[DE] Germany 2026 timetable

[NCT]

The 2026 Germany timetable is now online. The recast of the ICE network is quite substantial.

(Descriptions are mostly for one direction only - assuming the timetable is symmetrical in the other direction)

Berlin - Munich Sprinters (~4-hour journey time with calls only at Erfurt, Halle and Nuremberg sometimes Ingolstadt) are now hourly without holes. Departure times from Berlin Hbf have been shifted by approx 30 minutes from xx04 to xx36. For those 'super sprinters that do Berlin - Nuremberg non-stop, rather than leaving Berlin late they now arrive at Munich early. I've not looked at how these paths might match up with Frecciarossa's planned Italy - Munich - Berlin services.

Berlin - Frankfurt Sprinters (~3h50m journey time) are 2-hourly (seemingly without hourly bonuses) and the routing has been standardised to via Erfurt. The once a day Paris - Berlin now has a better path and forms part of the 2-hourly Frankfurt - Berlin Sprinter pattern. The Strasbourg - Frankfurt path is a few minutes earlier than the standard (Strasbourg has a 15/45 takt symmetry and this train departs at xx09) - presumably the Rastatt tunnel will allow it to occupy the standard path from the following year.

Hamburg - Berlin has been recast also. The RJ Hamberg - Berlin - Prague services now take the non-stop paths, with Buchen, Lugwigslust and Wittenberge now served by domestic ICEs.

Berlin - Dresden on the RJ services now have journey times of 1h38m in one direction and 1h35m in the other. This is a reduction of up to 15 minutes from the previous ~1h50m 'normal' journey time. Is this reflective of 'end state' line speeds north of Elsterwerda, or are there more speed restrictions that will disappear at a later date? There is still a cut-off still to go in north of Dresden hopefully sometime by 2030. Presumably no Regiojet Berlin - Prague services in the 2026 timetable despite them wanting to run a service since 2024?

Hamberg - Hannover - Fulda is now half-hourly, with hourly to Frankfurt - Stuttgart and hourly to Nuremberg - Munich. the 2025 timetable sometimes has a third service each hour (every other hour?) between Hamburg and Fulda but this seems to have disappeared.

EC6/7/8/9 are no more. They have been replaced by ECE4/5 and ICE6/7, routed directly via Kassel. Cologne via the Rhine Valley line has replacement infill services.

Between Hannover and Berlin, the Amsterdam services are formally badged as ICEs. When these operate the Cologne/Dusseldorf services operate as a single train. In hours without the Amsterdams, the Cologne and Dusseldorf services operate as separate trains but somewhat flighted. There are some odds and sods taking the Amsterdam paths in the 'wrong' hours that go to Berlin but not Hbf. They go to Charlottenburg or Gesundbrunnen - not sure if I've picked an engineering work date.

 

[popeter45]

shame to see EC6/7/8/9 go, any idea what stock is planned for use by ECE4/5?

 

[dutchflyer]

As always much more and detailed and also ´cry out loud!´ details on DSO, the german equivalent: drehscheibe-online.
The outcry is that several smaller ´Grossstaedte´ (=in german a city with over 100.000 people), like f.e Múlheim (halfway between Duisburg and Essen-both very close by) loose the last of their IC-stops/services. Even more as on this forum they do know to find and list any possible deterioration.

 

[Austriantrain]

In order to increase reliability, DB wanted to streamline the network. Much less „route crossovers“, instead regular routes with the same origin and destination and - importantly - where possible uniform rolling stock on each route on self-contained (? What‘s a good word?) diagrams to reduce negative interaction from one route to another.

Obviously there are drawbacks for some passengers, but probably a good thing in DBs current state.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

The 2026 Germany timetable is now online. The recast of the ICE network is quite substantial.

(Descriptions are mostly for one direction only - assuming the timetable is symmetrical in the other direction)

Berlin - Munich Sprinters (~4-hour journey time with calls only at Erfurt, Halle and Nuremberg sometimes Ingolstadt) are now hourly without holes. Departure times from Berlin Hbf have been shifted by approx 30 minutes from xx04 to xx36. For those 'super sprinters that do Berlin - Nuremberg non-stop, rather than leaving Berlin late they now arrive at Munich early. I've not looked at how these paths might match up with Frecciarossa's planned Italy - Munich - Berlin services.

