ZDF Studios and Deutsche Bahn sign agreement
ZDF and KiKA programmes available free of charge in the ICE portal from 1 September
Mainz, 21 August 2025
ZDF Studios and Deutsche Bahn (DB) have signed an agreement to expand the entertainment offering on the ICE portal. From 1 September, the on-board programme offering will be rounded off with hand-picked ZDF programmes in the genres of fiction, children's and youth programmes, and documentaries, as well as selected highlights from KiKA.
Travellers will be able to enjoy series and films such as Wilsberg, Doppelhaushälfte (Duplex), Terra X, Der Bergdoktor (Mountain Medic), Bernd das Brot (Bernd the Bread), Kikaninchen and Die Brücke (The Bridge) with just one click during their train journey. As part of the collaboration, social media activities are planned to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Bernd das Brot this year, with Bernd playing the leading role.
The ICE portal is a free information and entertainment service available on ICE trains which offers travellers a wide range of digital services and entertainment options, including films and series. The portal works independently of mobile phone reception or the traveller's device's internet connection. It can be used on all ICE trains after connecting to the free train Wi-Fi.
Niko Chainopoulos, Sales & Acquisition Director JUNIOR at ZDF Studios, says, 'We are very pleased about this agreement with Deutsche Bahn. It allows us to bring ZDF and KiKA's great programmes closer to travellers via an exciting new touchpoint.'
Markus Otte, DB Fernverkehr's Director of Digital Content, says: "Thanks to our collaboration with ZDF Studios, the ICE portal will offer an extraordinary variety of entertainment from September onwards. No other company in Germany offers this combination of content and quality. We are delighted about this, as are we sure our passengers will be."
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, tel.: +49 6131-9911130, email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com