Under the deal, Veolia will provide four Siemens ES 64 U2 electric locomotives to haul six-car rakes of HKX coaches. Veolia will also provide the drivers, train HKX staff, and maintain the locomotives and coaches.

"We will announce the date for the start of operations as soon as the passenger coaches have been certified by the Federal Railway Agency (EBA)," says HKX CEO Ms Eva Kreienkamp. "At the moment, preparations for the start of the service are in full swing. We have started training our service personnel and we are recruiting additional staff."

HKX is owned by the German subsidiary of Railroad Development Corporation, United States, Locomore Rail, Germany, and railway investor, Mr Michael Schabas.