Berlin - Frankfurt Sprinters (~3h50m journey time) are 2-hourly (seemingly without hourly bonuses) and the routing has been standardised to via Erfurt. The once a day Paris - Berlin now has a better path and forms part of the 2-hourly Frankfurt - Berlin Sprinter pattern. The Strasbourg - Frankfurt path is a few minutes earlier than the standard (Strasbourg has a 15/45 takt symmetry and this train departs at xx09) - presumably the Rastatt tunnel will allow it to occupy the standard path from the following year.

Hamburg - Berlin has been recast also. The RJ Hamberg - Berlin - Prague services now take the non-stop paths, with Buchen, Lugwigslust and Wittenberge now served by domestic ICEs.

Berlin - Dresden on the RJ services now have journey times of 1h38m in one direction and 1h35m in the other. This is a reduction of up to 15 minutes from the previous ~1h50m 'normal' journey time. Is this reflective of 'end state' line speeds north of Elsterwerda, or are there more speed restrictions that will disappear at a later date? There is still a cut-off still to go in north of Dresden hopefully sometime by 2030. Presumably no Regiojet Berlin - Prague services in the 2026 timetable despite them wanting to run a service since 2024?

Hamberg - Hannover - Fulda is now half-hourly, with hourly to Frankfurt - Stuttgart and hourly to Nuremberg - Munich. the 2025 timetable sometimes has a third service each hour (every other hour?) between Hamburg and Fulda but this seems to have disappeared.

EC6/7/8/9 are no more. They have been replaced by ECE4/5 and ICE6/7, routed directly via Kassel. Cologne via the Rhine Valley line has replacement infill services.

Between Hannover and Berlin, the Amsterdam services are formally badged as ICEs. When these operate the Cologne/Dusseldorf services operate as a single train. In hours without the Amsterdams, the Cologne and Dusseldorf services operate as separate trains but somewhat flighted. There are some odds and sods taking the Amsterdam paths in the 'wrong' hours that go to Berlin but not Hbf. They go to Charlottenburg or Gesundbrunnen - not sure if I've picked an engineering work date.

Thank you for your analysis, very useful!

 

[chris2]

Has anyone else noticed that the connections at Copenhagen seem messed up on the db planner (and elsewhere eg trainline)?

I'm travelling from Hamburg to Gothenburg on Monday 29th Dec and all the trains appear to avoid connecting in Copenhagen. The planner only provides itineraries with an additional train via Odense and Copenhagen airport, but I've confirmed through separate searches that the EC trains run direct to Copenhagen and the Oresundstag trains run out of there. Can anyone shed any light on whether this is a glitch or some new ticketing arrangement? It seems to affect all the services post 15/12.

 

[doc7austin]

DB has published its timetable data.
DSB may come only later in November to publish its own timetable for late December.

 

[rvdborgt]

The Öresundståg timetable doesn't seem to be complete yet. Check their timetable on www.oresundstag.se. I suppose it should be synchronised soon.

 

[chris2]

The Öresundståg timetable doesn't seem to be complete yet. Check their timetable on www.oresundstag.se. I suppose it should be synchronised soon.

Yes, for example here's a journey between Gothenburg -> Copenhagen, shown first on the Oresundstag website...



and then the db planner, going as far as the airport then changing with a 75min layover!...



I get similar results on tramline. Just seems weird that the train would be on there, but not its full itinerary.

 

[rvdborgt]

I get similar results on tramline. Just seems weird that the train would be on there, but not its full itinerary.

I guess that depends on who is technically responsible for that train in Denmark (whose safety licence are they operating with?) and how the timetable process works there. And errors are also possible.

 

[mountainpixel]

Sadly as someone from Switzerland the new German timetable only seems to have drawbacks.

No more direct connections from Zurich to Hamburg and Kiel. This regular route of mine went from a direct train to 3 trains with long waits in Mannheim and way longer travel times.

The new ECE 4/8 from Basel to Hamburg will use the uncomfortable Giruno instead of the ICE4.

The only good thing is that I will now be able to enjoy a draft Pilsner in the Czech bistro on my way to Scandinavia.

 

[NCT]

I don't find anything wrong with the Giruno.

