would be more comfortable and cosy in my opinion. All in all the new ICE 4 brings a massive boost of capacity to the ICE network and that is the most important thing to me. The ride quality is great, the cars run really smooth and quiet. To me, the worst ICE of all times was the ICE-TD (class 605), which was a 4-car tilting train powered by 4 diesel engines under the coaches. Besides all of the problems with reliability, the ride was very uncomfortable during to noise and vibrations. Keep up the good videos, greetings from Germany!

[@seanriokifarrell]

A note about the Karlsruhe "Trams". What you actually saw was the "S-Bahn" (light rail). The "Karlsruhe Model" uses hybrid "S-Bahn" that run into the city center. (Now via the spiffy new tunnel.) There are actual trams, which are significantly smaller and they don't run on normal rail lines. The actual oddity is not trams on DB track, but DB trains on tram tacks, which are partially embedded in roads.

[@TrainLovers-TL69]

Great to hear you liked your trip with the ICE 4. And it was a nice video to enjoy.🚂

[@iancarisi8342]

I never thought about the window seat alignment, but it is a problem in other systems as well, especially when you are traveling with a child that wants the window.

[@jun_suzuki42]

Ambient lighting on high speed train is really important as it might affect passengers mode. In my country almost all Chinese made trains are bright white lightings, the only ambient lighting trains in my country is the Siemens Desiro. Cheers.

[@notthedroidsyourelookingfo4026]

Went from Berlin to Spain and back by train recently. Gotta say, the rolling stock of DB is great, even in comparison to TGV and AVE. The problem was the operation...

[@fritzkuhne2055]

the problem is high IQ peolpe developing and building the trains, but low IQ people planning and controlling the trains and routes. this country gets more stupid by the day

[@InTeCredo]

You are right about TGV. I was shocked at how cramped the second class seats were as compared to ICE. When I made the return journey, I upgraded to the first class seat and thought their legroom was same as ICE second class. The other thing I hate about TGV is having to make the seat reservation in advance. Otherwise, you'd end up moving from one seat to other when the passenger showed up to demand the seat.

[@insu_na]

I've ridden the ICE 4 a few times the last few months and I have nothing to complain about in terms of comfort. Only thing to complain about would be the top speed. They drastically reduced the power output of the train compared to the ICE 3, which means that it's not that high speed after all. The top speed of the ICE 3 is 330km/h, quite a lot more. Tho in fairness: The german long-distance rail network doesn't have a lot of places where you could actually drive that fast, even in theory

[@jakecole7447]

Well one flaw for me living near siegburg is that the highspeed train from cologne to frankfurt am main and further isnt stopping here anymore with the ice 4 due to the fact that it would disrupt other ice 3 trains that are travelling faster by 20 % nearly the whole way. and the ice 3 dont offer bicycle capabilities which is a major point for me when going south towards the alps.

[@achenarmyst2156]

There used to be a trend towards ever increasing top speeds trying to get „closer“ to air travel. But meanwhile they get back to top speeds of 250 km/h. This is absolutely rational as energy consumption increases exponentially with speed. And the required solid tracks are very expensive. Moreover in a densely populated and hilly country like Germany you rarely have nonstop relations where you can reach and sustain 300 km/h or more with significant duration.

[@makssachs8914]

@@achenarmyst2156So France is neither densely populated nor hilly? Seems like an excuse tbh.

[@Doesntmatter64]

Very good video I think you improved a lot ! I love this train too, mostly because they have a great lugage capacity ! In the french dupleix tgv, it's a big problem

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you very much!

[@clancy688]

Because you singled out international services: There's also a direct connection between Frankfurt and Milano, Italy, served by SBB Astoros! :) Personally I absolutely hate the new seats on the ICE 4 (in 1st class) - the headrest is far too wide for you to position your head properly and the seat doesn't recline at all - you just kinda move your seat cushion and part of the backrest forward. The old seats in un-upgraded ICE1 and ICE3 are far more comfortable, since you can recline the whole backrest. Also, the padding is better. I far, far prefer the seats like shown at 0:05 in your video to the abominations in the ICE4 and the upgraded ICE3. :(

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yesh, sadly I don't have any footage of the Astoro in Frankfurt! Thanks for the comment. :)

[@lausimeyer6558]

ICE4 is my favorite ICE generation. Clean, new, silent, comfortable seats (I love single seats in 1st class) and a stable air condition. And, finally, no more middle seats in narrow compartments. Great Job, DB.

[@itmkoeln]

Funny how on the last trip from cologne to Hamburg the conducter even came to chat with the group I was sitting with (they were rebooked on that train while I was sitting on my seat): Yeah , the next stop display is a Siemens built display, the only thing you can trust on this train is the coffee machine and the ac (mostly).... I though like the ICE3M better though the series that is still a bombardier - siemens train with the panorama window...

[@brendanmay9585]

I found the perosn who works for DB social media department.

[@TheDeceptiveHero]

Single seats in 1st class aren’t new though, but have been in ICEs since the first generation.

[@lausimeyer6558]

@@TheDeceptiveHero ICE4 has a lot of them - what I prefer on business trips to middle seats in compartments - sold for the same price.

[@simonholliday9874]

Window nonalignment is common to all ICE variants. The best seats were the original ones fitted to the ICE1s. Lots of padding and very comfy. Now replaced by those found in later sets. That Swiss train is the ECE classified Milan to Frankfurt. It's slower and less comfortable than the ICEs and the surcharge is slightly higher. Living in Freiburg, this is all on my home turf.

