12 or 13 Cars and at the Controls for the First Time: What the New ICE 4 Brings to Train Sim World 7

With Train Sim World 7, Dovetail is closing a conspicuous gap in the German vehicle roster. The DB Class 412 ICE 4 makes its debut in the series and arrives in two long train configurations from the outset. A twelve-car and a 13-car set, a detailed driving cab, audible passenger announcements, a Training Center tutorial and dedicated scenarios and timetable services on Nürnberg–Würzburg are all confirmed. TSW7 will be released on 15 September 2026; Deluxe and Ultimate early access begins on 10 September.

This makes the new class considerably more than another livery for an existing ICE. Dovetail is developing a standalone vehicle add-on with SimuGraph physics and promises true-to-life performance, suspension and handling. At the same time, the official TSW7 FAQ names an important limitation: the ICE 4 will not support the Livery Designer.

Two Long Variants Instead of Just One Fixed Train

The biggest measure of scope is the dual formation. Dovetail explicitly confirms twelve and 13 cars. This means we will not merely drive the same cab in two marginally different formations, but compare two real configurations of the ICE 4.

On the real train, the difference is considerably greater than one additional intermediate car. According to Deutsche Bahn, the twelve-car set measures 346 metres, offers 830 seats and has six powered Powercars. The 13-car XXL ICE reaches 374 metres, has 918 seats and gains additional traction power through a seventh Powercar. Both long variants reach up to 265 km/h in real operation.

We must not automatically transfer all of these real-world figures to the simulation in full. Dovetail confirms both train lengths and refers to true-to-life performance, suspension and handling. However, it has not yet explained in detail how differently the two formations actually drive, whether every interior area is reproduced separately or which exact cab systems will be operable.

The Real Seven-Car Set Is Not Yet on TSW’s List

The real ICE 4 fleet now comprises 137 trains: 50 twelve-car sets, 50 13-car XXL ICEs and 37 seven-car sets. Dovetail currently names only the two long variants for TSW7. A seven-car ICE 4 is not confirmed in the current feature list.

That is not a hidden rejection for all time, but simply a clear boundary around the announced add-on. At launch, TSW7 is focusing on the long-distance variants with particularly high capacity. The real twelve-car set accommodates 830 passengers, while the XXL ICE offers 918 seats – exactly 88 more. This visible difference in scale gives the dual formation more weight than a purely cosmetic choice.

Nürnberg–Würzburg Becomes a Meeting Point for Several ICE Generations

The Class 412’s real home in the game is the new Nürnberg–Würzburg route. Dovetail is recreating more than 100 kilometres, 19 detailed stations and Nürnberg Rbf. The route is already included in the Standard Edition and features regional, S-Bahn, freight and long-distance traffic.

Its base roster includes the Class 401 ICE 1. Players who own additional compatible content can unlock further timetable layers: the Class 403 ICE 3 comes from Kassel–Würzburg, while the Class 411 ICE-T comes from Frankfurt–Fulda. The new ICE 4 adds precisely the generation that had previously been missing from the series.

This creates an unusually direct comparison between generations. The ICE 1 uses power cars at the ends of the train, while the ICE 4 distributes its traction equipment across several cars beneath the passenger areas. We will therefore be able to see not only different forms of DB’s white long-distance trains side by side, but also drive two fundamentally different traction concepts ourselves.

Dedicated Scenarios, Timetable Services and Passenger Announcements

Dovetail confirms that the ICE 4 will have dedicated use in scenarios and Timetable Mode on Nürnberg–Würzburg. An exact number of services or scenarios has not yet been announced. What is clear, however, is that the Class 412 will not appear merely as a freely placeable train without regular duties.

In the cab, Dovetail promises a detailed and feature-rich recreation. SimuGraph will calculate performance, suspension and handling. Audible onboard passenger announcements and an accessible tutorial in the Training Center are also included. The current description has not yet itemised which safety systems, displays, fault procedures and special functions will actually be operable.

Sound will be particularly important during the preview. A modern electric multiple unit depends less on a loud engine than on departure sounds, inverter tones, rolling noise, brakes, cab ambience and the transitions between different speed ranges. Dovetail describes the performance and handling as true to life; how convincing the Class 412 sounds and feels will have to be shown by the announced vehicle and route previews, which begin on 2 September.

Free Roam Takes the Journey Beyond Würzburg

Nürnberg–Würzburg is the recommended route for the full experience, but it is not the only possible place to use the train. Dovetail explicitly confirms Free Roam. We can therefore place the Class 412 on further suitable routes, set a path and build our own journeys.

