Clients will be able to choose a “high-quality porcelain or glass” option when ordering food and drink onboard its intercity and high-speed services, Deutsche Bahn said in a statement.

“Reusable” cups, plates and bowls will be offered to customers free of charge and without a deposit for all orders from the trains’ onboard bistro, it said.

The current plastic and cardboard packaging would still be available at the request of customers.

The change will bring Deutsche Bahn’s services in line with new rules coming into force in Germany on January 1st.

From next year, restaurants and cafes will have to offer their to-go products in reusable packaging. Single-use packaging will not be banned but an alternative must be offered free of charge.

“Deutsche Bahn is driving forward its green transformation in onboard catering,” said the rail operator’s passenger services chief Michael Peterson.

As part of its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, “over 50 percent” of the dishes offered on Deutsche Bahn trains have been vegan of vegetarian since March, the company said. Vegan options include vegetable curry with basamati rice and “plant-based chicken” with a tomato and lemon sauce.

More broadly, the operator has set itself the target of being carbon neutral by 2040.

Deutsche Bahn’s will be rolling out more changes – including new express routes and overnight trains – when its new schedule comes into effect on December 11th.

On Monday the state-owned railways, which often falls under critique for delayed or cancelled trains, also introduced its speediest ICE express train.

READ ALSO: ‘A disaster’: How did train travel in Germany get so bad?