[@matthiasruf5450]

Hi Thanks for visiting Switzerland! 😊🥰 Hier they go to Bern / Interlaken Ost, and Zurich / Chur. - I know both lines pretty good, as I used them often. Your video gives a good impression of the ICE 4. I myself have the impression of a very functional train, the ICE 4. And it is really spacious. On design and „lovelyness“ one can discuss. Thanks for the video. - And as Swiss I like Your British English accent. 😌😊♥️♠️🪄

[@ricequackers]

Honestly I'd happily sit on a wooden bench if I could do the Manchester-London journey (about the same distance) for £45! It costs £98 now for an off-peak return so unless you snag a really cheap advance ticket or someone else is paying (e.g. your employer if travelling for work), it's cheaper to just drive. Yes even with these crazy fuel prices.

[@LS-Moto]

To be honest, Deutsche Bahn has the same issue. Its just way to expensive for flexible travels. If I were to go on a spontaneous trip to Berlin this weekend (from Cologne), I would pay over 100€ ONE WAY. If I book the same trip in 3 or more months, its significantly cheaper. This is why car travels are cheaper when you want to spontaneausly take a trip. However, because of the energy crisis going on as a result of the war, the German government subsidizes a 9€ ticket for all regional trains in Germany, which resulted in a massive storm on trains, to the point of them not being able to handle the masses. Goes to show that people are ready to take public transport when the price is right.

[@s6scha]

@@LS-Moto how? im going from berlin to frankfurt for 80€ return in just a few days

[@NeXtdra42]

@@s6scha The flexible tickets are A LOT more expensive than "Sparpreis" tickets. If you book in advance - even as little as 3-5 days (depending on how heavily booked the train is) - you can save as much as 80%. I booked return tickets for roughly the same distance at under 80€ in first class during the Christmas holidays by booking 2 months in advance. The flexible price is almost 240€ in second class.

[@johnmehaffey9953]

I was working in Germany when they began the ice trains and have loved them ever since, I’ve been to Germany on holiday quite a few times recently and get the regional travel tickets which gets you the regional express and trams plus some buses and are a brilliant ticket to get for exploring but I always get the ice for a certain portion of my trip even though I have to pay for it as the regional ticket doesn’t cover ice trains, such is my love of them only thing I’ve got to say about them now they are not as punctual as they once were in fact I think that not a single ice train I was on was on time

[@Suballi4004]

If you travel to Germany till the end of August you can get yourself a 9 Euro ticket for the month. It covers all regional trains and pupblic transport in the country. Slow and by now over crowded, but it will take you everywhere.

[@jinpingthebear110]

John: Not a single full stop in that comment, wow.

[@cookiewriter4001]

Traveling from Karlsruhe to Basel frequently I have to say my favourite is the ICE3. I dont mind the 4 but it doesnt feel as premium. We dont usually get ICE1 or 2 on this line so I cant compare them. But the best experience I have is the almost empty IC2 between Nürnberg and Karlsruhe. I really like this part of my journey. Beautiful countryside, no cramped wagons and you get decent WiFi almost everywhere (even in the middle of nowhere).

[@gongpazangthal]

Most interesting and enjoyable video I've seen on KZbin in quite a while

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you very much!

[@alexandergustafson599]

I think the main thing that shocked me when riding the new ICE 4 trains was how smooth the ride was, despite traveling at 250 kmh.

[@brendanmay9585]

You notice a difference between ICE 3 and 4 at the same speed?!? ICE 3 is only less smooth when it is at 300 Km, a full 80 km faster than the ice4

[@alexandergustafson599]

@@brendanmay9585 I actually did notice a bit of a difference even when not traveling at full speed on the ICE 3

[@frankboneberger]

Originally the ICE 4 was named as ICx and designed to replace the IC (not ICE) trains which are in service since 1950’s. That’s why they don’t reach 330 kmphs. If someone really rates the seats as comfortable, he should check out the freccia (Italian for “arrow”) trains in Italy - unbelievable fantastic seats! However the former and the upcoming generations of ICE-seats are better then the actual ones. But the most annoying fact is that even in the first class a reservation for a seat on the window side doesn’t guarantees a seat with a view: windows are smallest of all ICEs and seats grid doesn’t fit with windows ones. In fact you stare at a gray area and feel narrow. That’s why ICE 3.1 and 4 are not travelling, but being transported…

[@MarcoZ1ITA1]

Same reaction as i had - having recently ridden multiple hours on a Freccia those airline style seats made me laugh. Really? The most comfortable in Europe? Hahahahaha

[@NeXtdra42]

The booking site tells you if the seat you selected has limited view, you just have to select the seat manually instead of having one automatically assigned.

[@moritzm.3671]

While the name actually was ICx, they where always planned on replacing the IC and ICE 1 and ICE 2. Actually originally they where ment to replace the ICE 3 in the future.

[@frankboneberger]

@@NeXtdra42 choosing first class you have to be in luck to get a seat with a view. If no one is available? What is that for a first class? To be honest, every seat in a train should be with a view as it was usual for decades. You are talking about a bad compromise.

[@frankboneberger]

@@moritzm.3671 not intentionally replacing ICE 1/2, just the 50+ IC coaches.

