‘The old operator is also the new operator’ is stated in the press release. Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LNVG) has announced that NordWestBahn will continue its services on the Regio-S-Bahn Bremen/Niedersachsen network, for another 14 years.
An European tender was issued for the Regio-S-Bahn Bremen/Niedersachsen (RSGB) network, which comprises the following lines:
- RS 1 Bremen-Farge – Bremen Hbf – Verden/Aller
- RS 2 Bremerhaven-Lehe – Bremen Hbf – Twistringen (more services)
- RS 3 Wilhelmshaven – Oldenburg – Bremen Hbf (Wilhelmshaven – Oldenburg electrified = new)
- RS 4 Nordenham – Bremen Hbf
- RS3X Bad Zwischenahn – Oldenburg – Bremen Hbf (new, optimised for commuters)
- RB 76 Rotenburg/Wümme – Verden/Aller (EMUs instead of diesel trains)
The new contract will start in December 2022 and has a volume of around 6.25 million train-km annually. At the end of 2022, the Wilhelmshaven – Oldenburg route will be electrified, diesel trains will be replaced by EMUs.
More trains
NordWestBahn, 100% owned by Transdev, is the responsible operator of the RSGB network since 2010. It uses a fleet of 35 Alstom Coradia Continental EMUs, series ‘ET 440’, that currently have a blue/yellow livery:
- 17x 5-car ET 440 210-226
- 18x 3-car ET 440 330-347
For the new contract, another 16 trains will be added to the fleet. With 51 EMUs it will be possible to improve the services as stated above, plus have a larger reserve fleet.
The new contract with NordWestBahn will be signed, once the mandatory 10-day standstill period is completed.
