GERMANY: Bayern railway authority BEG and preferred bidder DB Regio Franken formally signed the Dieselnetz Nürnberg operating contract on June 14.
The 12-year contract awarded after an open tender runs from June 9 2019 until June 14 2031 and covers the operation of regional services totalling 3·3 million train-km/year:
- Nürnberg – Fürth – Siegelsdorf – Markt Erlbach;
- Nürnberg – Fürth – Siegelsdorf – Neustadt (Aisch) – Markt Bibart;
- Fürth – Cadolzburg;
- Neustadt (Aisch) – Bad Windsheim – Steinach;
- Steinach – Rothenburg ob der Tauber;
- Nürnberg Nordost – Gräfenberg;
- Nürnberg – Lauf (rechst Pegnitz) – Neunkirchen am Sand – Neuhaus;
- Nürnberg – Lauf (rechts Pegnitz) – Neunkirchen am Sand – Simmelsdorf-Hüttenbach;
- Roth – Hilpoltstein;
- Pleinfeld – Gunzenhausen;
- Wicklesgreuth – Windsbach.
The DB subsidiary has operated most of the services since 2008 under the Mittelfrankenbahn brand. The service pattern will be broadly unchanged under the new contract, but some extra routes are being added to the network.
There are also new quality requirements including an order for eight Alstom Lint 54 diesel multiple-units which was placed in April and the refurbishment of the existing Lint 41 and Siemens Desiro units.