[@ian.blackwoodgwent.walesgb5668]

Really interesting video thanks...was a regular on the route from Mannheim to Basel, having lived in Germany and Switzerland. The new ICE train looks very good, though agree with you about some of the seating with no window view...would hate to be seated there...

[@atari_1]

As a regular Passenger of the DB infrastructure, I’m quite pleased of how the train came out. The seats are awesome and the train ride is very comfortable comparing it to the ICE 1 and 2. The noise of the train is almost zero and like i said, they really improved the system of stabilizing the Trains to make a very comfortable ride. Though i don’t eat often at the restaurant, the meals are always great and service is too. In comparison to other countries, the ICE can be improved in much places e.g. speed (when the new high speed tracks get build) and position of seating, as you mentioned. But overall im very happy with the new ICE and i always get really excited and relieved when i see an ICE 4 coming for my route. The only thing that pisses me off and is an international meme (I’ve heard it in an Canadian live stream ones) are the really long delays. BUT the new train is awesome!

[@TheMIB]

I think the criticism comes mainly from the fact that interior layout and seats of the older ICE 3 models where already on a very high standard. To this day, these trains are my favourite to ride on. And if you’re coming from that POV, the ICE4 (and even the interior of the more recent Velaro D models which interestingly also are being classed as ICE3) simply is just a step down when it really should have been the opposite. But there is hope though, they are still working on new seats and interiors (had the opportunity to participate in a seat test recently). But I also have to agree that this is definitely complaining on very high level compared to the absolute abomination that is the interior of a GWR Class 800 😂

[@SuperalbsTravels]

They are a step down, but it would be incredibly difficult to better the seats on the original ICE 3 interior...

[@SuperalbsTravels]

And yeah, a completely deifferent level to the Class 800! 😂

[@genegreen9613]

A vast improvement from the first German train I rode in January 1961 as a young GI arriving in Bremerhaven. During that first tour in Germany I rode passenger equipment and behind steam locomotives from before World War Two. As an avid railfan I had a great time.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

That does sound amazing, even if it's probably a bit slower! ;)

[@mnsegler1]

Kudos for the many and large luggage racks on the ICE4 trains. I hope they retrofit older ICE’s too. I’ve traveled a lot with DB Intercity and enjoy almost all aspects, but two small luggage rack in the mid section of each car is insufficient too often and a unnecessary stress when traveling.

[@wilfriedlechner6299]

Hi! Well done! Enjoyed it! Went myself on ICE from Brussels to Frankfurt n then from Frankfurt to Munich! Went with first class global Interrail pass! All excellent! Speed up to 300 n more! We were late about 30 or more minutes to Frankfurt but we made up the delay! I was so surprised, how that is possible! Caught up with the train driver in Frankfurt asking him and told him the train was quite rocking and shaking because of the speed! The driver gave me a smile , saying this ICE had buffers ( what is that???) and could run the train a much higher speed than normal to make up delays!! When I asked, could the train derail , they rest assured me: Not at all! I LOVE SPEED! Can anybody tell me whether there could have been a safety concern - concern of derailment because they pushed the speed??

[@vityke]

I just travelled on this beauty a few days ago when i went from Munchen to Mannheim. I don't know if it was the ICE4 but the interior was the same. Anyway that was my first time and i think it's like an aircraft. Surprisingly silent, you don't even feel the high speed. The toilets were moderate clean probably because of too many passengers but it was good. What i was a bit surprised there were only few true high speed tracks, most of the times it went around 150-170 kph. And now let me share what i was told. I am Hungarian, my bro-in law is German. He says Deutsche Bahn is advanced, the train fleet is superb however management is terrible and they have a lot of problems with schedule. Missing or cancelled trains daily, lot of delays therefore connection problems. Honestly i didn't feel this although our train delayed too but as a Hungarian i am not here to judge Germans because 15 or 20 minutes of delay is not too much in my opinion. However germans say, DB is unpredictable and inaccurate. I repeat, i didn't experience and i think some delay is inevitable in everyday life.

[@waynebutane1338]

I literally heard a fellow german man complain about his train being delayed because there was a medical emergency that had to be taken care of. The train was like 10 minutes late. Some people just like to complain, and the media amplifies that by making even more fun of it. It is almost like a sport to complain about the rail network, I even know people who complain about it but never even used it, just based on what they hear on TV or from other people. When someone complains about a train being 10 minutes late I always wonder if they never had a 10 minute delay when taking their car or walking somewhere, are people really always that punctual? I doubt it. My girlfriend is from another country and she also never complained once about our public transport, she thinks it is good.

[@achenarmyst2156]

Delays have increased significantly recently which is mainly due to the pandemic and to lack of staff (Germany has a catastrophic demography, so it‘s a sort of home made problem)

[@Jehty_]

@@waynebutane1338 a 10 minute delay is a lot when the departure of your connection train is only 9 minutes after the planned arrival of the first train. I don't know how often "just" a 10 minute delay turned into a 1 hour delay for me because I missed the connection. Or a 10 minute delay turned into me running through the train station to just barely catch the connection. With a car that doesn't happen and therefore a 10 minute delay doesn't matter.

