Operators sought for Rhine-Ruhr Express routes

Transport authority Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) have launched a tender to find operators for regional train services on Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) routes.

The competition follows the launch of a tender in October 2013 for around 85 news trains to operate services on the five lines that make up the RRX.

Due to the level of service required, the routes will be let in lots:

• Lot 1 – RE 1 (Aachen, Cologne and Essen-Hamm) and RE11 (Dusseldorf-Essen-Dortmund-Hamm-Kassel) with approximately 5.8 million train kilometers per year.
• Lot 2 – RE 5 (Koblenz, Cologne and Dusseldorf-Wesel) and RE6 (Cologne airport-Cologne-Dusseldorf-Essen-Hamm-Minden) with approximately 6 million train kilometers per year.
• Lot 3 – RE 4 (Aachen-Mönchengladbach-Hagen-Dortmund) with about 2.4 million train kilometers a year.

VRR expects to announce the winning bids by the end of this year alongside the awarding of the rolling stock contract. Services are scheduled to begin in 2018, with the operating contracts expiring in 2033.