InterCity

InterCity (commonly abbreviated IC on timetables and tickets) is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe.

[1] The use of Inter-City was reborn in the United Kingdom: A daily train of that name was introduced in 1950, running between the cities of London and Birmingham.

Following the privatisation of the railways in Great Britain, the term is no longer in official use there although many people still refer to fast long-distance services as InterCity trains.

[2] In West Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn first used the name (then written Intercity) in 1968, denoting special first-class services on the F-Zug train network.

EuroCity trains consist of high-standard, air conditioned coaches, are run by a variety of operators, and are usually subject to on-board border controls.

However, contrary to most other countries, these are often little more than regional rail, as most long-distance, high-standard trains in Austria are likely to be EuroCity (EC) services, even when not leaving the Austrian borders (named ÖBB-EuroCity until 2011).

Modernised stock of Eurofima coaches is used under the brand name ÖBB-InterCity (OIC) mainly on the Austrian Western and Southern Railways from Vienna to Salzburg and Villach.

The IC44 and IC45 trains stop at Bratislava-Petržalka, Bratislava-Nové Mesto, Bratislava Hlavná Stanica, Trnava, Žilina, Poprad, and Kysak; it takes 6:22h for the whole journey.

[3] The state-owned operator České dráhy also serves line Prague–Ostrava (with some connections extended to Bohumín and Františkovy Lázně) with Pendolino trainsets under designation "SuperCity", which conforms to IC standard.

Each train type operates hourly between the eastern terminus at Copenhagen and westwards to Odense–Århus–Ålborg, and less frequently to alternative destinations in Jutland.

It is now planned to give the IC3 stock a 10-year life extension, and to eventually scrap IC4 trains, due to the plague of poor reliability.

Large numbers of air-conditioned open coach cars, the Bpmz 291, were built for InterCity services, which at first were using the TEE colour scheme.

In 1985, with many of the TEE trains gone and the introduction of the InterRegio, the network was expanded again, now covering virtually any major city of then-West Germany.

Today, after the abolition of the InterRegio in 2002, most long-distance connections in Germany are either IC or ICE trains; they most commonly offer at least bi-hourly service.

This, coupled with the subsequent withdrawal of most coaching stock bearing the logo and the rebrand to the Translink name, means that the InterCity brand has largely disappeared from Northern Ireland Railways.

The daytime services (InterCity IC), while not frequent and limited to one or two trains per route, are essential in providing access to cities and towns off the railway's mainline network.

The night trains (Intercity Notte ICN) have sleeper compartments and washrooms, but no showers on board (available only for Excelsior carriages[9]).

All routes (except Casa Branca to Beja) are operated using a 5600 Series electric locomotives pulling Corail and Modernized Sorefame passenger cars, all capable of running at a maximum speed of 200 km/h.

The Casa Branca to Beja Shuttle service is operated using two 0450 Series DMUs with airline style interiors at a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

There are also international trains branded as InterCity between the Hungarian capital, Budapest and some Transylvanian cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Târgu Mureș, Brașov, and others.

In the case of IC service running partially or totally on electrified lines as well as international IC-s locomotive-hauled trains are used.

For some trains running exclusively on unelectrified lines (mainly in northern Transilvania) Siemens Desiro DMU-s are preferred.

These trainsets look similar to standard Desiro DMU-s used for regional trains but have a different interior design with more comfortable seating.

[10][opinion] From March 2022, state company called Srbija Voz operates InterCity route from Belgrade, the capital, to Novi Sad using 3 Stadler KISS EMUs reaching speeds up to 200 km/h, with journey length of 36 minutes.

Intercity trains in Slovenia mainly serve domestic routes, like running from Ljubljana (capital) to Celje, Ptuj, and Maribor.

Additionally, there are also available Pendolino electric multiple tilting units ETR 310 (SŽ series 310) labeled as ICS lines connecting Slovenian largest cities, Ljubljana and Maribor and the Mediterranean region of Slovenia, Koper.

It started operating the electric train (EMU) Renfe 444 series, making the Madrid -Valencia vía Albacete line.

[13] During the 1980s, InterCity denoted trains of the highest standard in Sweden, serving as a fast and comfortable connection between major Swedish cities.

There is no surcharge for InterCity services in Switzerland and the rolling stock consists of three types of formations:[14] If needed, two ICN trains can be combined to double the passenger capacity.

The term "Inter-City" was first used by the state railway company British Rail in 1966, to brand all its longer-distance, higher-speed services (the hyphen was dropped shortly afterwards, changing the name to "InterCity").