ICE-HSR-System—Infrastructure, Rolling Stock, Operation

High-Speed trains such as the Japanese Shinkansen train in operation since 1964, the French TGV (train a grande vitesse) introduced in 1981 and the German ICE (InterCityExpress) running since June 1991 have an outstanding economic success. This success supports the thesis that - considering the competitive conditions currently existing -there is no entrepreneurial alternative for railway companies to the objective of reducing the travelling times and increasing the transportation speed. This paper presents High Speed Rail as a well coordinated system of the components infrastructure, rolling stock and operation and how High Speed Rail is realized in the Federal Republic of Germany. It shows why and how the government commits itself to spend money in High Speed Rail.