[@active285]

It heavily depends where you want to travel and where you live. My main problem with DB is, that it is utterly slow. Especially the East of Germany is badly connected, except maybe Berlin and Leipzig. If you want to go from Dresden to anywhere, it takes ages. To the west, you always need to go to Frankfurt first (4,5 h for 450 km) and will be then "distributed" to your final destination - let it be Bonn, Cologne whatever. In total 6-8 h. Similar if you go to Berlin, 180 km in 2 h? Ridiculous. But you can play the same game in the west of Germany. Frankfurt to Luxembourg, 180 km, takes 3h45min (with two possible connections per day) or 4h30min - a flight takes 20-30 min... you can play the same game for the NE and SW of Germany. In France, I can go from Paris to Bordeaux, 600 km, in 2h05min. In Japan you can take the Shinkansen from Fukuoka to Tokyo, 1500 km, in just 5 h without any delays. Not to speak about delays especially in the Rhine/Ruhr area...

[@jan-lukas]

Flying in 20-30 minutes is also not true at all. The flight time itself might be that long, but being at the airport 2 hours earlier has to be counted as well

[@active285]

@@jan-lukas I wrote about the flight time, not the total time. And: No you don't. Going to FRA + Fast lane + boarding 25 min before the flight. So of course it's roughly 1,5-2 hours in total. Still no comparison to a 4,5 to 5 h (!) journey for less than 180 km! On top: I wrote about reasonable longer journeys like coming from e.g. Leipzig or other parts of Germany to Luxembourg.

[@aivm]

We have the brand new ICE 3 neo running on the track between Cologne and Frankfurt. was lucky to travel with this model today, smooth ride, nice interior and speed above 300 km/h.

[@Francfort069]

Nice too see your video, I was also on ice 4. The Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof also serves U-Bahn Tracks and in addition Tram.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thanks!

[@ce1834]

I never understood the fuss about Germany not having TGV-like continuous stretches of high speed track/super high speeds, its simply where the cities are located, and existing tracks means it serves a lot more cities

[@MTobias]

Necausr of that trains are very often extremely delayed and travel speeds are very low.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I much prefer the German system, it's a lot easier for the passenger too.

[@asdsdjfasdjxajiosdqw8791]

Christ, the UK train looks like a ryanair plane.

[@EdVonPelt]

We have some in Germany as well, the Mittelrheinbahn runs a Mainz - Cologne, which is a three hour journey, and there's less legroom than in a Ryanair 737.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I fly Ryanair often - believe me that UK train is FAR worse. 😭😭😭 Worst of all, it goes on routes longer than any Ryanair plane...

[@iileonlaw]

As a German who travels alot with trains and was on a ICE 4 today , I have to say that this is my absolute favourite train Ive ever been on , even tho I hated it 1 year ago. The seats are comfortable , the cabin is always quiet and clean. The only contra is the annoying and scary beeping sound!

[@strafrag1]

Very nice review. Thanks.

[@christophernoble6810]

Only travelled First on these sets, which seemed much the same as on the other ICE sets so far as seat comfort was concerned. Originally intended for IC services to replace the 101s and Inter City stock.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

They certainly have a long history!

[@itmkoeln]

Not replacing but upgrading the 101 hauled - eurofima cariage trains to ICE standards. Mostly they are used to replace withdrawn ICE2 and in maintenance ICE 1 sets (after all the original ICE is getting a retrofit with some cariages being scrapped and the better carriages being one last time retrofitted for the next 10 years).... The routes that are still IC will be likely see the ECx trains by Spanish company Talgo for Eurocity Services by DB, Stadlers KISS IC2 and the Twindexx Vario Longdistance Variant by bombardier... ICE 1 are retrofitted instead of the younger ICE2 sets because ICE 2 have only one powercar and a steering part at the opposing end of the train where and ICE1 has two powercars .

[@brendanmay9585]

The first class seats are very different from the 2nd class seats. Give me the IC seats any day. More padding and the hard shell does not force you to sit a certain way.

[@Juergen_Mueller]

@@brendanmay9585Although differing in some details, the 1st class seats essentially don't differ at all but share the same failed construction as the 2nd class ones which have been explained here by many users. As a frequent traveler, I prefer thousand times the old 2nd class seats to the new 1st class junk which is unworthy of being called 1st class.

[@brendanmay9585]

@@Juergen_Mueller fair enough.

[@hogyndrwg6253]

I caught one from Frankfurt to Paris in the January before the plague season. Great trains but I'm afraid the seats were not as comfortable as in the ICE 3. Even so, they're a VAST improvement on the Hitachi offerings that the sadists at the Dept for Transport specified for sheeple travelling in the UK.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

100%, different league

[@brendanmay9585]

I haven't tried the Hitachi offering, but for me personally I would rather a hard plastic S-Bahn seat that the ICE4 seatteuly the most uncomfortable seat I have ever sat in.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

@@brendanmay9585 funny you should say, as the 800 uses the same seat as on some s-bahn trains

[@brendanmay9585]

@@SuperalbsTravels Then I would prefer it t the misformed seat design in the ICE 4. It may not have cushions but at least it is ergonomic.

[@flippert0]

Nice review! Thanks for putting the effort into pronouncing the city names almost like a native! 🙂

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you very much, I do try to get the names right where I can. ☺

[@highbury1972]

I use ICE 19 from Brussels to Aachen which continues to Frankfurt. I am a regular customer and every journey has been a pleasure. Plenty of legroom and comfortable. I’m not on for long as it’s Liege then Aachen, it’s normally about an hour on board.

