The tender is split into two parts. Part 1 is led by VRR and also includes lines overseen by Westphalia-Lippe Local Transport (NWL). It encompasses annual volumes of 4.8 million train-km across two lines: S1 Solingen - Dortmund (3.8 million train-km per year) and S4 Unna - Lütgendortmund - Dortmund (1 million train-km per year), with the contract starting on December 15 2019 and expiring on December 13 2031. The winning bidder will use existing trains with VRR set to make these available from sets already in service.

Part 2 which covers seven lines with a total volume of 7.1 million train-km per year. This concession is also set to run from December 15 2019 to December 13 2031. The lines are:

• S2 Dortmund - Essen/Recklinghausen (1.2 million train-km per year)
• S3 Oberhausen - Hattingen (0.9 million train-km per year)
• S9 Hagen - Recklinghausen/Haltern (2.8 million train-km per year)
• RB3 Duisburg - Dortmund (0.9 million train-km per year)
• RB40 Hagen - Essen (0.7 million train-km per year)
• RB41 Wesel - Wuppertal (0.6 million train-km per year)

New trains will be deployed on these lines, which will be procured by the operator but with VRR assuming the financial risk and leasing the sets back to the winning bidder.

Bidding for the gross contract will close on November 9 at 12.00. For more information, click here.