Germany: The first trains between Berlin and Amsterdam are to be put into service in mid-2026.
Initially, the launch was scheduled for late 2023. Currently, the route is being operated by outdated IC1 cars with Vectron electric locomotives. Starting in December, high-speed ICE 3neo vehicles will temporarily travel the line.
In 2019 and 2023, the German national operator Deutsche Bahn ordered 79 ICE L units, the Talgo 230 platform, with electric locomotives of the BR 105 series. The Spanish manufacturer attributed delays to a broken supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Talgo also referred to the train control system to be equipped with the ÖBB Wire Train Bus adopted in DACH countries: this is necessary to enable interoperability with other locomotives.
Testing of the first trainset began first in Germany in 2023, and from 2025, it is being conducted in the Netherlands.
