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ICE1/2, 2nd class		ICE1/2, 1st class		A Cologne-Berlin ICE2 at Berlin.

Boarding an ICE 2 in Berlin...		ICE 1/2 restaurant car...		ICE 1/2 bistro-bar.  Sample menu.

Tips for travelling by ICE train...

• Seat numbering plans for ICEs:  click here

• What are ICE1 & ICE2 like inside?  Most seating is in open-plan saloons as shown in the photos above, but there are a few 6-seater compartments in both classes which you can select when booking if you prefer.  See a virtual tour inside an ICE1.

• What are ICE3s like inside?  Most seating is in open-plan saloons as shown in the photos below, but there are a handful of 6-seater compartments in both classes  which you can select when booking if you prefer.  Panorama photo of 2nd class seats.

• Fares & ticketing:  You can book at www.bahn.de and print out your own ticket.  Reservation is compulsory on the ICE trains to and from Paris, and tickets on the Paris route always come with the necessary seat reservation included.  On other ICE routes seat reservation is almost always optional, there's a small extra charge for a seat reservation if you want one, otherwise you just find any empty unreserved seat.  That means you can always buy a full-price ticket and get on the next train, ICE trains can never sell out.   However, a seat reservation is a good idea for a long journey and you will find much cheaper fares if you are willing to commit to a specific train with a limited-refund, limited-changes 'Spezial' ticket booked in advance at www.bahn.de.  Booking usually opens 92 days before departure.

• Boarding:  As with most European trains, there's no check-in, you just walk into the station, look at the indicator boards to find your train and get on, any time before it leaves.  Exterior displays next to the carriage door show the train number, its destination, calling points and car number.  Information displays inside each carriage also show the train's destination, carriage number, calling points, the next station stop and (from time to time) the train's speed.  On board announcements are usually made in both German and English.

• Luggage, bikes & dogs: You take your bags with you and put them on any suitable luggage rack near your seat.  If you can carry it you can take it, as within reason there are no baggage limits.  However, bikes are not carried on any ICE train.  You can take a dog on ICEs, see the dogs by train page.

• Food & drink:  ICE1 & ICE2 trains have a proper restaurant car with a restaurant at one end and a bistro-bar area at the other.  ICE3 trains have a bistro car with a cafe-bar area and small 12-seat restaurant area.  Breakfast in the restaurant costs around €8, €10 or €15, depending on what menu you want.  A 3-course meal with a beer costs about €30.  Treat yourself!  In ICE 1st class, orders are taken by a member of staff and drinks and food are served at your seat, all using proper china & glassware.

• Children:  ICE1 & ICE2 have baby-changing facilities and a small play area in a special 'parent & child' compartment.  ICE3 also has baby-changing facilities.

• WiFi:  A few ICE routes have WiFi on board, but not all.  There's more info on which routes are equipped at www.bahn.de, click 'English' at the top, then 'services'.  DB hopes to equip all its ICEs with WiFi by the end of 2014.

• Power sockets for laptops & mobiles:  In ICE1 & ICE2, only the seats around tables have power sockets in both classes.  On ICE3, there are sockets between every pair of seats in both classes.

• Station first class lounges:  If you have a first class ticket, you can use the DB Lounges at the following stations, usually open from 07:00-21:00:  Berlin, Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt Main Airport, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart.

• Viewing screen behind the driver:  ICE 3 & ICE-TD trains have a seating area at each end of the train (one end 1st class, the other 2nd class) with a glass screen behind the driving cab, giving you a view along the track ahead or behind the train.  See the photo below.  Though you'll find Dutch and Belgian drivers switch the glass to opaque!

ICE 3...

Routes operated include Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt, Paris-Frankfurt, Amsterdam-Cologne-Frankfurt, Cologne-Munich.

An ICE 3 to Frankfurt awaits departure from Paris Gare de l'Est...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather reclining seats.		ICE3 2nd class.

Table for two... in the 12-seat restaurant area.  There are also two tables for 4.		Meals are served on proper crockery with metal cutlery...		Bistro car.  Meals & drinks are served at your seat in 1st class. See sample menu.

ICE-TD...

This is the diesel version of the ICE, found on routes such as Hamburg-Copenhagen.  Inside it's similar to ICE3, though the bistro car has no seating area.

Above:  A Copenhagen-Hamburg ICE-TD on board the train ferry from Rodby to Puttgarten.  You must leave the train whilst the ferry is at sea....		Above:  ICE3 & ICE-TD have seats in a viewing lounge at each end of the train, one end 1st class, the other 2nd class.		ICE is one of the most civilised trains in Europe...

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Sample ICE bistro menu...

This is an ICE3 bistro menu, a more extensive menu may be offered on ICE1/2 trains with a full restaurant.  2013 prices.

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