The left-luggage system in Cologne is very clever - you go to a locker, tell it how long you want it for: up to 2 hours, up to 24 hours, longer... and it tells you how much to pay, which you can do by cash or card, then the locker door opens and you put your stuff inside, and it issues you a ticket and a receipt. But the clever part is that the whole locker then moves down to a storage area, so when you come to retrieve it, you can go to any locker door, insert your ticket, and it brings your stuff up just as you put it in! Takes a minute or two, but that's all.
That's what I like about German trains with a Eurail Pass. You can jump off and on with no reservation fee, unlike France, Italy and Spain. That's why I like traveling in Germany the best. Great video as always.
Until recently, even booking the reservations for trains in France/Spain/Italy was complicated, since you could only get them at a manned counter at the station or by phone. Not to mention how expensive they are. Now for the most part it's possible to do online, but even despite the high cost they won't let you choose your seat..
There's actually 2 levers for the recline, the one you pulled is just to bring the seat cushion forward, but the one on the otherside brings the seat back downwards which is the main recline function of the seat
Unfortunately, that wasn't the new interior design. This has only been installed since unit 408 017 (you used 408 011, which still received the improved seats from the ICE 4) 😉.
@@1GTASANANDREASCJ I know the seats inside and out. The backrest and seat cushion are identical to the ICE 4 seats (it is clearly visible). Only the headboard was slightly modified. You can clearly see that it is the Hermes seat of Clerprem. Which is also logical, since DB Fernverkehr relies entirely on Clerprem seats for the 408 series (supply contracts). Even with the completely new seats from unit 408 017 you can see that they are still Clerprem seats.
That is soo many levels above and beyond the new inter-city trains that the UK gets. The IETs look like a kids toy compared to the ICE3neo. This was also a first class ticket for less than you'd pay for a comparable inter-city trip in standard class in the UK.
Try the international book store: papers, journals and - yes! - books 📚 in English, Spanish, French, Italian-it's the EU 🇪🇺 ! The Italian "La Gazetta dello Sport" - the most widely read 🗞️ 📰 newspaper of any kind in Italy - covers football on a daily basis (and then some Formula One and cycling events). Okay, I was commenting on airport and train integration, but why not some European integration too. 🙋⚽ European football championship takes place this summer ...
I tried this train last summer and I got to say it was really good even in second class! It was a comfortable and fast trip through half of Germany. Everything was perfect.... except the 30min delay. But don't worry, my connecting train was also delayed :D
Nice! You could try the regional train from Lübeck to Kiel. The line is served by brand new battery-operated trains, as there is no overhead line yet. The views of the lakes around Plön are also beautiful.
Cologne is the third tallest Cathedral in the world, and number one is Ulm Minster (161.5 m - 4.1m taller than Cologne), which was deliberately built taller due to an ongoing rivalry between Cologne and Ulm.
Always had a soft spot for DB since I worked in Germany in the 1970,s then the ice trains were very punctual and you had to reserve your seat when you bought the ticket, done that journey by ice and re express, last time I travelled by ice all the seats were leather, nice post
Nicely said but at least misleading, since neither during the 70s nor during the 80s ICE trains were operating, in contrast to French TGVs, which were operational a whole decade earlier, which is nicely ignored by ICE Fans🙂Btw. I'm German not French.
Hello, a really good video again 😃 I go by ICE between Dortmund and Berlin several times a year, and it always is a great way to travel. You cant really beat a train ride in an ICE with any car on that route, neither the time nor the comfort, if you travel alone. Even if there are not so uptodate trains, they are much more comfy. Plus, visiting Berlin is always great, the city is really a capital.
I love DB first class ICE services. I try and travel on them a couple of times a year. Having worked for British airways for over 30 years I’m now discovering just how good rail travel is.
It should be noted that this is very likely close to the train set that will be used on the California HSR system, since Siemens Mobility will assemble them at their plant in Sacramento, California USA.
I just found out that Amtrak (USA) and VIA (Canada) bought locomotives and coaches from Siemens, and the interior looks a lot like the ICE 3 neo interior, with the wheelchair lift in Canada integrated into the train
I like that the seat reservation display is back at the top on the overhead luggage racks - unlike on the ICE4 where it is integrated in the corridor adjacent seats.
They finally did it! They moved the power socket to the window side. I don't understand why on most trains it's on the aisle side, where it gets in your way if you want to exit the seat.
Great video! But I have to say, the "interior" and the trains of the db have never been a weakness or even problem for me. I even like the IC2. DB has to fix all the other problems.
After all this time watching your videos it’s so fun to see one on my regular commuting route :D I’m really happy about the Neo too, but I usually don’t catch one as they’re still quite rare.
I do have to say as user of FRA multiple times as a stop over. It's rather easy to navigate if one is flying LateHansa all the way or their partner airlines.
what a dream it would be this type of train making journeys in Brazil... Rio to São Paulo in 2 and a half hours, Brasília to Goiânia in one hour, Natal to Maceió in 4 hours... one can only dream!
04:29 Wooow its very rarely see a cargotrain in this station because this station is very busy with normal trains and there is a extra second track over cologne south!!!! 😮😮😮😮😮
I usually travel in second in second class from North to south germany. and these train are really good. As you say, the seats are quite comfy. It takes quite some hours to feel uncomfortable, (usually after 5 and half hours I am fed up seating there). The luggage space is good even when the train is packed.
