Eurobahn

Company history

Eurobahn was founded as Eurobahn Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH & Co KG, later Rhenus Keolis, in 1998 as a 60/40 joint venture between Keolis (then VIA-GTI) and Rhenus.^[1]

In December 2007, the joint venture was dissolved; Rhenus taking ownership of the bus operations and two railway contracts under the name Rhenus Veniro, Keolis taking full ownership of Eurobahn, renaming the company as Keolis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG.^[2][3]

In October 2021, Keolis announced its intention to sell the business and exit the German market.^[4][5] The business was sold to Team Treuhand, a subsidiary of Noerr law firm, effective 31 December 2021, while renaming it to its present name.^[6]

In May 2025, Eurobahn was taken over for one symbolic Euro by Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe, the rail authority for eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, where the majority of Eurobahn's services operate.

Regional rail services

Overview:

In May 2000, Eurobahn commenced operating two rail services in the East Westphalia-Lippe region (OWL) in North Rhine-Westphalia.^[7][8] In 2013 the OWL contract was renewed until December 2028 with an additional two routes added.^[9]

From December 2003 until December 2011, Eurobahn operated the Weser-/Lammetalbahn contract.^[10][11]

On 14 December 2008, Eurobahn commenced operating the Hellweg Net services.^[7] In 2015, the contract was extended until 2030.^[12][13]

In December 2009, Eurobahn commenced operating the Maas-Rhine-Lippe network until December 2026.^[14][15]

In December 2017, Eurobahn commenced operating the Teutoburger Wald network until December 2032.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Eurobahn was scheduled to commence operating Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn routes S1 and S4 under contract to Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) in December 2019.^[20][21][22] However with Eurobahn unable to recruit enough drivers before the contract commenced, VRR cancelled the contract with incumbent DB Regio awarded a short-term contract instead.^[23]

Long-distance rail services

From December 2000, Eurobahn operated an open-access long-distance rail service between Cologne and Bielefeld, using its Bombardier Talent rail cars offering fares as low as 40 DM, a third less than its competitor DB Reise & Touristik. Due to insufficient patronage, the service was withdrawn in January 2001.^[24][25]

Since December 2016, Eurobahn is providing the train drivers for the Eurostar high-speed rail service (originally Thalys) for its German section between Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund.^[26]

Current

Former

Eurobahn formerly operated the following services: