The Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express (ICE) high-speed train connects many major cities across Germany. Travel by ICE to the heart of each city, close to all the main attractions and hotels. If you plan to explore neighbouring countries, you can take an international ICE train to Austria (Vienna, Linz), Belgium (Brussels, Liège), France (Paris, Strasbourg), the Netherlands (Arnhem, Utrecht, Amsterdam) and Switzerland (Zürich, Basel, Interlaken).

The ICE connects all major cities in Germany and some in Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. Reservations on ICE trains are recommended, especially if you have a long trip ahead. They are very popular.

Please note that all international ICE’s will be subject to mandatory reservations from June 1^st until September 1^st (except trains via Basel).

Here are some domestic and international examples of the core routes available:

Important domestic routes

• Frankfurt – Hannover – Hamburg
• Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Frankfurt – Stuttgart – Munich
• Frankfurt – Cologne – Münster – Bremen – Hamburg
• Hamburg – Hannover – Nuremberg – Munich
• Dresden – Berlin – Hamburg
• Berlin – Halle – Erfurt – Frankfurt
• Berlin – Leipzig – Nuremberg – Munich
• Cologne – Düsseldorf – Dortmund – Hannover – Berlin

Important international routes

• Frankfurt – Mannheim – Paris
• Stuttgart – Strasbourg – Paris
• Hamburg – Frankfurt – Basel – Zurich
• Hamburg – Bremen – Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Frankfurt – Basel
• Berlin – Frankfurt – Basel – Interlaken
• Dortmund – Cologne – Frankfurt – Nuremberg – Linz – Vienna
• Berlin – Stuttgart – Bregenz – Innsbruck 

• Berlin – Stuttgart – Munich – Innsbruck
• Hamburg – Hannover/Berlin – Nuremberg – Vienna
• Frankfurt – Cologne – Düsseldorf – Amsterdam
• Frankfurt – Cologne – Aachen – Brussels

How to make reservations

You can reserve your seat on the ICE in the following ways:

Eurail reservation self-service system

• Eurail
  • All ICEs

Administration costs when booking through Eurail self-service

• € 2,- p.p.per train
• Additional € 9,- per order (for paper tickets)

With railway carriers

• DB (German railways)
  • All ICEs (for France, leave 'book seats only' toggled off)
• ÖBB (Austrian railways)
  • All ICEs, except to France

Other platforms

• Rail Europe
  • Only ICE to France

By calling Deutsche Bahn

• By clicking the link above you'll find yourself on the DB contact page. There are phone numbers for English, French, Danish, Italian, Dutch, or German speaking customer service representatives.

An explanation of how each booking platform works can be found here: How do I book my reservations

Reservations for ICE trains

Reservations on regular ICE high-speed trains are optional.

Exceptions:

• Reservations are compulsory on all international ICE routes between June 1st and August 31st, except for the ICEs to Switzerland.
• Reservations are compulsory on the ICE from Frankfurt to Paris and Stuttgart to Paris all year round.

Reservation fees

Optional reservations for domestic ICE routes

• 2nd class: €5.20
• 1st class: €6.50

Mandatory reservations for ICE trains to and from Paris

• 2nd class: €17
• 1st class: €17