Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Transport (VMV) intends to award contracts to operate regional services on the routes connecting the island of Rügen, Stralsund, Rostock and Hamburg as follows:
• Baltic Coast Network II (RE9 and RE10 Rostock - Stralsund - Binz/Sassnitz (Rügen)/Züssow) from December 2021 to December 2034, which represents 1.8 million train-km, and
• Baltic Coast Network I (RE 1 Hamburg - Schwerin - Rostock), which will initially be let as a ‘bridge contract’ from December 2021 to December 2025 and represents 2.3 million train-km. This temporary contract will be followed by a new concession known as Netz Osta (OSTsee-Alster Network), which will run from December 2025 until December 2040 and will initially represent 2.5- 3.1 million train-km annually.
From December 2029, at the earliest, the concession will incorporate an additional 1 million train-km as services on the Lübeck - Bad Kleinen route are added following planned electrification and the addition of a new connection west of Bad Kleinen, which will facilitate direct operation between Schwerin and Lübeck.
VMV awarded East German Railway (Odeg) a 24-month direct-award contract for Baltic Coast services from December 2019 despite an unsuccessful legal challenge by previous operator DB Regio. DB Regio continues to operate RE 1 Hamburg - Rostock services.