The ICE train is indeed very comfortable, but the problem is that the German network forces him to drove so slowly that it often takes these 6 hours for a distance the TGV in France or the AVE etc. in Spain whould need only 3 hours for, so the ICE seats _have_ to be more comfortable.
They are nice trains. A few teething issues such as the water in the toilet sink needs to be more responsive; they could have USB A + C at seat (at least in first class) and the seats in 1st class are no longer leather but a kind of hard wearing material.
@Nonstop Eurotrip at 4:23 when your ICE3 Neo trainset arrives i see also an BR 189 from Beacon Rail slowly coming trough Cologne/Köln HBF with an containter train
You made a small mistake at 7:24. The ICE 3 Neo you went with actually does not have the new design, but the old one. The first few train sets still came with the old design and only since the end of last year, all new trains come with the new interior design. So you might want to give the ICE 3 Neo another try at some point, as the new design is soooo good imo :D
I have found all types of ICE trains Very Comfortable in the First Class. The Neo trains are clearly at least just as good! On the subject of information screens, Siemens is to be congratulated on the excellent screens it seems to fit on all trains it manufactures. Contrast Alstom!
Tbh in 1st class on ICEs the best place to sit is in a row with two seats and a window, you have a seat to block your views and the middle seat also has a wall. So if you work with sensitive information for work, nobody disrupts you and its much more chilled also :)
I first thought that the config with one is better but try it out and tell us if you tried it ;) U forgot to show that the tray tables can be also pushed outwards so its easier so sit there with a Laptop or IPad or just general usage
Interrail passholders may not NEED to make reservations but for ICEs and IC trains at peak times it is most certainly recommended (unless you want to spend most of your journey standing). This is especially important this summer with the Euro 2024 being held in Germany and a special €29.90 fare being available for match ticket holders.
I got lucky a few times and got a seat without a reservation when trains were full. I think Germany had the 9.99 fare last year. Even though the price isn't for ICE trains, it still spillover to them. You're right, they can get crowded in summer.
@@gbrasil75 Have to disagree, at least with standard/2nd class. Their seats are a slippery leather and do not recline. Though their premium or executive class are way better than the ICE's 1st class.
@@natewpi mean we’re comparing first classes since he was in first class on this train. most of the times business class costa less than second class in frecciarossa
@@NonstopEurotrip I heard it loud and clear. But i am very surprised that there are categories making a distinction between the number of towers. To me it’s the highest in the world or not. Nevertheless thanks for the clarification.
@@NonstopEurotrip Absolutely correct! I am not arguing about the fact that you said something wrong. But for your mentioned record height the church building has to be catholic, a cathedral and twin towered - making it a very small and special category, which your viewers might not be aware of.
You had an ICE 3 neo with the older interior (one of the first 16 trainsets). Starting with the 17th trainset, the interior is completely new. Sadly you can't see in advance which interior version is used for which service.
I'd love to see a separate video on the connection between DB (esp ICE-trains) and Frankfurt airport. It's by far the best way to get to the airport, no car parking, no hustle, well integrated to the passenger-friendly layout of FRA. You leave the train, and from your platform there's actually an escalator directly to the Departures area. Since you probably did all your paperwork on the Internet, it's as close to platform 9 3/4 without a steam engine plane ... please show your viewers what's possible in terms of air-/train-travel integration
@@NonstopEurotripOf course, you're right 👍but somehow, people (prospective customers) have a hard time believing my description ( leaving train, taking a single escalator (from same platform ) close to departure and arrival areas. Wink wink, and surely its platform 9 3/4 - until they switched from car to train the first time. No I'm not working for Deutsche Bahn or Frankfurt Airport, it's just terribly convenient without the hustle of floo powder 😂😂
Cool Video, sadly didn't catch one of the neos yet. First ride got cancelled or something, don't remember. Second ride, they swapped the train. Grmblfx
Great review, thanks for uploading! It does appear that some seats are misaligned with the windows, just like on ICE 4. Both the seats behind and in front of you have walls instead of windows. I would be sad if I reserved a seat in an empty carriage only to have no window! *Edit: I found a seating chart on Man in Seat 61's site. In this 1.Kl. carriage there are 30 "window" seats, and 16 of them appear to have walls. Personally I think this is a major design defect of these newer trains.
A few points to bear in mind. Be careful to check in advance whether the German train drivers' union isn't calling one of its all too frequent 2 to 3 day strikes. Secondly the delays on the system as a whole tend to result from signal failures. Quite why they occur so often, I have no idea, but the DB management needs really to get a grip on this. Thirdly, the ICE route gets you there comfortably and quickly, but the old route between Köln/Cologne and Frankfurt takes you down the Rhine and is one of the most scenic routes you will find in Europe (including going past the Lorelei rock). It takes twice as long, but at the last count some IC and EC trains still go that way. If you are not pushed for time, it is well recommended. As for ICE journeys, I have used most generations of them (not the newest one though) since I first came as a tourist in 1985 and since I moved here permanently in 2003. Name an ICE route in Western and Southern Germany and international services to France, the Netherlands and Austria, and my wife and I will have taken it. It may be nostalgia rather than fact, but I am sure that back in time the service was far more reliable and efficient than it is now.
Other than having an improved interior, I was surprised to see the train body being spotlessly clean with a matching shine As of date, I never experienced ICE first class as the price was always outrageously high everytime I booked for my trips. Maybe I'll get lucky next time huh?
nice video, thank you. However, the statement that Cologne Cathedral has the highest church towers in the world is wrong!! The highest church tower in the world is also in Germany, but in Ulm! The tower of Ulm Minster is 161.53 m high.
