Arverio Deutschland GmbH, with brand name Arverio,[1][2] before July 2024 under the name Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland GmbH, is a railway operator in Germany. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Austrian state-owned rail operator ÖBB, and was part of the United Kingdom-based Go-Ahead Group up till its sale to ÖBB was completed on 1 February 2024.[3]
 | |
| Industry | Rail transport |
|---|---|
| Founded | 9 June 2019 |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Key people | Stefan Krispin (managing director) |
| Owner | ÖBB (since 2024) |
| Website | www |
Go-Ahead secured its first contract in the German rail market in November 2015 to operate several regional rail lines in the vicinity of Stuttgart; it took over services from the incumbent operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) on 9 June 2019. Multiple other contracts to operate other passenger services, such as in Munich and Lindau, have been awarded in the following years. Go-Ahead Deutschland has procured a mixed fleet of Stadler FLIRT electric multiple units (EMUs) and Siemens-built double-decker EMUs to operate these services.
History
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In November 2015, Go-Ahead Deutschland was awarded its first rail contract in the Germany market by the Baden-Württemberg public transport authority Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg from June 2019.[4][5][6] Covering multiple regional rail lines around the city of Stuttgart, the combined revenues generated were expected to reach roughly €1.6bn across the life of the contract, which covers operations between June 2019 and 2032.[7] On 9 June 2019, operations commenced as contracted, taking over from the previous operator, the state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB).[8] In response to gains by competing companies, DB reportedly launched efforts to reduce costs and retain as much of its profitable regional services as possible.[9]
Over the following years, Go-Ahead Deutschland pursued various other opportunities in the German rail sector.[10] During June 2017, the company was awarded a separate contract to operate Network 3A ‘Murrbahn’ routes from December 2019 by Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg and the Bavarian rail authority Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG). Under this contract, it operate services between Stuttgart and Nürnberg, covering 1.3 million km per year, starting in December 2019 and ending in 2032.[11][12]
In August 2017, yet another contract was issued to Go-Ahead Deutschland for the operation of ‘E-Netz Allgau’ regional trains between Munich and Lindau by the Baden-Wurttemberg public transport authority and the Bavarian rail authority.[13] This contract, which has a set timeframe of 12 years, covers six lines and 71 stations, was a significant expansion to Go-Ahead’s German rail business, which employed 1,000 people in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg and comprises a fleet of 144 modern electric trains by the end of 2022, growing Go-Ahead’s total German rail business to annually cover 20 million train kilometres.[14] Under the terms of the contact, Go-Ahead operates upon tracks, stations and signals owned and maintained by DB; in common with other third-party operators, Go-Ahead pays access fees for its use of the network to DB.[14]
On 12 October 2023 the purchase agreement for the acquisition of the company by ÖBB was signed, and the completion of the sales process is expected in 2023 after competition law approvals by the European Commission (EC).[15] The sale was completed on 1 February 2024 following approval from the EC. Trains on the network continue to use the Go-Ahead name in the short term.[3]
Services
edit| Line | Network | Route | Contract commences | Contract finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEX 13 | 1B Rems-Fils | Stuttgart – Aalen – Crailsheim | June 2019 | December 2032 |
| MEX 16 | 1B Rems-Fils | Stuttgart – Geislingen – Ulm | June 2019 | December 2032 |
| IRE 1 | 1C Franken-Enz | Karlsruhe – Stuttgart – Aalen | June 2019 | December 2032 |
| RE 8 | 1C Franken-Enz | Stuttgart – Heilbronn – Lauda – Würzburg | June 2019 | December 2032 |
| RE 90 | 3A Murrbahn | Stuttgart – Schwäbisch-Hessental – Crailsheim – Nuremberg | December 2019 | December 2032 |
| RE 72 | E-Netz Allgäu | München – Buchloe – Memmingen | December 2021 | December 2033 |
| RB 92 | E-Netz Allgäu | Memmingen – Lindau-Reutin | December 2021 | December 2033 |
| RE 96 | E-Netz Allgäu | München – Buchloe – Memmingen – Lindau-Reutin | December 2021 | December 2033 |
| RE 80 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Würzburg – Ansbach – Treuchtlingen – Donauwörth – Augsburg – München | December 2022 | December 2034 |
