GERMANY: The Land of Schleswig-Holstein signed operating contracts for Netz Mitte passenger services with DB Regio and Nordbahn on July 16. The two contracts run for 13 years from the December 2014 timetable change.
DB Regio has been awarded Contract A, covering regional express services carrying 22 000 passengers/day on 211 route-km from Hamburg to Kiel and Flensburg. Bombardier is to supply new double-deck coaches in 2016 to support a planned increase from 3·9 million to 4·6 million train-km/year.
Nordbahn has been awarded Contract B, covering Heide – Neumünster – Bad Oldesloe and Hamburg – Itzehoe/Wrist regional services comprising a total of 1·9 million train-km/year on a 94 route-km network carrying 12 000 passengers/day. Services will be operated with 15 Stadler Flirt 3 EMUs.