The prices are scaling with the amount of booked tickets, just like airline prices. If there are still super saving tickets available, the costs can be quite low. There is for example a first class seat for only 24€ if you book it 1-2 weeks in advance. If you need a ticket for tomorrow you pay 60-130€ depending on departure time.
My most recent experiences with ICEs of varying generations have sadly been disastrous and make me sceptical about your assessment. Toilets were frequently out of order, and one train that seemed fairly recent managed to rack up half an hour of delay before even setting off from its initial starting point due to software malfunction. I finally reached Cologne at 2:30 in the morning instead of 11 pm. At one point we were standing next to the train outside at a small station south of Frankfurt, around midnight, until the driver had finished re-booting the train‘s systems and convinced it to continue. My opinion of the competence of Siemens has been vastly impaired by this extreme experience, but knowing it’s not completely uncommon is the essential point here. I would certainly love Deutsche Bahn to buy a few sets of French or Japanese made trains once in a while, just to kick Siemens in the butt. They deserve it. PS. And by the way, if you ride trains in first class to vlog about them, you can of course take full advantage of special offer prices, which very rarely are an option when you travel for work, or have to meet certain appointments. When you’re travelling under the usual circumstances for most users, even with a BahnCard 50 you’ll pay tariffs not far off the gas price of a car drive, for a single person. Imagine the comparison for a family of 4 or 5 people.
DB tries to save some energy by not going all the time to the max possible speed. Because the energy consumption is exponential to the speed. This means 250 to 300 km/h needs four times the energy than 150 to 200 km/h. But i pay for a high speed ride and expect to be transported in the shortest time possible. Btw, the route Cologne - Frankfurt also passes the Hallerbachtalbrücke wich is free for 300 km/h and because of the up and down one gets there a free roller coaster ride, bcs. of the g-forces.
I got really confused when I saw the blue stripes on the ICE at around 3:25 but, I asked AI and apparently that unit is called "_Europa / Europe_ " or also "_Unit 406 001_" from what I know, it is the only unit with blue stripes at Deutsche Bahn. edit: about all announcements being in both German and English, to me it has happened that they were only on German, and if they were on English they were shorter.
@@NonstopEurotrip I'm sorry, but thats simply not correct ! You propably confound the River Rhine with its influx "Alpenrhein". The "Alpenrhein" is part of the River Rhine-System - but not River Rhine itself! Btw "Half of it" would be wrong by far anyways.
I miss the entire media offer, you usually find on every arm rest. Also I thought that every ICEs first class has a screen on the back side of every seat.. haven’t been on one in a while..
wait it takes 1 hour and 27 minutes?? when i took this train it was little under one hour, but only stopped at the airport in between. Damn, that they allowed the stops at limburg and such if they take that much time, no wonder that train was dead.
Afaik currently the fasted scheduled train takes 54min with this being one of the slowest (via the SFS), I guess it’s just because they use less power and save some money this way, or there might not be available platforms (for these short route, stop everywhere, and thereby not as important ices) in Frankfurt/Cologne
I just have a quick question, if someone out here could give me some clarity on. It is regarding the DB app. I'm trying to book an ICE train to Brussels from Frankfurt via DB app, but its not available. However, if I try to book the same ICE train through another app called Omio it is available for purchase. I really dislike booking trains/ flights through 3rd parties booking platforms. If someone out there could point me in the right direction. I would be very grateful. Thank you!
There is an upgraded version of the new interior. There are videos about it but coverage is in German. Here's one such video ua-cam.com/video/RLW-0KAzap0/v-deo.htmlsi=G6zvcfp4ygI6jgA3
@@NonstopEurotrip They should change the timetable. In Poland a simle Pendolino goes from Gdansk to Central Warsaw with a similar speed, but with Vmax=200 kph on small fraction of the 327 km distance. Using Vmax 320 kph train with average speed of 130 kph is waste of opportunity...
Yes, you can turn up and take any free seat in your class of travel but, BEWARE: trains in Germany are VERY popular and even the first class will very often be completely full! Much better to pay the couple of euros for a reservation, imho
Why are so many people saying the Kölner Dom is the tallest cathedral in the world? The Ulmer Münster holds that title. Or am I misunderstanding something? Kölner Dom is 157.4m tall, Ulmer Münster is 161.5m tall. Anyway, I'm here for the trains, was just something I noticed people saying pretty often even though it's wrong, so please excluse my little fit. Wow they sent a freight train through the main station! That's pretty rare as the station is usually a bottleneck. The top speed you saw just being 284 is probably due to DB drivers being obligated to drive economically and not go full speed. You usually need some luck to expereince the full 300 on the line, best with a train that is slightly delayed and doesn't stop in Montabaur and Limburg. I once went the opposite way and they got up to 311 km/h according to the onboard display and we were really feeling the g-forces on the steep bits, was a very cool experience. Living in Hamburg I would need to make special plans to catch an ICE 3 over the line as Hamburg drivers aren't trained on these and nearly all trains from here that take the line are ICE 4, but I will get around to riding one eventually!