[@cindella204]

DB is my favourite train operator of the ones I’ve tried but that seat/window misalignment is criminal. Unless I have a critical deadline coming up I spend a large portion of my train journeys staring out the window and listening to music. I would be crushed if I ended up in a seat like that.

[@s6scha]

that is why you can book your seats… or get first class

[@davidb6535]

The only thing I miss on the ICE 4 are the closed 6-seat compartments. Except from that I love to travel in it. It's comfy and quiet. Can't speak for 2nd class though.

[@udorechner6846]

Very nice video from a foreign guest to Germany and the Deutsche Bahn (DB)

[@veloboldie]

Travelled first class from Frankfurt Airport to Munich in May, 2022 and reserved a separate compartment for the four of us, so I would not feel I was back on a plane. Very ride is comfortable and quiet. Had lunch at the "Bordrestaurant" and it was very good. Also the DB staff, from the conductor to the restaurant personnel were very friendly and courteous. The key to best experience on ICE 4 train is to make reservations at least six months ahead of time, so the price is decent and you can get a compartment seating.

[@2808drw]

Absolutely the best train I ever have used. The Norwegian have a lot to learn 👍👍👍

[@LENNART77]

The ICE4 may be a comfortable train compared to highspeed trains in other countries, but I can tell you that it's less comfortable compared to a regular ICE3. I think the ICE3 is the most comfortable train because it has comfortable seats and the train rides very smooth. I also very like the interior.

[@Colaholiker]

The ICE 1 is even more comfortable. Yes, the ICE 3 has a smoother ride, but the wider cars of the ICE 1 and 2 are just the best you can have for comfort...

[@LENNART77]

@@Colaholiker ich wuste nicht dass die wagen vom ice 3 schmaler sind. aber was mich ausser dem ein bischen stört beim ice 1 und 2 ist das die fenster höher sind als beim 3er

[@Colaholiker]

@@LENNART77 Die Fensterhöhe beim ICE 3 ist mir noch nie aufgefallen, allerdings fahre ich da auch immer vorne (oder hinten) in der Lounge, wo das Fensterband nach unten gezogen ist.😅 (Übrigens ein Feature, das ich am ICE 3 sehr schätze, das außer dem ICE-T kein anderer ICE hat, auch wenn die Scheibe leider meistens milchig geschaltet ist.) Der ICE 1 und 2 hat etwas Überbreite, es gibt einige Strecken in Deutschland, auf denen die nicht verkehren können oder es betriebliche Einschränkungen gibt, wie z.B. kein Gegenverkehr. Beim ICE 3 ist das meine ich nicht der Fall (der darf dafür auf manchen Strecken nicht ganz so schnell, weil er ein anderes Bremssystem hat), und beim ICE 4 hat man die Wagen verlängert, um mehr Platz für Fahrgäste und weniger Platz für Wagenübergänge zu verwenden. Die längeren Wagen bringen aber mit sich, daß sie schmaler sein müssen, weil sie sonst in der Kurve das Lichtraumprofil des Gegengleises berühren können. Wäre blöd, wenn gerade dann ein Zug käme.

[@brrrrrrrr8793]

@@Colaholiker Wobei auch die alten ICEs sich verschlechtert haben. Es gab immer wieder Überarbeitungen, wodurch immer mehr Sitzplätze pro Wagen installiert wurden. Ist für mich als große Person teilweise echt schlimm, weil mir die Beinfreiheit teilweise fehlt. Aber so schlimm wie der ICE 4 ist kein anderer ICE.

[@Colaholiker]

@@brrrrrrrr8793 jaaa, ICE 1 im original ist legendär. Die Abteile mit nur 5 Plätzen in der 1. Klasse (oder in dem 1.-Klasse-Wagen,der in manchen Zügen in der 2. Klasse eingereiht war)... Das waren noch Zeiten. Bin 1991 zum ersten Mal ICE gefahren, kenne die also seit sie ganz neu waren 🤓

[@pathfinderproject9381]

what a nice cut at 9:34. very smooth. I like it

[@56independent42]

As a Brit, I love these. All we have are tiny Pendelinos which are cool but also cramped. They also reduce capacity by using up regional tracks instead of using dedicated tracks, like the HS2 would.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yep, I certainly prefer European trains for the experience!

[@slavakaza]

Great review once again! Thanks for that! As a regular user of ICE I have to highly disagree on the topic of the seats. They might be comfortable but only when your body is having those measures that the seats are designed for. If you're not like me, you're suffering from a backache after some 30 minutes because those ergonomical parts just ram into your back. The seat padding compared to other ICE seats is the worst even after the repadding of the seats. Also, the seat is only comfortable if you sit in the foreseen position. There's no way to turn to the side without getting in pain. Same for working on a laptop. Also, The seat recline with the bottom part sliding forwards. Even for me as a short person it gets uncomfortably narrow. The seats in first class are a little better, but still nothing great. Additionally you noticed a certain thing: Things are breaking a lot on this train: doors, toilets, etc. It got a little better but in the beginnig of their service nearly every train had a delay of some 20 minutes because of an outside door not working properly. The other thing: It's a train of roughly 400m length. The only type of area this train offers is an open compartment with hundreds of people making noise. Only at the very end of the train there are "compartments" with 6 to 8 people. But sitting there you're far off toilets or the restaurant car.

[@schrodingerskatze4308]

I never travelled with that train but that thing with the open compartment and noise really sounds really horrible now that you say it. If you are like me that is almost torture, especially when there are also children who probably start crying and screaming after 30 min because they are bored.

