GERMANY: Bayern railway agency BEG has awarded Die Länderbahn a contract to continue operating a trial passenger service on the Gotteszell – Viechtach line.
Regular passenger services on the 24·8 km route ended in 1991. BEG and Die Länderbahn agreed to reintroduce a trial service from September 12 2016 to determine whether there was sufficient demand to reinstate permanent service.
The five-year operating contract was due to end on September 11 2021, but the operator has now been awarded a new contract running to September 11 2022.
The one-year contract was awarded directly, with BEG explaining that there would be insufficient time to organise a competitive tender and only the incumbent would be a position to operate the services.
The trial services is operated using five Stadler RegioShuttle RS1 railcars and accounts for a total of 290 000 train-km/year.