Thanks for watching and I appreciate the comment! I apologise if English is not your first language, but I actually said it's the tallest "cathedral with twin towers" in the world, not tallest overall 👍🏻
Book Great Deals on Train, Plane, Bus & Ferry Travel through my Omio Affiliate Link here: omio.sjv.io/QO0XMx
The left-luggage system in Cologne is very clever - you go to a locker, tell it how long you want it for: up to 2 hours, up to 24 hours, longer... and it tells you how much to pay, which you can do by cash or card, then the locker door opens and you put your stuff inside, and it issues you a ticket and a receipt. But the clever part is that the whole locker then moves down to a storage area, so when you come to retrieve it, you can go to any locker door, insert your ticket, and it brings your stuff up just as you put it in! Takes a minute or two, but that's all.
That is super amazing Annabel! 👏🏻😍
Same system is used in most German main stations and also in the Netherlands and Austria.
It's like those in Japan. Really hope they would implement this more across Europe!
@@keithparker5125 hahahahaha nope- at least not in germany
@@keithparker5125no, it’s completely unique in germany. Not sure why it hasn’t caught on, it might be a pain to operate…
That's what I like about German trains with a Eurail Pass. You can jump off and on with no reservation fee, unlike France, Italy and Spain. That's why I like traveling in Germany the best. Great video as always.
germany is similar to the smaller countries in the eu in this way and others, things are suprisingly less bureaucratic
Until recently, even booking the reservations for trains in France/Spain/Italy was complicated, since you could only get them at a manned counter at the station or by phone. Not to mention how expensive they are. Now for the most part it's possible to do online, but even despite the high cost they won't let you choose your seat..
lol Germany's train service is insanely unreliable.
@Blue_Monkey Amtrak is much worse
Amen, along with Switzerland!
this video deserves more views 😢
My dude 🤩
It's not even one hour after uploading how can he get views in million ? 😂
@@smartpoint6643 See how long ago the comment was posted xD
@@smartpoint6643 my dude was just checking it 🤭
Why do sometimes I have a feeling you and NonStopEurotrip are the one person?
There's actually 2 levers for the recline, the one you pulled is just to bring the seat cushion forward, but the one on the otherside brings the seat back downwards which is the main recline function of the seat
Whoops 🤭
@@NonstopEurotripAnd a rather large one too :)
@@NonstopEurotripTrying the 2nd lever and making this review as comprehensive as possible is just the excuse you needed to go back :)
Unfortunately, that wasn't the new interior design. This has only been installed since unit 408 017 (you used 408 011, which still received the improved seats from the ICE 4) 😉.
Honestly, I prefer these seats!
These aren't the improved seats from the ICE 4 ;-)
@@1GTASANANDREASCJ Of course they are. What makes you think they are different seats?
@@avmz111 Because they are completly different.
Headrest, Back part and lower part is different.
@@1GTASANANDREASCJ I know the seats inside and out. The backrest and seat cushion are identical to the ICE 4 seats (it is clearly visible). Only the headboard was slightly modified. You can clearly see that it is the Hermes seat of Clerprem. Which is also logical, since DB Fernverkehr relies entirely on Clerprem seats for the 408 series (supply contracts). Even with the completely new seats from unit 408 017 you can see that they are still Clerprem seats.
That is soo many levels above and beyond the new inter-city trains that the UK gets. The IETs look like a kids toy compared to the ICE3neo. This was also a first class ticket for less than you'd pay for a comparable inter-city trip in standard class in the UK.
right? we should be getting AT LEAST ONE more high speed line connecting more cities but instead we get cuts here and there
Isn't it just 🤣
Britain is f**ked
Definitely, by far, the best high speed train out there imo, more spacious than a TGV, modern and top notch design! 🙌
Oh by a million miles 😅
Cologne main station has a wonderful bookshop, notably for railfans. Especially if you can read German.
Unfortunately, I can't read German! :-(
@@NonstopEurotrip Start by purchasing a German book on trains. 😉
Try the international book store: papers, journals and - yes! - books 📚 in English, Spanish, French, Italian-it's the EU 🇪🇺 ! The Italian "La Gazetta dello
Sport" - the most widely read 🗞️ 📰 newspaper of any kind in Italy - covers football on a daily basis (and then some Formula One and cycling events). Okay, I was commenting on airport and train integration, but why not some European integration too. 🙋⚽ European football championship takes place this summer ...
Yes it does, I've seen me spend an hour in it.
I tried this train last summer and I got to say it was really good even in second class! It was a comfortable and fast trip through half of Germany. Everything was perfect.... except the 30min delay. But don't worry, my connecting train was also delayed :D
Standard Germany lol 😂
Nice! You could try the regional train from Lübeck to Kiel. The line is served by brand new battery-operated trains, as there is no overhead line yet. The views of the lakes around Plön are also beautiful.
Thanks for the suggestion 😃
Cologne is the third tallest Cathedral in the world, and number one is Ulm Minster (161.5 m - 4.1m taller than Cologne), which was deliberately built taller due to an ongoing rivalry between Cologne and Ulm.
I never said it was the tallest, I said it was the tallest with twin towers actually 😉
Good, you know things. Now listen to what he said again :)
@@NonstopEurotrip This is precisely why my teachers at school always said I do not pay attention! Hang on one moment, I have just seen a moth...
Oh I love a German railway station and an ICE train, this new seat looks fantastic, would love to give it a try sometime!
Next challenge Steve. Maybe we have a race 😉
So nice to see one of my favorite UA-camrs reacting to my other favorite UA-cam channel ☺️
Hey Steve, still hungover from the pubs?
