Deutsche Bahn operates more than 40,000 trains daily on its more than 33,300 kilometer-long, modern rail network - which is also open to competition. The there are 5,700 train stations.

As of 2026, Germany's rail network is one of the densest and most complex in the world, with the national carrier, Deutsche Bahn (DB) alone operating over 30,000 train journeys every single day. This includes a fleet of roughly 5,400 passenger trains. To break it down, the high-speed ICE (Intercity-Express) fleet has grown to over 400 trainsets in 2026, following massive investments in the "ICE 3neo" and "ICE 4" models to support the "Deutschlandtakt" (a nationwide synchronized timetable). Additionally, there are thousands of regional trains (RE, RB) and S-Bahn (suburban) trains operated by both DB and private competitors like Alstom and Arverio. When you include freight locomotives and private rail operators, there are tens of thousands of individual rail vehicles active across Germany's 33,000 kilometers of track. While the system has faced challenges with punctuality due to aging infrastructure, the sheer number of active trains ensures that almost every corner of the country is reachable by rail.