ICE test train reaches speeds of up to 405.0 km/h

This article communicates what this is about very poorly, so I'm not surprised a lot of people are asking "what is so special about this train?".

The answer is: Nothing. Many ICE trains have the capability to go that fast* - and some already surpassed these speeds on test tracks decades ago. It's really nothing special to make a train go these speeds.

What this test was supposed to show is that the real track (not a test track) between Erfurt and Leipzig/Halle can now support trains going that fast. Having compatible tracks is the real challenge (and cost sink) for high speed transport, not the trains themselves. Creating high speed track that is safe and usable in year-round conditions while being affordable to build and maintain is surprisingly hard.

* ICE-3s reached up to 368 km/h in tests, though ICE-4s are designed for more economical speeds in the 200-300 range and currently limited to 265km/h in software for safe operation.

Isn't it also true that that area around Leipzig has been a thorn in the side of DB since the fall of the wall? I think I remember reading somewhere that the infrastructure in that area isn't ideal for high volume and speed of trains (due to stretches that only have a single track and a lack of guarded/signaled level crossings IIRC)