The seats are okay, as long as you use them for a limited time. Once you sit in one for more than two hours, you'll notice that they allow for exactly one comfortable sitting position. Once your back or bottom gets tired and you need to shift, things get really awkward. Personally, I really hate the wide headrests, because they make for a claustrophobic cell in row seats. The older ICE seats are not much narrower, but they allow for many different sightlines through the carriage, making row seats feel a lot more spacious while on the ICE4, the only place to look past you seat is up.

[@brendanmay9585]

"limited time" - kind of ironic since ICE is made for long journeys. Also, for me personally the seats give me instant back pain the moment I sit. I literally go and sit on the floor when I am forced to use the horrible ICE4

[@Mathou1244]

I've travelled by train in many countries in Europe and German trains are definitely one of the most comfortable. The cushion makes the whole difference cause it's so fluffy and cozy. Also the wifi portal is really practical

[@makssachs8914]

Too bad the rails suck so much.

[@TheEpicAppleEater01]

If you have not already, I highly recommend riding on the Karlsruhe Tram-Train as showcased in the video. It is indeed a very funny city, with trams next to TGV on the main station platforms, and oversized trams driving down the large streets of the city. The fact that one can take a large tram from the suburbs and ride for an hour right into the city centre to a small tram platform is really unique. The last time I was there there were large S-bahn works so maybe it is more expansive now.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I do need to try it actually, it's a cool novelty. Believe some of the trams there are the same as we've got operating here in Sheffield.

[@InTeCredo]

This is called "Karlsruhe model", which is actually S-Bahn that resembles trams. Now, all of Karlsruhe S-Bahn run underground in the city centre.

[@moritzl7065]

Interestingly one point of criticism of the ICE4 is also applies to the Class 80x trains in the UK (as you showed at 10:50). Basically they kind of look cheap and made of plastic. Especially railway fans don't like them because they're quite boring, as in they only have "Großraum" seating, unlike the classic ICE 1 which still has compartments. Also the fact that their top speed is 250km/h while their predecessor the ICE3 had 300km/h felt like a downgrade for many. Though I have to say the choices DB made were the correct one. The ICE 4 has extremely high capacity, is much more reliable than the ICE1 and honestly given that so few tracks in Germany run above 250km/h this top speed is perfectly adequate. The hard truth for train enthusiasts like me are that the best solutions for normal customers tend to make a train more boring for railway fans.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I remember once I had a reservation in those 800 seats with no window...safe to say I chose somewhere else!

[@Sven_Okas1967]

The interior design is ok. I think that you sit well in the seats and that you can also endure long journeys in the ICE 4. But with only 250 Km/h it becomes a brake block for faster following trains on some routes. Also, this train is not multi-system capable. My conclusion: Inside hui outside and under Pfui. Greetings from Berlin/ Germany. Sven

[@paul0303]

In total the 250 km/h are not that bad. On most of the tracks you can’t go any faster and it has a great acceleration. For example on the Cologne-Frankfurt Route it is only about 8 Minutes slower due to the good acceleration. The trains are also incredibly cheap in comparison to the other ICEs. I believe that this makes it a great product in almost every aspect.

[@Kletterhaus]

It now runs at up to 265km/h, they got a new permission for higher speeds

[@Skinksalladen]

@@paul0303 The issue is more that it may hold up 320km/h capable trains running in the same direction - and makes efficient scheduling more complicated.

[@jan-lukas]

@@Skinksalladen there's not a single line in Germany where you can up more than 300km/h, and even those are still quite rare. In the long term, the ICE 4 will probably be used mainly on lines where 300km/h is just not possible

[@PEdulis]

Nice to see the Saarschleife as one of the pictures you like to look at in the DB magazin. :)

[@neurofrank9967]

I recently travelled on an ICE 4 on a trip of almost 5 hours from Ravensburg in the South to Koblenz in the Rhine valley. Given the length of the journey, I invested in first class and did not regret it. I found the seats extremely comfortable (very similar if not identical to those shown in the video about the ICE3 neo), much nicer than on the ordinary Siemens Velaro, which I had experienced on Eurostar and ICE 3 services. The only minor complaint was that my compartment was adjacent to the dining section, and the constant rattling of cutlery out of the kitchen proved somewhat unnerving in the long run. That said, there is an option of reserving a quiet area, which was unavailable as I booked the trip only a few hours before departure. I had heard much criticism of these units beforehand, but I really liked it.

[@friddevonfrankenstein]

Wait a minute, are you saying that DB actually reacted to criticism and even improved upon those things? No friggin way, this is madness Oo

[@ballyhigh11]

I had to do a double take at that too! The aforementioned seats on British trains got mountains of criticism when they were introduced. The only response we got is that they are that way for 'SAFETY', so basically STFU you silly little people.

[@5mnz7fg]

I still prefer the old ICE 1 and 2 stock. They are more spacious. Furthermore, I don't like the "blocky" shape of the back part of ICE 4 seats. They give you kind of a feeling of sitting in front of a wall.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I see what you mean. Also the ICE 1 compartments are awesome!

[@5mnz7fg]

@@SuperalbsTravels Yes. I miss compartement trains anyway. For long distance train traveling compartements (or, at least, bays) are much more appropiate and comfortable as airline style furbishment.

