Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland

Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland GmbH is a railway operator in Germany. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British transport company Go-Ahead Group.

Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland GmbH
IndustryRail transport
Founded9 June 2019
Headquarters
Berlin
,
Germany
Key people
Stefan Krispin (managing director)
OwnerGo-Ahead Group
Websitewww.go-ahead-bahn.de

Go-Ahead secured its first contract in the German rail market in November 2015 to operate several regional rail lines in the vicinity of Stuttgart; it took over services from the incumbent operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) on 9 June 2019. Multiple other contracts to operate other passenger services, such as in Munich and Lindau, have been awarded in the following years. Go-Ahead Deutschland has procured a mixed fleet of Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units (EMUs) and Siemens-built double-decker EMUs to operate these services.

History
Logo of Go-Ahead Baden-Württemberg.
Logo of Go-Ahead Bayern.

In November 2015, Go-Ahead Deutschland was awarded its first rail contract in the Germany market by the Baden-Württemberg public transport authority Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg from June 2019.[1][2][3] Covering multiple regional rail lines around the city of Stuttgart, the combined revenues generated were expected to reach roughly €1.6bn across the life of the contract, which covers operations between June 2019 and 2032.[4] On 9 June 2019, operations commenced as contracted, taking over from the previous operator, the state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB).[5] In response to gains by competing companies, DB reportedly launched efforts to reduce costs and retain as much of its profitable regional services as possible.[6]

Over the following years, Go-Ahead Deutschland pursued various other opportunities in the German rail sector.[7] During June 2017, the company was awarded a separate contract to operate Network 3A ‘Murrbahn’ routes from December 2019 by Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg and the Bavarian rail authority Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG). Under this contract, it operate services between Stuttgart and Nürnberg, covering 1.3 million km per year, starting in December 2019 and ending in 2032.[8][9]

In August 2017, yet another contract was issued to Go-Ahead Deutschland for the operation of ‘E-Netz Allgau’ regional trains between Munich and Lindau by the Baden-Wurttemberg public transport authority and the Bavarian rail authority.[10] This contract, which has a set timeframe of 12 years, covers six lines and 71 stations, was a significant expansion to Go-Ahead’s German rail business, which employed 1,000 people in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg and comprises a fleet of 144 modern electric trains by the end of 2022, growing Go-Ahead’s total German rail business to annually cover 20 million train kilometres.[11] Under the terms of the contact, Go-Ahead operates upon tracks, stations and signals owned and maintained by DB; in common with other third-party operators, Go-Ahead pays access fees for its use of the network to DB.[11]

On October 12, 2023, the purchase agreement for the acquisition of the company by ÖBB was signed, and the completion of the sales process is expected in 2023 after competition law approvals.[12]

Services
Line Network Route Contract commences Contract finishes
MEX 13 1B Rems-Fils Stuttgart – Aalen – Crailsheim June 2019 December 2032
MEX 16 1B Rems-Fils Stuttgart – Geislingen – Ulm June 2019 December 2032
IRE 1 1C Franken-Enz Karlsruhe – Stuttgart – Aalen June 2019 December 2032
RE 8 1C Franken-Enz Stuttgart – Heilbronn – Lauda – Würzburg June 2019 December 2032
RE 90 3A Murrbahn Stuttgart – Schwäbisch-Hessental – Crailsheim – Nürnberg December 2019 December 2032
RE 72 E-Netz Allgäu München – Buchloe – Memmingen December 2021 December 2033
RB 92 E-Netz Allgäu Memmingen – Lindau-Reutin December 2021 December 2033
RE 96 E-Netz Allgäu München – Buchloe – Memmingen – Lindau-Reutin December 2021 December 2033
RE 80 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Würzburg – Ansbach – Treuchtlingen – Donauwörth – Augsburg – München December 2022 December 2034
RB 87 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Donauwörth – Augsburg – München December 2022 December 2034
RE 9 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Ulm – Dinkelscherben – Augsburg – München December 2022 December 2034
RB 86 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Dinkelscherben – Augsburg – München December 2022 December 2034
RE 89 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Aalen – Nördlingen – Donauwörth – Augsburg – München December 2022 December 2034
RB 89 Augsburger Netze (Los 1) Aalen – Nördlingen – Donauwörth December 2022 December 2034

Rolling stock
GoAhead ET 4.08 (Stadler Flirt 3) at Stuttgart Hbf

To commence operations, Go-Ahead Deutschland placed an initial order for 45 newly-built Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units (EMUs) in May 2016.[13][14] These trains are equipped with various amenities for the travelling public, including onboard free WiFi, fully accessible carriages, and flexible areas for people travelling with bikes or wheelchairs. 28 Flirts have been stabled at a newly built depot in Essingen.[15]

In January 2019, in order to fulfil additional contracts, Go-Ahead ordered an additional 56 Siemens-built double-decker EMUs.[16][17] Each set can provide up to 1,000 seats and are furnished with modern accessibility-friendly interiors.[18] Their introduction in December 2022 provided a significant increase in seating capacity on heavily-trafficked commuter routes.[11]

In December 2020, it was announced that Go-Ahead Deutschland has selected the TMH International subsidiary of Transmashholding to maintain both EMU fleets operated by the company in southern Bayern and Baden-Württemberg.[19]

References
  1. "Go-Ahead enters the German rail market". Go-Ahead. 17 November 2015.
  2. "Go-Ahead and Abellio win Stuttgart passenger operating contracts". Railway Gazette International. 17 November 2015.
  3. "and Go-Ahead sign Baden-Wurttemberg contracts". International Railway Journal. 12 July 2016.
  4. Sadler, Katie (18 November 2015). "Go-Ahead and Abellio awarded Baden-Wurttemberg rail contract". globalrailwayreview.com.
  5. "Launch of operations as timetable changes". 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  6. "Germany: Bahn-storming". globalrailwayreview.com. 23 March 2016.
  7. "Go-Ahead awarded third rail network in Germany". globalrailwayreview.com. 12 June 2017.
  8. "Go-Ahead receives approval for Network 3A Murrbahn from Stuttgart to Nürnberg". Go-Ahead Germany. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  9. "Go-Ahead selected for Stuttgart-Nuerenburg operating contract". Railway Gazette International. 9 June 2017.
  10. "Go-Ahead will now operate four rail networks in Germany". globalrailwayreview.com. 7 August 2018.
  11. Robinson, Elliot (12 December 2022). "Go-Ahead begin operating first trains on major new Bavarian network". globalrailwayreview.com.
  12. "ÖBB & Go-Ahead Germany form a Partnership for German local transport". ÖBB Newsroom. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  13. "Go-Ahead orders Flirt EMU fleet". Railway Gazette International. 11 May 2016.
  14. "Stadler wins Go-Ahead Stuttgart train contract". International Railway Journal. 11 May 2016.
  15. "Go-Ahead begins running rail services in Baden-Wüttemberg". globalrailwayreview.com. 11 June 2019.
  16. "Go-Ahead Germany orders 56 regional trains from Siemens Mobility". globalrailwayreview.com. 1 February 2019.
  17. "Go-Ahead orders 56 EMUs for Augsburg services". Railway Gazette International. 31 January 2019.
  18. Robinson, Elliot (6 October 2022). "Go-Ahead to deploy brand-new 1,000-seat Siemens electric trains in Bavaria". globalrailwayreview.com.
  19. "TMH International to maintain Go-Ahead's Bayern multiple-units". Railway Gazette International. 1 December 2020.
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