Trans Europa Express

What Trans Europa Express does

Trans Europa Express Holding AG (TEX Holding) is a Swiss-domiciled private holding company that provides a multi-service platform to the European railway industry, operating through 14 subsidiary companies across five countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium) with over 1,000 employees and 131 million EUR in annual revenue. The group is organized into four business divisions: TEX Rail Operating, which supplies qualified train drivers, wagon technicians, and railway operations managers to freight and passenger operators on flexible short- or long-term contracts; TEX Rail Training, which delivers certified and simulator-based training programs for train drivers, maintenance technicians, and infrastructure specialists at facilities across all five operating countries; TEX Rail Specialists, which provides consulting, customized IT rail services, mobile preventive freight wagon maintenance, and railway operations management; and TEX Rail Infrastructure, which installs and maintains control and security technology including signal boxes, signals, level crossings, points, and supports ETCS digital system transitions.

TEX's business model is enterprise B2B professional services, with bespoke contractual pricing negotiated on a per-engagement basis (no standardized public pricing) and multi-year contracts typical for personnel leasing. The company pursues a Buy & Build growth strategy, expanding both the service portfolio and geographic reach through acquisitions and organic growth, as demonstrated by the 2024 market entry into Belgium and the May 1, 2026 launch of MEV Belgien. Customer acquisition is driven by direct sales relationships with railway operators, supported by industry reputation, a corporate website, newsroom, and participation in rail sector events; no intermediary distribution channels are used.

Underlying technology includes simulator-based training infrastructure at multiple European locations, mobile freight wagon maintenance capabilities with data-driven availability optimization, and proprietary software for rail rule management and digital vehicle administration. Customers include major European rail operators such as boxXpress, Rail Cargo Group, BLS AG, SBB Cargo, SBB Personenverkehr, and Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe, with several relationships spanning 25 years. The group is led by CEO Stephan Pfuhl, CFO Dr. Christian Runzheimer, and Head of Finance Andrea Krakau.

Name

Trans Europa Express

Legal name

TRANS EUROPA EXPRESS HOLDING AG

Website

https://tex-holding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Trans Europa Express Holding AG is a Swiss-domiciled private rail services group operating 14 subsidiaries across five European countries, providing qualified train drivers, wagon technicians, simulator-based training, consulting, IT services, and infrastructure maintenance to enterprise freight, passenger, and public transport operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Personnel and Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border / International Coach Operators (TLAFAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cross-Border/International Intercity Rail Operators (THAIAAAE)

Keywords

• Rail personnel leasing
• Railway training services
• Rail infrastructure maintenance
• Mobile wagon maintenance
• Railway consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Rail Personnel Leasing / Staffing: Qualified railway personnel (train drivers, wagon technicians, railway operations managers) are provided to railway operators on a flexible, temporary or long-term basis. This is the core revenue driver across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium.
2. Rail Training Services: Certified and customized training programs for train drivers, maintenance technicians, and infrastructure specialists, including practical simulator training. Offered at multiple group locations and on-site at customer premises.
3. Rail Consulting & Specialist Services: Operational consulting, IT rail services, mobile freight wagon maintenance, shop transfer trips, and railway operations management. Revenue generated through project-based and service contracts.
4. Rail Infrastructure Services: Installation, maintenance, and modernization of railway infrastructure including signal systems, points, level crossings, and track welding. Provided across Germany through specialized subsidiary companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Trans Europa Express Holding AG provides qualified railway personnel (train drivers, wagon technicians, and operations managers) on a flexible leasing basis, certified training services via simulator-based programs, mobile freight wagon maintenance, and rail infrastructure services (installation and maintenance of signal boxes, signals, level crossings, points, and track welding). The group serves railway operators and infrastructure managers across five European countries through 14 subsidiary companies under four business divisions: Rail Operating, Rail Training, Rail Specialists, and Rail Infrastructure.

Product overview

Trans Europa Express Holding AG is a leading independent service provider for the European railway industry operating through a platform of four core business areas: TEX Rail Operating (personnel staffing for train drivers and wagon technicians), TEX Rail Training (simulator-based training across 5 countries), TEX Rail Specialists (consulting, IT services, mobile maintenance), and TEX Rail Infrastructure (control and security technology). The group comprises 14 subsidiary companies including MEV (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium), ERC.D, ER. bahn-consulting, KSV, On Track, L&B, LT BahnTechnik, LT SchienenTechnik, and WWR SignalTechnik, providing bundled rail services across Germany, DACH region, Netherlands, and Belgium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEX Rail Operating: Business division providing qualified personnel for rail transport including train drivers and wagon technicians
• TEX Rail Training
• TEX Rail Specialists
• TEX Rail Infrastructure

Products and services

• TEX Rail Operating Provides qualified railway personnel (train drivers and wagon technicians) for freight and passenger transport as well as infrastructure managers, offering flexible personnel placement services on a short-term or long-term basis across Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria.
• TEX Rail Training Offers comprehensive certified and customized training and professional development for train drivers, maintenance technicians, and infrastructure specialists using modern simulators, with locations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Belgium.
• TEX Rail Specialists Provides specialist services including mobile preventive maintenance for rail freight wagons, qualified railway operations managers, customized IT rail services (rule management and digital vehicle administration), consulting, and shop-to-transfer trips for railway operators.
• TEX Rail Infrastructure Offers specialized services in control and security technology (Leit- und Sicherungstechnik) including installation and maintenance of signal boxes, signals, level crossings, points, point heating systems, earthing work, and welding work on track throughout Germany, with support for ETCS digital system transitions.
• MEV Belgien

Quantifiable outcome

• Current annual revenue of 131 million EUR with continuous organic and acquisition-driven growth.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DB Services GmbH: Deutsche Bahn's services subsidiary providing facility management, industrial services, and personnel for the German rail ecosystem. The most directly comparable peer, offering similar personnel leasing, infrastructure, and operational support services within rail.
• Balfour Beatty Rail GmbH: Provides rail infrastructure construction, electrification, and maintenance services across Europe. Comparable to TEX Rail Infrastructure in track and signaling construction and ongoing maintenance work.
• Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group: European rail construction and services group covering track construction, rail logistics, and infrastructure services. Direct peer for TEX's infrastructure and specialist services across DACH and Benelux.
• Leonhard Weiss GmbH & Co. KG: German construction group with significant rail infrastructure operations including track construction and signaling. Direct comparable to TEX Rail Infrastructure within the German market.
• STRABAG AG: Large European construction group with a substantial rail infrastructure division. Competes with TEX in track construction, signaling installation, and rail infrastructure maintenance across the DACH region.
• Vossloh AG: German rail infrastructure specialist focused on switches, crossings, fastening systems, and rail services. Directly comparable to TEX Rail Infrastructure's switch, point, and signaling maintenance business.

Broad incumbents

• Alstom SA: Major rail signaling and infrastructure provider including ETCS digital systems. Competes with TEX in infrastructure services but as part of a broader rolling stock and signaling portfolio with much greater scale.
• Thales SA: Provides rail signaling, telecommunications, and control systems globally. Overlaps with TEX Rail Infrastructure's signaling and control technology work, though as part of a much larger defense and transport portfolio.
• Siemens Mobility GmbH: Global leader in rail signaling, ETCS, and rail automation. Overlaps with TEX Rail Infrastructure in signaling technology but operates as a much larger equipment manufacturer and turnkey provider rather than a specialized service company.

Regional players

• Captrain Deutschland GmbH: European rail freight operator active in Germany and neighboring countries. A buyer rather than direct service competitor, but highly relevant as a customer analogue for understanding TEX's rail freight customer base and market dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trans Europa Express