Always had a soft spot for DB since I worked in Germany in the 1970,s then the ice trains were very punctual and you had to reserve your seat when you bought the ticket, done that journey by ice and re express, last time I travelled by ice all the seats were leather, nice post
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻
You must have travelled in time then, because ICE service only started in 1991. :)
Nicely said but at least misleading, since neither during the 70s nor during the 80s ICE trains were operating, in contrast to French TGVs, which were operational a whole decade earlier, which is nicely ignored by ICE Fans🙂Btw. I'm German not French.
Great video!
Sadly you didn't get to experience the all new interior design that some new class 408s already have.
I prefer this one!
@@NonstopEurotrip I like both.
Hello, a really good video again 😃 I go by ICE between Dortmund and Berlin several times a year, and it always is a great way to travel. You cant really beat a train ride in an ICE with any car on that route, neither the time nor the comfort, if you travel alone. Even if there are not so uptodate trains, they are much more comfy. Plus, visiting Berlin is always great, the city is really a capital.
Thanks for the tips!
I love DB first class ICE services. I try and travel on them a couple of times a year. Having worked for British airways for over 30 years I’m now discovering just how good rail travel is.
Yeah, the food in ICE dining cars is really expensive, but from my experiences, it's pretty high quality and tastes good.
I totally agree!
I just recently seen your videos and i honestly believe you do the most professional travel videos I’ve yet seen so far! Great job!!
Wow, thank you! That means a lot 😀
It should be noted that this is very likely close to the train set that will be used on the California HSR system, since Siemens Mobility will assemble them at their plant in Sacramento, California USA.
CAHSR still hasn't chosen what tolling stock it will use
@@ugochukwueze496 But it appears to be a Siemens model. The _Velaro_ derivatives have been used in multiple countries.
I think so too
I just found out that Amtrak (USA) and VIA (Canada) bought locomotives and coaches from Siemens, and the interior looks a lot like the ICE 3 neo interior, with the wheelchair lift in Canada integrated into the train
They did, yes.
I like that the seat reservation display is back at the top on the overhead luggage racks - unlike on the ICE4 where it is integrated in the corridor adjacent seats.
Me too;
They finally did it!
They moved the power socket to the window side.
I don't understand why on most trains it's on the aisle side, where it gets in your way if you want to exit the seat.
I love how the ICE 3 Neo resembles the old Velaros
The ICE 3 neo is a Velaro derivative.
It's a Velaro
Maybe "old" by name and look but it's deeply, deeply modernised.
These trains were designed in the mid 90's. How can it be an old Velaro? Seems to me to be the other way around.
I wish to add they were in the works even earlier in Germany.
Great video! But I have to say, the "interior" and the trains of the db have never been a weakness or even problem for me. I even like the IC2. DB has to fix all the other problems.
Like the delays 🥲
After all this time watching your videos it’s so fun to see one on my regular commuting route :D I’m really happy about the Neo too, but I usually don’t catch one as they’re still quite rare.
Great to hear!
I do have to say as user of FRA multiple times as a stop over. It's rather easy to navigate if one is flying LateHansa all the way or their partner airlines.
I rarely fly LHR. It's a pain for AY. And they use the AF lounge which is terrible 😕
I rarely fly LHR. It's a pain for AY. And they use the AF lounge which is terrible 😕
06:48 Those river cruise ships are stuck in Cologne until the water level goes back down to normal!
Oh wow 🤯
what a dream it would be this type of train making journeys in Brazil... Rio to São Paulo in 2 and a half hours, Brasília to Goiânia in one hour, Natal to Maceió in 4 hours... one can only dream!
That would be AMAZING 😍
04:29 Wooow its very rarely see a cargotrain in this station because this station is very busy with normal trains and there is a extra second track over cologne south!!!! 😮😮😮😮😮
I never knew 🤣
I usually travel in second in second class from North to south germany. and these train are really good. As you say, the seats are quite comfy. It takes quite some hours to feel uncomfortable, (usually after 5 and half hours I am fed up seating there).
The luggage space is good even when the train is packed.
Absolutely, yes!
The ICE train is indeed very comfortable, but the problem is that the German network forces him to drove so slowly that it often takes these 6 hours for a distance the TGV in France or the AVE etc. in Spain whould need only 3 hours for, so the ICE seats _have_ to be more comfortable.
@@goldfing5898 unfair but true. The network has definitely room for improvement
Thanks that a foreigner resumes the DB Train positive!😊
If it was bad, trust me I'd say it!
They are nice trains. A few teething issues such as the water in the toilet sink needs to be more responsive; they could have USB A + C at seat (at least in first class) and the seats in 1st class are no longer leather but a kind of hard wearing material.
Absolutely 💯
Great trip. Can't wait for this train running abroad.
Same here!
@Nonstop Eurotrip at 4:23 when your ICE3 Neo trainset arrives i see also an BR 189 from Beacon Rail slowly coming trough Cologne/Köln HBF with an containter train
🥰🥰🥰
@@NonstopEurotrip normally freight trains are not coming trough Cologne/Köln HBF but are bypassing it via a freightline after Köln West
The ICE 3 is to me the best high speed train in the world!