[@erikhn9331]

Wonderful trains - I travel a lot in Europe, and these trains are superb. 5-6 hours from Hamburg to Munich just flies away. Brilliant 👍

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yes, the ICE is a true pleasure to ride. 🥰

[@berendt87]

1:22 A train with the logo of de Dutch Railways. As Dutchman I can read German language. This summer I traveled from the Netherlands to Italy by train. It was a great experience. I slept in a hotel in Weil am Rhein. The second till the fourth trains were ICE-trains.

[@florianvoigt4739]

in general the ice 4 is in my opinion a major step down in quality and comfort compared to the older trains. compartments older ices hab many different seating options to choose from, going through the train choosing a seat was a nice thing in the past. restaurant the restaurant of the ice got less and less classy. older ones had sky lights which was really pleasant on one of those long trips through germany. baby buggy we often travel with a buggy. the trains in germany are frequently used by mothers or fathers traveling alone with their kids. therefor it is really bad experience if you enter this train. first: you should not enter a waggon other than the „family“ waggon because the rows are so narrow you have to wait just behind the entry until the next station and change entries. unfortunately one of two entries of the family waggon is too narrow as well. mark: the right entrance is not marked! so good luck! bicycles addressing a long time complaint of customers the ice4 introduces bicycles carriage. note: 3 to 8 slots for a few hundred passengers. booking one is necessary 5 months upfront, just in case your train is not cancelled, which means you loose your reservation and any chance to get to your holiday destination… in general I am really happy if my ICE-train is not a model 4.

[@Mastakilla91]

New trains and the doors and toilets are already defect. Tells you everything you need to know about Siemens (the train manufacturer) and Deutsche Bahn nowadays. *Edit:* Now that I have seen what british ICs look like, I can understand your enthusiasm about the ICE 4. Damn your country is criminal for making you ride THAT.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Yep, it's pretty nice in comparison to what I put up with back home! 😂😂😂

[@truebras]

German being Germans just have to criticize about something, right. Myself the only criticism, is the very conservative, very business like ambiance of all ICE train sets since it’s inception in the early 1990’s. They always stuck with navy blue seats, light grey interior panels and bushed aluminum. 30!years with basically same design idea. If you jump from ICE to TGV or Italian train set, those are so much cheerful. Good things about ICE trains: The seats are more comfortable and there is more overall space around you. You also usually travel in a less crowded train. The train sets tend to be tidy. Well, trains in Europe travel faster and more efficiently than North America.

[@ZeroHiking]

Thanks for your video. I am one of those rejecting the seats of the ICE 4 as well as some Inter City Trains of the DB. When adjusting the seat, the headrest stays at the same angle as in the upright position, pushing the head forwards and making it hard to breathe. The fundamental problem is how the seat was designed. Instead of adjusting the angle of the entire backrest (as in the ICE 3), it now adjusts sliding in a seat pan that becomes steeper toward the top. Accordingly, the upper part of the body is "compressed" forwards when reclined. On the one hand, this makes sense, because the passenger behind you has more space; on the other hand, of course, the comfort of passengers who want to sleep in the reclined position suffers. In my opineon, the updated seats make the problem even worse. More padding just pushes the head even more forwards...

[@tianos9724]

Exactly. Those seats are okay for an hour or so, but not at all suitable for long-distance trains.

[@widson0049]

Actually, a given part of the ices4 drives allready 265. The fun fact is the train could easy go 330 an the highspeed rails are bulit to go 300. The older Ices do also drive there 300 but Ice4 just hasnt the authorization to be as fast as his older siblings.. Which is in my opinion pretty dump (but thats our germany "Bürokratie"😂🤦‍♂️)

[@paxundpeace9970]

It is designed for lower speeds for economic reasons too

[@1GTASANANDREASCJ]

The ICE4 isn't technically able to drive more than 265 (even this speed is held only a few seconds)

[@dziltener]

"Germany's high-speed rail is often the envy of Europe" - wait, WHAT? LMAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Oh boy... No. No, it isn't. It's the laughing stock of European rail, like the rest of Deutsche Bahn.

[@danielslovacek2101]

It is. Nearly flawless train (just 300 km/h). End of discussion.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Can't think of many (or any) countries that are better than Germany for trains honestly. :D

[@dziltener]

@@SuperalbsTravels Then you must truly be living under a rock. Pretty much every western European country has better train infrastructure than Germany. No other western European country has as many late and cancelled trains as Germany, for both passenger and freight transport. It's a complete and utter shitshow. I really can't blame all the Germans who opt to either just stick to their cars, or switch back to cars after having tried the trains, or who even take domestic flights.

[@SuperalbsTravels]

I've recently been trying to book travel on the French and Spanish networks, it's been nothing short of a nightmare and I'm not even there yet! 😵

[@Mastakilla91]

@@SuperalbsTravels Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands ?

[@conaly082]

Friend of mine is a train driver at DB Fernverkehr, driving currently 403 (ICE3) and 412 (ICE 4). Funfact, he told me: internally, they call the ICE 4 "Angie" or "Angelina"... yes, it is named after that one famous American actor you all are thinking about. I rarely got on an ICE 4 so far. I believe it was only twice and both times I was in 1st class which didn't seem to have bad seats. Still, compared to the other ICEs it somehow just feels much less classy than before. Let's see how the next ICE L (made by Talgo, an ICE with a locomotive and short carriages) will be. That one seems even less classy, but won't arrive until 2024. Maybe I get the chance to see one at Innotrans.