That expands its value particularly for large German collections. Using an ICE 4 on Kassel–Würzburg, Frankfurt–Fulda or other electrified long-distance routes is an obvious gameplay option. However, Dovetail has not yet published a complete list of officially matched routes. Free Roam enables use, but does not automatically guarantee dedicated timetable services, suitable platform lengths or a prototypical formation everywhere.

The ICE 4 Is Not Included in the Standard Edition

The biggest point of debate is not in the cab, but in the choice of edition. The Standard Edition costs €49.99 and includes Nürnberg–Würzburg – but not the ICE 4. The Class 412 starts with the Deluxe Edition at €79.99 and is also included in Ultimate at €129.99.

The regular difference between Standard and Deluxe is €30. During the current pre-order promotion, the gap between €44.99 and €71.99 falls to €27. However, this difference is not the standalone price of the ICE 4. Deluxe also contains the Northern Class 333 for Airedale & Wharfedale, the Tri-Rail GP49H-3 for Miami and five days of early access.

The correct question is therefore not whether one train costs €30. What matters is whether the complete Deluxe vehicle package is worth the premium to us – or whether we specifically wait for the standalone version of the Class 412.

Standalone Purchase Confirmed, Standalone Price Still Unknown

Dovetail’s current FAQ confirms that all new content will be available to purchase separately at launch and can be combined with the Free Starter Edition. We therefore do not necessarily have to buy Deluxe or Ultimate to access the ICE 4 later.

However, an exact euro price for the standalone ICE 4 add-on is not yet listed in the official overview. Dovetail also recommends Nürnberg–Würzburg for the full experience; that route is available separately or as part of Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate. Anyone who owns neither the route nor a bundle will therefore probably have to consider both the vehicle and its appropriate home route separately.

This unknown standalone price matters more to the purchase decision than the blanket €30 gap. Only once it is known can we properly compare whether Standard plus the ICE 4 is cheaper or more expensive than Deluxe – and how much value we place on the other two Deluxe locomotives.

One Feature Is Missing: No Custom Liveries

Notably, this new German prestige train will not be compatible with the Livery Designer, according to Dovetail. Custom liveries therefore cannot be created for the ICE 4 using the usual tool.

That does not affect the confirmed timetable services, scenarios or Free Roam journeys. For players who build real special liveries, fictional operators or their own colour schemes, it is still a noticeable limitation. Anniversary designs, environmental campaigns and other special branding would have been obvious candidates for the ICE 4 in particular.

Dovetail currently gives no reason for the missing support and has not announced a later retrofit. We should therefore claim neither a technical impossibility nor a future update. Only the current position is confirmed: the ICE 4 is coming without Livery Designer support.

What We Still Do Not Know Before Release

Despite the extensive basic information, several concrete points remain open. Dovetail has not yet announced an exact number of timetable services and scenarios. It is also unclear how differently the twelve- and 13-car sets accelerate, brake and appear inside, which cab systems will be fully operable and how the train will sound.

The standalone price, exact compatibility with further creation tools and a list of especially suitable Free Roam routes also remain unpublished. These open points do not weaken the news itself – they show what the vehicle preview needs to answer before we can judge the quality of the recreation.

Our Interim Verdict: The Gap Is Closed, the Edition Question Remains

The ICE 4 is one of TSW7’s strongest individual vehicle announcements. Two long formations, dedicated timetable services, scenarios, passenger announcements, SimuGraph and Free Roam make this a genuine vehicle reveal rather than a footnote inside the larger TSW7 announcement. The comparison with the ICE 1, ICE 3 and ICE-T also turns Nürnberg–Würzburg into a stage for several generations of German long-distance rail.

At the same time, Dovetail still needs to show how deeply the two train variants differ. If the difference in the game is reduced to one additional car, part of the potential will go unused. Different acceleration, credible train lengths, suitable platforms, complete interiors and convincing sound could instead deliver precisely the comparison the Class 412 deserves.

For now, the biggest obstacle is not the vehicle, but its positioning. Standard buyers receive the new German route and the ICE 1, but not automatically the modern ICE 4. Deluxe bundles it with two other locomotives; a standalone purchase is confirmed, but its price remains unknown. Will you drive the classic ICE 1 first on Nürnberg–Würzburg – or wait for the 13-car ICE 4 and its real-world length of 374 metres?