I know the TGV, the AVE and the Shinkansen, but the ICE 3 is the best! ❤❤❤❤
TGV 💩
You made a small mistake at 7:24. The ICE 3 Neo you went with actually does not have the new design, but the old one. The first few train sets still came with the old design and only since the end of last year, all new trains come with the new interior design. So you might want to give the ICE 3 Neo another try at some point, as the new design is soooo good imo :D
This is also new, and better than the new new one imho
I have found all types of ICE trains Very Comfortable in the First Class. The Neo trains are clearly at least just as good! On the subject of information screens, Siemens is to be congratulated on the excellent screens it seems to fit on all trains it manufactures. Contrast Alstom!
Totally agree! 💯
sehr guter Siemens-Zug!
Tbh in 1st class on ICEs the best place to sit is in a row with two seats and a window, you have a seat to block your views and the middle seat also has a wall. So if you work with sensitive information for work, nobody disrupts you and its much more chilled also :)
I first thought that the config with one is better but try it out and tell us if you tried it ;) U forgot to show that the tray tables can be also pushed outwards so its easier so sit there with a Laptop or IPad or just general usage
Thanks for sharing 😊
Lovey video and too good train , looking forward for a trip on this
Interrail passholders may not NEED to make reservations but for ICEs and IC trains at peak times it is most certainly recommended (unless you want to spend most of your journey standing). This is especially important this summer with the Euro 2024 being held in Germany and a special €29.90 fare being available for match ticket holders.
I got lucky a few times and got a seat without a reservation when trains were full. I think Germany had the 9.99 fare last year. Even though the price isn't for ICE trains, it still spillover to them. You're right, they can get crowded in summer.
While this is true for longer trips,, but for short hops it's not necessary
ICE is best train in Europe :-) Thanks for video :-)
I agree 💯👍🏻
Frecciarossa 1000 Is better
@@gbrasil75 Have to disagree, at least with standard/2nd class. Their seats are a slippery leather and do not recline. Though their premium or executive class are way better than the ICE's 1st class.
@@natewpi mean we’re comparing first classes since he was in first class on this train. most of the times business class costa less than second class in frecciarossa
They have learned from the mistakes they made with ICE 4. So glad they ordered so many ICE 3 neo. Also, I love filming the ICE 3 neo.
I have done ICE Düsseldorf to Berlin, Frankfurt to Amsterdam and back. 1st class is always worth the extra money.
Absolutely!!
1:00 The „Ulmer Münster“ actually is 161,5 meters high, making it the highest church tower in the world.
I apologise if English is not your first language, but I actually said it's the tallest "cathedral with twin towers" in the world.
@@NonstopEurotrip I heard it loud and clear. But i am very surprised that there are categories making a distinction between the number of towers. To me it’s the highest in the world or not. Nevertheless thanks for the clarification.
@@christophfranke85 I'm reliably informed that Ulm is also not a cathedral?
@@NonstopEurotrip Absolutely correct! I am not arguing about the fact that you said something wrong. But for your mentioned record height the church building has to be catholic, a cathedral and twin towered - making it a very small and special category, which your viewers might not be aware of.
I'm certainly pleased that theyre somewhat better looking than the ghastly ICE 4 (if not quite as sleek and awesome as the original ICE 3)
You had an ICE 3 neo with the older interior (one of the first 16 trainsets). Starting with the 17th trainset, the interior is completely new. Sadly you can't see in advance which interior version is used for which service.
Better interior imho
Hey mate great video!😊🎉 which speedometer do you use if I may ask. The ones i find are crap ;)
It's just called 'Speedometer' on android 😆
0:57 Cologne Cathedral is NOT the tallest church in the world. That would be Ulm Minster.
I apologise if English is not your first language, but I actually said it's the tallest "cathedral with twin towers" in the world.
I'd love to see a separate video on the connection between DB (esp ICE-trains) and Frankfurt airport. It's by far the best way to get to the airport, no car parking, no hustle, well integrated to the passenger-friendly layout of FRA. You leave the train, and from your platform there's actually an escalator directly to the Departures area. Since you probably did all your paperwork on the Internet, it's as close to platform 9 3/4 without a steam engine plane ... please show your viewers what's possible in terms of air-/train-travel integration
It's literally in this video 🤣
@@NonstopEurotripOf course, you're right 👍but somehow, people (prospective customers) have a hard time believing my description ( leaving train, taking a single escalator (from same platform ) close to departure and arrival areas. Wink wink, and surely its platform 9 3/4 - until they switched from car to train the first time. No I'm not working for Deutsche Bahn or Frankfurt Airport, it's just terribly convenient without the hustle of floo powder 😂😂
What do you think is the best train system in europe?
Switzerland, without doubt
What is the best in the EU?
@@maxthurnerprobably NL
Thought it's an internal combustion engine train that goes 320km/h. That would be very impressive
👀
Cool Video, sadly didn't catch one of the neos yet. First ride got cancelled or something, don't remember. Second ride, they swapped the train. Grmblfx
Finally a positive statement about DB. It's very rare to hear if you are German. ;)
Honestly compared to the UK, I love travelling with DB 🙌🏻
Great review, thanks for uploading! It does appear that some seats are misaligned with the windows, just like on ICE 4. Both the seats behind and in front of you have walls instead of windows. I would be sad if I reserved a seat in an empty carriage only to have no window! *Edit: I found a seating chart on Man in Seat 61's site. In this 1.Kl. carriage there are 30 "window" seats, and 16 of them appear to have walls. Personally I think this is a major design defect of these newer trains.
Good point! ☝🏻
9:00 You really said: Is the recline in the room with us? 😂
Ummmmmmm
Fantastic train. Can't wait to try it out.
