High-end travel from Berlin to Amsterdam, offering significantly reduced seating capacity
Starting from November 1, 2025, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will introduce the state-of-the-art ICE 3neo trains on various routes, marking a significant leap in comfort and efficiency for passengers. One of the first routes to benefit from this upgrade will be the Intercity Line 77 between Berlin and Amsterdam, starting September 24, 2025.
The ICE 3neo trains are designed as a personal retreat, offering better adjustment possibilities and providing more comfort than their predecessors. Passengers can look forward to features such as an onboard restaurant, an onboard bistro, mobile phone-permeable windows, bike parking spaces, redesigned luggage racks, lighting with time-dependent changing light ambiance, tablet holders, and power outlets at all seats.
In addition to these improvements, the ICE 3neo trains also boast higher speeds and improved acceleration, building on the proven performance of previous ICE 3 models. This modern variant of the ICE 3 family is also equipped with enhanced energy efficiency features, supporting Deutsche Bahn's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
The ICE 3neo trains will also play a crucial role in expanding DB's cross-border offer between Germany and Poland, with details of the expanded service to be communicated by the railway companies in the coming weeks. From the timetable change in mid-December 2025, a seventh Eurocity train pair between Berlin and Warsaw is planned, and there are reports of the discontinued night train Berlin - Przemysl returning around the same time.
The railway company DB Fernverkehr is investing around 200 million euros to equip 32 ICE 3neo trains for use in Poland and France. To facilitate cross-border travel, the new ICE trains will have to be equipped with the classic Polish SHP system and possibly the Polish variant of ETCS for use in Poland.
While the ICE 3neo has a significantly lower capacity compared to today's locomotive-carriage sets, with 439 seats instead of around 600, the railway company claims that the reduced capacity is sufficient to meet demand, given the average occupancy. It is worth noting that on average, about half of the seats in Intercity trains remain empty.
The ICE 3neo trains provide a new level of comfort and higher reliability compared to the old IC trains, with the air conditioning system in the ICE 3neo hardly ever failing, unlike in the old IC trains. The new trains are set to start running between Berlin, Frankfurt (Oder), Poznań, and Warsaw in 2031, and between Berlin and Amsterdam in the near future, although specific details for the Berlin–Amsterdam route are yet to be confirmed.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, check official Deutsche Bahn or RailNetEurope announcements closer to the September 2025 service launch. Additionally, a long-distance train connection that runs from Chełm via Warsaw and Łódź to Berlin, opening up new direct routes, is also on the agenda.
- The travel industry is set for an upgrade with Deutsche Bahn's (DB) introduction of ICE 3neo trains, offering a lifestyle amenity for passengers that includes mobile phone-permeable windows, bike parking spaces, and more.
- In the finance sector, DB is investing over 200 million euros to equip 32 ICE 3neo trains for use in Poland and France, with the aim of reducing carbon footprint and expanding its cross-border offer.
- The transportation sector will see improved efficiency with the ICE 3neo trains, as they boast higher speeds, better acceleration, and energy-saving features, contributing to a seamless travel experience between major cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, and Warsaw.