From Zurich to Kiel, there are good connections into and out of the two-hourly Basel - Hamburg ICE at both ends with journey time of 9h18 minutes. Sounds like as good an end-to-end journey time to me.

 

[mountainpixel]

I don't find anything wrong with the Giruno.

For me it is just not made for trips longer than 4 hours. Especially in second class.

From Zurich to Kiel, there are good connections into and out of the two-hourly Basel - Hamburg ICE at both ends with journey time of 9h18 minutes. Sounds like as good an end-to-end journey time to me.

This is probably more of a personal issue. Right now I can hop onto the Colorline ferry in Oslo and in the morning take the 11:11 ICE to Zurich where I will often arrive at 20:00. With the new timetable it will be 22:00.

 

[NCT]

For me it is just not made for trips longer than 4 hours. Especially in second class.

I don't think Giruno seats are any less uncomfortable than ICE4 seats?

This is probably more of a personal issue. Right now I can hop onto the Colorline ferry in Oslo and in the morning take the 11:11 ICE to Zurich where I will often arrive at 20:00. With the new timetable it will be 22:00.

Hmm, the timetable appears not entirely symmetrical ... or I wonder if not all regional trains are in yet.

The Kiel - Hamburg RE services are only shown as hourly (xx37 RE70). There should be an RE7 in the opposite half hour. Assuming the 1037 RE70 is too early for you, the next RE7 (if it runs) should connect efficiently onto the ICE7. Zurich arrival would be 20:26.

 

[mountainpixel]

Hmm, the timetable appears not entirely symmetrical ... or I wonder if not all regional trains are in yet.

The Kiel - Hamburg RE services are only shown as hourly (xx37 RE70). There should be an RE7 in the opposite half hour. Assuming the 1037 RE70 is too early for you, the next RE7 (if it runs) should connect efficiently onto the ICE7. Zurich arrival would be 20:26.

You are right, these trains seem to be missing. I might have blown the problem a bit out of proportion then. Let's hope the new timetable is more robust and all is forgiven.

 

[NCT]

On the Hannover - Berlin corridor, there generally is an equivalent path in the other hour to the Amsterdam - Berlin. Sometimes it's a semi-fast from Dusseldorf (calling at Gütersloh and Hertford and such) and sometimes it's Aachen - Osnabrück - Berlin. These are the ones that terminate at Charlottenberg or Gesundbrunnen without serving Berlin Hbf. For much of the day the Hannover - Berlin service is 5 trains every 2 hours.

The Kassel - Braunchweig - Berlin routing is now hourly. Every 2 hours it's the Frankfurt (Hbf) - Berlin semi-fast, and in the other hour it generally comes from Frankfurt Sud and further afield (i.e. without going into Frankfurt Hbf). These one serve Stendal - I think in the current (2025) timetable Stendal lost most of its IC services?

Amsterdam - Frankfurt is now regular two-hourly. Is this the first time this service is running two-hourly? Or has there just been such an extensive disruption period? The Cologne - Frankfurt portion of these serves aren't quite in the same path as the Brussels - Frankfurt services in the other hour, with the ex-Brussels services running around 10 minutes earlier. In the hours the Brussels service operates there's also a Cologne - Frankfurt shuttle that serves the intermediate parkway stations.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Oct 2025 ==

You are right, these trains seem to be missing. I might have blown the problem a bit out of proportion then. Let's hope the new timetable is more robust and all is forgiven.

The RE7s are now in the system. 11:05 from Kiel connects into ICE7 at Dammtor (same platform) for an eventual 20:26 Zurich arrival.

 

[chris2]

Yes, for example here's a journey between Gothenburg -> Copenhagen, shown first on the Oresundstag website...

View attachment 190497

and then the db planner, going as far as the airport then changing with a 75min layover!...

View attachment 190499

I get similar results on tramline. Just seems weird that the train would be on there, but not its full itinerary.

Just to provide an update for anyone else following this...the Oresundstag trains are now showing on the DB website correctly as beginning / ending in Copenhagen Central. So Hamburg->Gothenburg journeys now show correctly with just the one change. Took nearly 2 weeks post timetable change to sort it out.

The fares are interesting - 1x adult Hamburg->Copenhagen on Mon 8th Dec is €28.99 but a week later on Mon 15th Dec it's €59.99. To be fair, it is Christmas and I do see the same cheaper fare on Mon 12th Jan.