ICE 18 (Hamburg – Berlin – Munich)
URL: https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/concepts/ice-18.html

ICE line 18 runs two-hourly from Hamburg-Altona via Berlin, Halle and Erfurt to Munich; between Hamburg and Berlin it forms an hourly service with line 23.

## Overview

ICE line 18 connects Hamburg-Altona via Hamburg Hbf, Büchen, Ludwigslust and Wittenberge with Berlin and continues from there via Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Erfurt, Bamberg and Nuremberg to Munich. It uses the VDE 8 high-speed line between Erfurt and Nuremberg and forms a common hourly service with line 28 between Hamburg and Nuremberg. Trains of the ICE 1 series are used.

## Operator

The operator is [DB Fernverkehr (DB Long-Distance Transport)](https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/organizations/db-fernverkehr.html).


## History

Line 18 was re-established with the commissioning of the Erfurt–Nuremberg high-speed line in December 2017 and runs exclusively via Halle. For the 2026 timetable year, as part of the restructuring of the Berlin–Munich axis, it received a new route with additional stops in Büchen, Ludwigslust and Wittenberge. After reversing direction in Nuremberg, it runs via Augsburg with stops in Donauwörth and München-Pasing to Munich.
## Major stations

The line serves, among others, the following stations:

- Hamburg-Altona
- Hamburg Hbf
- Ludwigslust
- Wittenberge
- Berlin-Spandau
- Berlin Hbf
- Berlin Südkreuz
- Halle (Saale) Hbf
- Erfurt Hbf
- Bamberg
- Nürnberg Hbf
- Augsburg Hbf
- München Hbf

## Further information

line_frequency: two-hourly (hourly service shared with line 28 Hamburg–Nuremberg)

Updated: 2026-10-28

Tags:
- 铁路 https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/tags/rail.html

Mentioned in:
- Berlin Hauptbahnhof https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/places/de-berlin-hbf.html
- Hamburg Hauptbahnhof https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/places/de-hamburg-hbf.html
- Munich Hauptbahnhof https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/places/de-muenchen-hbf.html
- Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof https://knowledge.ivjn.us/en/places/de-nuernberg-hbf.html

Sources:
- ICE-Verkehr — Wikipedia https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICE-Verkehr Linientabelle; abgerufen 2026-10-28
- List of Intercity-Express lines — Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intercity-Express_lines Abschnitt Line 18; abgerufen 2026-10-28