NWB, which has had this concession since 2000, will start the new concession in December 2016. There is an option to extend the concession by up to two years.

The concession covers lines radiating from Osnabrück to Bremen, Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven and Esens.

The concession will use 43 modernised diesel railcars from the Lower Saxony vehicle pool as well as new trains.