Hope you enjoy it!
Must try it!: thanks.. Good you are back in Europe...
Hope you enjoy!
if they are one time, the German ICE trains are a nice and fun way to travel.
like this video, btw, I don t know why the new Neo have only 2 first class car vs 3 with the old one
A few points to bear in mind. Be careful to check in advance whether the German train drivers' union isn't calling one of its all too frequent 2 to 3 day strikes. Secondly the delays on the system as a whole tend to result from signal failures. Quite why they occur so often, I have no idea, but the DB management needs really to get a grip on this. Thirdly, the ICE route gets you there comfortably and quickly, but the old route between Köln/Cologne and Frankfurt takes you down the Rhine and is one of the most scenic routes you will find in Europe (including going past the Lorelei rock). It takes twice as long, but at the last count some IC and EC trains still go that way. If you are not pushed for time, it is well recommended.
As for ICE journeys, I have used most generations of them (not the newest one though) since I first came as a tourist in 1985 and since I moved here permanently in 2003. Name an ICE route in Western and Southern Germany and international services to France, the Netherlands and Austria, and my wife and I will have taken it. It may be nostalgia rather than fact, but I am sure that back in time the service was far more reliable and efficient than it is now.
Thanks for the information
you will find the highest church in Ulm. ~5m higher then Köln. Also available via ICE.
Ulm doesn't have twin towers, nor is it a cathedral
@@NonstopEurotrip it is a so called Münster and has single tower. Still highest one.
Can you take bikes on this train model? That was one of the issues in earlier ICEs.
Yes, the train has space for 8 bikes.
Yes you can 😄
Yes we can 😊
0:50 The Cologne Cathedral is not the tallest in the world, it is the Ulmer Münster, 161m
For a start, I said tallest 'with twin towers' and also, Ulm is not a cathedral
Other than having an improved interior, I was surprised to see the train body being spotlessly clean with a matching shine
As of date, I never experienced ICE first class as the price was always outrageously high everytime I booked for my trips. Maybe I'll get lucky next time huh?
Honestly it's a brilliant upgrade, and yes as you said, spotless! 😍
The older videos without the audio narration are more fluid and appealing
Thanks but unfortunately most people disagree 😕
Exactly. Some folks have a face for radio. As some folks have a voice for silent films.
Rest assured, you hit the 300 km/h at some point between Siegburg/Bonn and Frankfurt. You just didn't notice.
do they reach 300 even if they stop in limburg and montabaur? i never paid attention to that
We didn't.
3:14 "Neiiin, nein!" Damn delays 😅
😂😂😂
Great video !!
Thanks!
As a frequent traveler of DB I just wish DB would fix punctuality and WiFi.
Definitely!!!!
nice video, thank you.
However, the statement that Cologne Cathedral has the highest church towers in the world is wrong!!
The highest church tower in the world is also in Germany, but in Ulm!
The tower of Ulm Minster is 161.53 m high.
I never said it did. I said it had the highest TWIN towers.
I'm German and pretty surprised at the price for the ticket, I had expected it to be a lot more 🤣 Pretty nice train and really clean!
Thanks! 😃
The prices are scaling with the amount of booked tickets, just like airline prices. If there are still super saving tickets available, the costs can be quite low. There is for example a first class seat for only 24€ if you book it 1-2 weeks in advance. If you need a ticket for tomorrow you pay 60-130€ depending on departure time.
Has punctuality also improved ;-)? This not a Japanies Train ;-)DB likes to protest
Nope 😂 I got lucky...
authentic DB punctuality
You are funny 🙂
My most recent experiences with ICEs of varying generations have sadly been disastrous and make me sceptical about your assessment. Toilets were frequently out of order, and one train that seemed fairly recent managed to rack up half an hour of delay before even setting off from its initial starting point due to software malfunction. I finally reached Cologne at 2:30 in the morning instead of 11 pm. At one point we were standing next to the train outside at a small station south of Frankfurt, around midnight, until the driver had finished re-booting the train‘s systems and convinced it to continue. My opinion of the competence of Siemens has been vastly impaired by this extreme experience, but knowing it’s not completely uncommon is the essential point here.
I would certainly love Deutsche Bahn to buy a few sets of French or Japanese made trains once in a while, just to kick Siemens in the butt. They deserve it.
PS. And by the way, if you ride trains in first class to vlog about them, you can of course take full advantage of special offer prices, which very rarely are an option when you travel for work, or have to meet certain appointments. When you’re travelling under the usual circumstances for most users, even with a BahnCard 50 you’ll pay tariffs not far off the gas price of a car drive, for a single person. Imagine the comparison for a family of 4 or 5 people.
Another fantastic video! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
DB tries to save some energy by not going all the time to the max possible speed. Because the energy consumption is exponential to the speed. This means 250 to 300 km/h needs four times the energy than 150 to 200 km/h. But i pay for a high speed ride and expect to be transported in the shortest time possible.
Btw, the route Cologne - Frankfurt also passes the Hallerbachtalbrücke wich is free for 300 km/h and because of the up and down one gets there a free roller coaster ride, bcs. of the g-forces.
ua-cam.com/video/GEdshFxlnXw/v-deo.html
Good video. The ICE3neo is great, unfortunately Deutsche Bahn only achieves 65% punctuality.
Yeah german highspeed train!
Better then all the other's!