[@jonistan9268]

There are three things about this train that piss me off. 1. I'd like to keep my hearing, turn down this extremely loud and annoying door beeping, thank you. You don't have to go bubububububu during your entire 30 min turnaround stop in Chur, pissing everyone off who's at the station. You need to beep nowadays so blind people find the doors, yes, but that sound can be quieter and less annoying. 2. The room between the seat and the plastic wall is too narrow, my arm doesn't go on the armrest there. But at least I can put it on the plastic thingy at the window, also works for me. Provided there is a window there, which brings me to the third issue. 3. A big number of 'window' seats don't have a window there, but a plastic wall for you to stare at. Seats and windows don't line up, looks like that was done randomly. FIRST plan the sitting arrangement, THEN the windows, NOT the other way around, this isn't an airplane. The Stadler Giruno for example has all the windows aligned perfectly, even has big and small windows, depending on the layout of the seats. It's not that hard. Apart from these issues, I like them. They're EXTREMELY quiet when going along, even in tunnels, the characteristic noise in tunnels you know from other trains is just gone. The seats are comfortable as well (apart from the aforementioned issue). They're definitely a lot better than the rubbish double decker Bombardier embarrassments SBB got for us. I always like it when I get an ICE 4 for a trip in Switzerland.

[@ianhelps3749]

I have made several ICE trips from Munich to Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Berlin etc. ICE4s often run on the Munich to Berlin route since there is usually high demand for seats. Never had a problem with them, though seat alignment with windows is not optimal. If it is a 13 coach unit you might have a long walk to the buffet. I still like the ICE1 trains where you can travel in a compartment. Although the line speed from Ingolstadt to Nuremberg is 300kmh, usually the trains keep to 250kmh, maybe to save energy. DB will be making an updated ICE3 for the next generation of trains.

[@InTeCredo]

Deutsche Bahn uses ICE 3 for certain Sprinter service between Munich and Berlin, taking less than four hours. There's more than just one 300 km/h line between Munich and Berlin: one from Bamberg to Erfurt and from Erfurt to Halle. I've ridden ICE 3 on this route, and it was so amazing to see the rolling hills moving by fast in the eastern Germany!

[@marilynscott2662]

Very informative thank you

[@funkyhetzer6624]

Dear Superalbs, I really like and enjoy your videos! They have even helped me on some train rides. I would highly suggest checking out Serbia’s new high speed train called „Soko“ or hawk on Serb. The trains are similar to Austrian westbahn. Hope you read this and keep making such great Videos!

[@SuperalbsTravels]

Thank you very much for the kind comment! I have already been on the Soko service, it was nice. :)

[@funkyhetzer6624]

Glad to hear it!

[@JanPBtest]

The main problem with newer trains in general is that they feature a seating _kolkhoz_ rather than compartments. The _kolkhoz_ layout is vastly inferior to the compartment one (for many reasons). I noticed some railways in Europe (e.g. Switzerland, Poland, probably others) have partially returned to the compartment layout but it's now treated as something _special_ for which requires reservation in advance, sometimes for an extra fee. IOW, what used to be the norm, has become a luxury.

[@xingsui4938]

A:So the new train will not be late? DB:No no no,we don't do that here

[@antonnurwald5700]

I don't hate this one. I enjoy riding the ICE no matter what generation. This one is the practical workhorse with lots of space for luggage and bikes, and also a few nice gimmicks like the lighting. 1 is the OG with the cool elevated roof on the restaurant car, love it. 2 is still super spacious and comfortable. 3 is narrower but very slick, extremely fast and elegant. 4 is the workhorse. Looking forward to whatever comes next.

[@ey7290]

I rode one of these from Freiburg to Frankfurt Airport a couple of months ago because of flight cancellations and a whole load of other issues. It was far better than my regular Class 800s I ride here from London to South Wales

[@YesterchipsMIG]

As long as we are complaining we are improving. Guess theres no german who is not complaining about the railsystem... and thats okay ;) Thanks for the great video!

[@SohnoZ]

I frequently go by train, and recently went on an ICE4. For a good part of the track, we went above 300km/h, and I still could quite comfortably walk around. Quite impressive. Also, I found the legroom really comfortable. Sure, there's always something to criticise, but overall, I'm happy we got a reasonable and fast train system. I hope more funds go there instead of streets, the better the infrastructure, the more people consider it a viable alternative, the denser the net becomes, the more comfortable it gets. It's not there yet, but going in the right direction.

[@InTeCredo]

Me thinks, you actually rode ICE 3, the only train in Deutsche Bahn fleet to travel at 300 km/h (and at 320 in French section). ICE 4 couldn't travel faster than 250 km/h (7- and 12-carriage train set) and 265 km/h (13-carriage train set).

[@mariadelmarjimenezarroyo2656]

8:04 I'd want a video on: -AVE S102 from Madrid to Malaga on Basico class -AVE S103 from Malaga to Madrid PLEASE 🙏 But other than that, you are a very good youtuber

[@sixone7478]

Nice vid. The fact that the train comes into Frankfurt with a open nose, toilets are not working plus the sliding door running in manual mode is typical German. Plus the trains usually look like they had the last wash 3 years ago. Never experienced that in Japan on my Shinkansen journeys.

[@monacam9341]

I travelled with it and found it great. Even the Toilets are big enough to carry big lugguage inside.And it was clean everywhere.