DB Transport will be part of DB Regio and will take over inter-city routes 35 (Cologne - Norddeich Mole), 55 (Cologne - Leipzig) and 56 (Norddeich Mole - Dresden). These are former InterRegio services, which were upgraded to Intercity status when the InterRegio network was broken up in 2003.
DB restructures long-distance services
GERMAN Rail (DB) is to transfer some inter-city services to a new subsidiary in a move that is likely to boost the profitability of its long-distance passenger unit.
GERMAN Rail (DB) is to transfer some inter-city services to a new subsidiary in a move that is likely to boost the profitability of its long-distance passenger unit.
From December 2013, all three of these routes are due to be operated by new Bombardier Traxx locomotives and intercity-specification double-deck coaches (pictured) ordered by DB last year. Similar trains are already widely used by DB Regio.
By separating these routes from DB Long Distance, DB may be seeking to force state governments to provide financial support to long-distance services. Last year, DB agreed to accept tickets issued by Lower Saxony transport authority on the Bremen - Norddeich Mole section of Line 56 in return for compensation from the state for lost revenues. However questions remain over the legality of such arrangements, because the states are obliged to tender the operation train services they subsidise.
The French government will tender the operation of some marginal long-distance routes from 2014, although there are currently no plans to do the same in Germany.
Tags: Bombardier, DB, Germany
