Displays are an indispensable source of information on trains operated by the Deutsche Bahn. They provide up-to-date information about the trip, contribute to a sense of security, and are always available, independent of one's personal device. They are a central element in the interior of the flagships of the long-distance fleet and serve a vast range of customers every day. Deutsche Bahn has used a solution in service for many years. There was customer feedback about unmet needs and hard-to-understand information. The design didn't fit the corporate design of Deutsche Bahn and created a break in the otherwise relatively seamless use of the brand elements and tokens. It was time to improve the information, make it more approachable, and apply a modern, contemporary design in line with Deutsche Bahn brand guidelines.

Learning from what worked in the past and what the researchers collected as feedback from customers and employees, we embarked on a journey with Deutsche Bahn. After several concept iterations and rounds of qualitative and quantitative tests, the team honed the design to fulfill all brand, regulatory, and taste requirements while remaining feasible to implement and run on the existing hardware.

The ICE train is the flagship of Deutsche Bahn and an icon for fast, comfortable, and sustainable travel in Germany. Since its introduction in 1991, it carried over 1.5 billion passengers. It featured multiple versions of more and more advanced passenger information displays. Deutsche Bahn chose zigzag to collaborate on creating the new generation of this information system to align the design and layouts with the latest brand guidelines. After thorough testing, iteration, and pilot phases, the redesign is being rolled across the ICE fleet. It gets positive reviews from passengers and has won several international design awards.

Following a multi-phase design and validation process, the new passenger information displays are now part of everyday travel aboard Deutsche Bahn’s ICE fleet. These real-world images capture how the redesigned system integrates with the train environment — bringing clarity, consistency, and elevated experience to millions of travelers.