Some 👀
I got really confused when I saw the blue stripes on the ICE at around 3:25 but, I asked AI and apparently that unit is called "_Europa / Europe_ " or also "_Unit 406 001_" from what I know, it is the only unit with blue stripes at Deutsche Bahn.
edit: about all announcements being in both German and English, to me it has happened that they were only on German, and if they were on English they were shorter.
The river Rhein does not flow thru Austria and neither thru Lichtenstein! 😖
Half of it does
@@NonstopEurotrip I'm sorry, but thats simply not correct ! You propably confound the River Rhine with its influx "Alpenrhein".
The "Alpenrhein" is part of the River Rhine-System - but not River Rhine itself!
Btw "Half of it" would be wrong by far anyways.
I miss the entire media offer, you usually find on every arm rest. Also I thought that every ICEs first class has a screen on the back side of every seat.. haven’t been on one in a while..
No, none of them do
wait it takes 1 hour and 27 minutes?? when i took this train it was little under one hour, but only stopped at the airport in between. Damn, that they allowed the stops at limburg and such if they take that much time, no wonder that train was dead.
Afaik currently the fasted scheduled train takes 54min with this being one of the slowest (via the SFS), I guess it’s just because they use less power and save some money this way, or there might not be available platforms (for these short route, stop everywhere, and thereby not as important ices) in Frankfurt/Cologne
Cologne hbf is where i have always encountered the absolute worst delays
Great video like always! Btw what would be your ICE ratings from best to worse?
Thank you! 🙏🏻 Best to worse > 3neo, 3 (407), 1, 2, 3 (403), 4, T, 3M (they always break down on me!)
But they need a lot of improvement in the punctuality, db !!!!
They sure do!
Which is the newest and the fastest ICE?
I just made the numbers and maybe i'm wrong but 180km in 1h24min= 128,5km/h average.
It's really slow for a HST, right?
Lots of stops 😔
I just have a quick question, if someone out here could give me some clarity on. It is regarding the DB app. I'm trying to book an ICE train to Brussels from Frankfurt via DB app, but its not available. However, if I try to book the same ICE train through another app called Omio it is available for purchase. I really dislike booking trains/ flights through 3rd parties booking platforms. If someone out there could point me in the right direction. I would be very grateful. Thank you!
No idea sorry, you have to speak to them.
There is an upgraded version of the new interior. There are videos about it but coverage is in German. Here's one such video ua-cam.com/video/RLW-0KAzap0/v-deo.htmlsi=G6zvcfp4ygI6jgA3
The seats I rode are better imo
Yeah the train in this video is just a slightly different ice4 interior
180 km / 1.4 h = 129 kph. Not much for a HSR. Is it long stops or far from optimal railroad geometry?
Mainly the first
@@NonstopEurotrip They should change the timetable. In Poland a simle Pendolino goes from Gdansk to Central Warsaw with a similar speed, but with Vmax=200 kph on small fraction of the 327 km distance. Using Vmax 320 kph train with average speed of 130 kph is waste of opportunity...
I once took an iryo to Barcelona from madrid and the line speed limit is 300kmh and I managed to catch the train at 302kmh
One section is 310kmh line speed
Yes, you can turn up and take any free seat in your class of travel but, BEWARE: trains in Germany are VERY popular and even the first class will very often be completely full! Much better to pay the couple of euros for a reservation, imho
True for a long trip, yes
Thank you! Same double trains is in Russia!
Nope.
@@NonstopEurotrip We travel on such double trains Moscow - St. Petersburg
@@Murray_SPb No you don't. These are Germany only.
@@NonstopEurotrip read Wiki: Semens Velaro RUS EVS. This is Siemens Velaro based on ICE 3 M/F
@@NonstopEurotrip Russia have 16 Sapsan trains Velaro RUS EVS. This is Siemens Velaro model based on the ICE 3M/F high-speed trains
Damn they got rid of the round windows on the doors. Wish they kept them
Why are so many people saying the Kölner Dom is the tallest cathedral in the world? The Ulmer Münster holds that title. Or am I misunderstanding something? Kölner Dom is 157.4m tall, Ulmer Münster is 161.5m tall.
Anyway, I'm here for the trains, was just something I noticed people saying pretty often even though it's wrong, so please excluse my little fit.
Wow they sent a freight train through the main station! That's pretty rare as the station is usually a bottleneck.
The top speed you saw just being 284 is probably due to DB drivers being obligated to drive economically and not go full speed. You usually need some luck to expereince the full 300 on the line, best with a train that is slightly delayed and doesn't stop in Montabaur and Limburg.
I once went the opposite way and they got up to 311 km/h according to the onboard display and we were really feeling the g-forces on the steep bits, was a very cool experience.
Living in Hamburg I would need to make special plans to catch an ICE 3 over the line as Hamburg drivers aren't trained on these and nearly all trains from here that take the line are ICE 4, but I will get around to riding one eventually!
Thanks for watching and I appreciate the comment! I apologise if English is not your first language, but I actually said it's the tallest "cathedral with twin towers" in the world, not tallest overall 👍🏻
@@NonstopEurotripOh my, thanks for the reply and clearing that up. Have a great day!
And this was not even then new interior for the second class of the Trains that they come with now!
Which speed tracker do you use?
GPS Speedo
1 hour and 24 minutes of travel time? Is travel time different to non travel time?
Yes, that's DB delay time 😆 (yes I know they were on point on this particular day!)