The train was named after the Bonn-born composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

[1] The Van Beethoven was the successor of the TEE Rhein–Main on the same route and schedule.

The route of the Rhein–Main was shortened to Amsterdam - Bonn in the autumn of 1971, thus ending the relation with the Main eventually resulting in renaming the TEE to Van Beethoven.

[3] On request of German members of parliament the route was extended to Nürnberg in 1976, resulting in an arrival around 1:30 a.m.

[4] The Van Beethoven was continued as international service until 1983 and afterwards served several different routes in Germany until the end of 2002.