GERMANY: Netinera subsidiary Länderbahn announced on April 1 that it will continue to run Ostsachsennetz II services under its Trilex brand for a further 12 years from December 14 2019.
In April 2018 DB Regio subsidiary Start Ostsachsen was selected for the concession by a group of four transport and local authorities in Germany and the Czech Republic. Länderbahn launched a legal challenge, and in October the Sachsen awarding chamber ruled that the award to Start Ostsachsen was unlawful, and the Sachsen Court of Appeal upheld this decision.
The contract covers operation of services around Dresden until December 2031 and modernisation of the fleet of Siemens Desiro diesel multiple-units. The operator is to take over operation of a cross-border route into the Czech Republic from December 12 2020.
The routes included in the contract are:
- RE1 Dresden Hbf – Bischofswerda – Görlitz;
- RE1V Bischofswerda – Görlitz;
- RE2 Dresden Hbf – Bischofswerda – Zittau – Liberec;
- RB60 Dresden Hbf – Bischofswerda – Görlitz;
- RB61 Dresden Hbf – Bischofswerda – Zittau;
- L7 Liberec – Hradék nad Nisou – Zittau – Varnsdorf – Seifhennersdorf (from December 12 2020).