| RB 87 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Donauwörth – Augsburg – München | December 2022 | December 2034 |
| RE 9 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Ulm – Dinkelscherben – Augsburg – München | December 2022 | December 2034 |
| RB 86 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Dinkelscherben – Augsburg – München | December 2022 | December 2034 |
| RE 89 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Aalen – Nördlingen – Donauwörth – Augsburg – München | December 2022 | December 2034 |
| RB 89 | Augsburger Netze (Los 1) | Aalen – Nördlingen – Donauwörth | December 2022 | December 2034 |
Rolling stock
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To commence operations, Go-Ahead Deutschland placed an initial order for 45 newly-built Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units (EMUs) in May 2016.[16][17] These trains are equipped with various amenities for the travelling public, including onboard free WiFi, fully accessible carriages, and flexible areas for people travelling with bikes or wheelchairs. 28 Flirts have been stabled at a newly built depot in Essingen.[18]
In January 2019, in order to fulfil additional contracts, Go-Ahead ordered an additional 56 Siemens-built double-decker EMUs.[19][20] Each set can provide up to 1,000 seats and are furnished with modern accessibility-friendly interiors.[21] Their introduction in December 2022 provided a significant increase in seating capacity on heavily-trafficked commuter routes.[14]
In December 2020, it was announced that Go-Ahead Deutschland has selected the TMH International subsidiary of Transmashholding to maintain both EMU fleets operated by the company in southern Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.[22] As a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Euco Rail acquired all assets of TMHI in Germany.[23][24]
References
edit- ^ International2024-07-10T15:00:00+01:00, Railway Gazette. "Go-Ahead Deutschland renamed Arverio as ÖBB targets growth in southern Germany". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "ÖBB: Arverio als neue Marke im Nahverkehr in Deutschland". Presseinfos - ÖBB (in German). Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Go-Ahead completes sale of German rail operations to ÖBB". Go-Ahead. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Go-Ahead enters the German rail market". Go-Ahead. 17 November 2015.
- ^ "Go-Ahead and Abellio win Stuttgart passenger operating contracts". Railway Gazette International. 17 November 2015.
- ^ "and Go-Ahead sign Baden-Wurttemberg contracts". International Railway Journal. 12 July 2016.
- ^ Sadler, Katie (18 November 2015). "Go-Ahead and Abellio awarded Baden-Wurttemberg rail contract". globalrailwayreview.com.
- ^ "Launch of operations as timetable changes". 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "Germany: Bahn-storming". globalrailwayreview.com. 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Go-Ahead awarded third rail network in Germany". globalrailwayreview.com. 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Go-Ahead receives approval for Network 3A Murrbahn from Stuttgart to Nürnberg". Go-Ahead Germany. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "Go-Ahead selected for Stuttgart-Nuerenburg operating contract". Railway Gazette International. 9 June 2017.
- ^ "Go-Ahead will now operate four rail networks in Germany". globalrailwayreview.com. 7 August 2018.
- ^ a b c Robinson, Elliot (12 December 2022). "Go-Ahead begin operating first trains on major new Bavarian network". globalrailwayreview.com.
- ^ "ÖBB & Go-Ahead Germany form a Partnership for German local transport". ÖBB Newsroom. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ "Go-Ahead orders Flirt EMU fleet". Railway Gazette International. 11 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "Stadler wins Go-Ahead Stuttgart train contract". International Railway Journal. 11 May 2016.
- ^ "Go-Ahead begins running rail services in Baden-Wüttemberg". globalrailwayreview.com. 11 June 2019.
- ^ "Go-Ahead Germany orders 56 regional trains from Siemens Mobility". globalrailwayreview.com. 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Go-Ahead orders 56 EMUs for Augsburg services". Railway Gazette International. 31 January 2019.
- ^ Robinson, Elliot (6 October 2022). "Go-Ahead to deploy brand-new 1,000-seat Siemens electric trains in Bavaria". globalrailwayreview.com.
- ^ "TMH International to maintain Go-Ahead's Bayern multiple-units". Railway Gazette International. 1 December 2020.
- ^ "Railway supply industry news round-up". Railway Gazette International. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ "Instandhaltung: Euco Rail statt TMHI". eurailpress-archiv.de. Eurailpress Archiv. 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2024.