DB ICE Timetable Changes

[bcarmicle]

I'm trying to find some information on when DB change their timetables, but I can't seem to find anything on their English website. In particular, ICE 120 seems to be retimed and terminates short of Amsterdam at some point over the next few months, but I can't seem to work out exactly what and when, let alone if it's temporary. Any help?

 

[paul_munich]

engineering works in Cologne and on the "Hollandline" between Oberhausen and Arnhem, where they work on the third track.
There is an overview in German

 

[30907]

When you have a journey involving ICE120 (or whatever), click on the detail and at the bottom it should show you what dates that particular variant operates.

 

[StephenHunter]

I'm trying to find some information on when DB change their timetables, but I can't seem to find anything on their English website. In particular, ICE 120 seems to be retimed and terminates short of Amsterdam at some point over the next few months, but I can't seem to work out exactly what and when, let alone if it's temporary. Any help?

The big annual changes are second Sunday in December, along with the rest of Europe.

 

[rvdborgt]

The big annual changes are second Sunday in December, along with the rest of Europe.

To be precise: the Sunday after the second Saturday in December.

 

[DanielB]

I'm trying to find some information on when DB change their timetables, but I can't seem to find anything on their English website. In particular, ICE 120 seems to be retimed and terminates short of Amsterdam at some point over the next few months, but I can't seem to work out exactly what and when, let alone if it's temporary. Any help?

When are you travelling? There are several days on which ICEs are rerouted via Venlo in the coming months (see the link already shared above, those have different numbers).
And I also saw a period of 24-11 till 7-12 in the DB planner when ICE120 isn't running but the preceding ICE104 is, so likely there will be works somewhere on the route leading to an early line closure.

 

[bcarmicle]

Thanks very much all - I was looking at the last week of September - hoping to get an evening train from Frankfurt to Amsterdam. Have made different plans now, but was just confused why I was struggling to find any information on DB’s website - assumed they’d have the same level of info on their English and German sites - in hindsight clearly a silly assumption!

Verkehrstage: fährt 18. bis 24. Aug 2023, 8. bis 29. Sep 2023, 24. Nov bis 7. Dez 2023 (Frankfurt(Main)Hbf --> Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf)
Verkehrstage: fährt 18. bis 24. Aug 2023, 8. bis 29. Sep 2023, 24. Nov bis 7. Dez 2023 (Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf --> Köln Hbf)

 

[DanielB]

That's odd. When I check the DB website with engineering works it mentions diversions via Venlo for September 29th till October 13th.
But when checking the journey planner, it mentions diversions in the last week of September and none in the first week of October.

So the information is quite contradictory.

 

[dutchflyer]

Right now sitting in Heidelberg after a fairly long but (in 5 mins) even on time trip in slow Nahverkehr-7 trains and even 1 connection made on a train that should have left 3 mins before-giving an earlier final arrival.
It means nothing here anymore-its all just theory this yearly change (half yearly, there is also still a minor change in late may) as works, diversions, temporary measures-these can be planned and as its DE=Germany will be in some giant planning book, will not be put into the online Fahrplan (timetable) untill a day like 7-10 before and even then often not-except as a footnote.Daniel should know this as NS does the same. I guess they simply lack the staff to put in all those changes online.
A week or 2 ago I was caught out the other way: what looked and was also still announced as planned works/replacing bus on weekend- did not materialise as it seemed at last minute the contractor could not find enough staff to do that work and had to postpone.
Side note: as you plan a change in Airport BHF-this likely means to get into the 1/day ICE from Swiss/Basel to AMS-try to avoid that! Go for a direct ICE from FRA/HBF if it can fit into your plans. But even then it may mean you have to change from domestic ICE to the few international ones still able to run-like in Kóln.

 

[DanielB]

works, diversions, temporary measures-these can be planned and as its DE=Germany will be in some giant planning book, will not be put into the online Fahrplan (timetable) untill a day like 7-10 before and even then often not-except as a footnote.Daniel should know this as NS does the same. I guess they simply lack the staff to put in all those changes online.

NS is always late with this indeed (their page with planned works on the ICE International route is actually empty currently), but the DB page with planned works is usually up to date quite far in advance.
The journey planner is also up to date at least 2 months in advance, it might however that you can't book tickets to the section where works are ongoing. I had that when booking the return leg of my holiday: the actual timetable for that specific day was already available including a diversion, but I couldn't book to Cologne. Booking to Düsseldorf worked fine however so I opted to change there instead.

I'd mistaken however as in the period I mentioned the trains are being diverted within Germany reading the announcement more carefully. The diversions via Venlo where known that far in advance that they're apparently already included in the standard timetable.

Side note: as you plan a change in Airport BHF-this likely means to get into the 1/day ICE from Swiss/Basel to AMS-try to avoid that! Go for a direct ICE from FRA/HBF if it can fit into your plans. But even then it may mean you have to change from domestic ICE to the few international ones still able to run-like in Kóln.

TS was planning to use ICE 120, which does originate from Frankfurt Hbf. Quite usual that the "verkehrstage" are shown separately for different sections.

 

[30907]

Thanks very much all - I was looking at the last week of September - hoping to get an evening train from Frankfurt to Amsterdam. Have made different plans now, but was just confused why I was struggling to find any information on DB’s website - assumed they’d have the same level of info on their English and German sites - in hindsight clearly a silly assumption!

ICE120 is now shown (as you have discovered) as terminating at Koeln 8 to 29 Sept while other trains are diverted.
DB seem to have a policy of not spelling out that the train is altered because of planned engineering works - they do (sometimes?) with last-minute changes.