Die Länderbahn

What Die Länderbahn does

Die Länderbahn GmbH DLB is a private German regional and cross-border railway operator founded in 1889 and headquartered in Viechtach, Bavaria. The company runs passenger rail services under five brand identities — alex, trilex, oberpfalzbahn, vogtlandbahn, and waldbahn — across Bavaria, Saxony, Thuringia, and cross-border into the Czech Republic and Poland. It also operates its own railway infrastructure in the Bayerischer Wald (Bavarian Forest). Revenue is generated primarily through multi-year public service contracts (Verkehrsverträge) awarded by transport authorities including the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG), Zweckverband für den Nahverkehrsraum Leipzig (ZVNL), and Czech regional governments (Bezirk Liberec, Ústecký kraj), supplemented by passenger ticket sales governed by regional transport association tariffs.

The fleet comprises approximately 210 vehicles including diesel and electric locomotives, passenger carriages, and diesel multiple units, with 41 new Siemens Mireo three-car electric multiple units being introduced for the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland network starting December 2026. The company maintains in-house workshops (Regentalwerke) at four locations (Neumark, Schwandorf, Viechtach, Zwiesel) certified to DIN EN 15085-2 CL1 welding, DIN 6701 adhesive bonding, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 50001:2018 standards, and holds the safety certification pursuant to § 7a Abs.2 AEG required for German rail operations. It also maintains ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) certification, ZfP non-destructive testing authorization, and wheel set reprofiling authorization. The company operates approximately 14 million train-kilometers annually, expanding to 20 million with the S-Bahn launch.

The business model is anchored in winning traffic contracts through competitive tendering, with services including regional commuter transport, leisure and tourism travel, and cross-border connectivity. Distribution occurs via on-board ticket sales, station ticketing, customer centers, online/app e-ticketing, and integration with German transport associations (MVV, RVV, VGN, VLC, VMS, VVO, VVV, ZVON) and the Deutschlandtarifverbund. Since 2011 the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of NETINERA Deutschland GmbH, itself established when a consortium led by Italian state railway Ferrovie dello Stato acquired Arriva Deutschland GmbH. The company currently employs approximately 1,100 staff, with planned growth to 1,300 by end-2026 to support S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland operations, and also runs an in-house Eisenbahnschule and Fahrsimulator for train driver qualification.

Name

Die Länderbahn

Legal name

Die Länderbahn GmbH DLB / Regentalbahn GmbH

Website

https://laenderbahn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Die Länderbahn is a private German regional railway operator headquartered in Viechtach, Bavaria, operating five brands across Bavaria, Saxony, Thuringia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, primarily serving public transport authorities via long-term Verkehrsverträge contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Rail Passenger Transport

NAICS

Rail Transportation (4821)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011)

akta.pro primary industry

Intercity Bus Franchises/Concessionaires (Public Service Contracts) (THAIADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Intercity Coach Fleet Operations & Management Contractors (TLAFAFAJ)

Keywords

• Regional rail services
• Passenger rail transport
• Rail vehicle maintenance
• Public transport contracts
• Cross-border rail operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Viechtach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Service Contracts: Die Länderbahn generates the majority of its revenue through traffic contracts awarded by public transport authorities (Verkehrsverträge). These are gross cost contracts where the authority pays the operator to run services, with ticket revenue typically retained by the authority. Notable contracts include: S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland (from December 2026, covering Halle-Leipzig-Vogtland), Regionalverkehr Ostbayern (from December 2025, Oberpfalz & Bayerischer Wald), and cross-border Czech networks (Česká Lípa, Louny, Liberec).
2. Cross-border Rail Services (Munich–Prague): The alex brand operates the Munich–Prague express (RE 25) and Munich–Hof (RE 23) services, operating daily with seven train pairs cross-border to Prague, in cooperation with České dráhy (ČD). This is also a publicly contracted service.
3. Direct Passenger Ticket Revenue: Ticket sales for regional rail travel, including on-board ticket purchases on certain routes (alex, trilex, vogtlandbahn) and at stations. Revenue from tickets is partly retained by the company where operating under different contractual arrangements, and supplemented through recognized transport association tariffs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Die Länderbahn GmbH DLB operates regional and intercity passenger rail services across Germany and into the Czech Republic and Poland under five consumer-facing brands (alex, trilex, oberpfalzbahn, vogtlandbahn, waldbahn), plus the upcoming S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland network. The company runs a fleet of 210 vehicles including diesel and electric locomotives, passenger carriages, and modern diesel multiple units, and maintains its own rolling stock through four Regentalwerke workshops. Revenue is generated primarily through publicly-awarded traffic contracts (Verkehrsverträge) with German state railway agencies and Czech regional governments, supplemented by passenger ticket sales.

Product overview

Die Länderbahn operates as a multi-brand regional railway operator with a portfolio of five distinct brands: alex (regional express service on routes from Munich to Prague and Hof), trilex (services in Saxony and Czech Republic including Dresden–Görlitz and Liberec connections), oberpfalzbahn (services in the Upper Palatinate region with routes from Regensburg to Marktredwitz and Cham), vogtlandbahn (services in the Vogtland region including routes to Zwickau, Plauen, and Gera), and waldbahn (services in the Bavarian Forest including Plattling–Bayerisch Eisenstein and Zwiesel–Grafenau routes). The company also operates the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland network starting December 2026, which will run from Halle over Leipzig to the Vogtland. The fleet comprises approximately 210 vehicles including diesel and electric locomotives, passenger carriages, and modern diesel multiple units. The company maintains its own workshops (Regentalwerke) in Neumark, Schwandorf, Viechtach, and Zwiesel, and operates its own rail infrastructure in the Bavarian Forest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• alex Regional express service operating on routes from Munich to Prague (RE 25) and Munich to Hof (RE 23), offering cross-border connections between Germany and the Czech Republic in cooperation with České dráhy (ČD).
• trilex Regional rail service operating in Saxony and the Czech Republic, including RE1/RB60 from Dresden to Görlitz, RE2/RB61 from Dresden to Liberec, and cross-border services in the Liberec region.
• oberpfalzbahn Regional rail service operating in the Upper Palatinate region of Bavaria with lines RB23 (Regensburg-Marktredwitz), RB27 (Schwandorf-Cham-Furth im Wald), RB28 (Cham-Lam), and RB29 (Cham-Waldmünchen).
• vogtlandbahn Regional rail service operating in the Vogtland region of Saxony and Thuringia with lines RB1 (Zwickau-Kraslice), RB2 (Zwickau-Hof/Cheb), RB4 (Gera-Weischlitz), and RB5 (Mehltheuer-Falkenstein/Kraslice).
• waldbahn Regional rail service operating in the Bavarian Forest with lines RB35 (Plattling-Bayerisch Eisenstein), RB36 (Zwiesel-Grafenau), RB37 (Zwiesel-Bodenmais), and RB38 (Gotteszell-Viechtach). Operations run on company-owned railway infrastructure.
• S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland S-Bahn network covering the Central German metropolitan region, operating from Halle over Leipzig to Plauen in the Vogtland, including the City-Tunnel in Leipzig, with 41 Mireo three-car electric multiple units from Siemens.
• Regentalwerke Workshop Services Company-owned maintenance workshops located in Neumark, Schwandorf, Viechtach, and Zwiesel providing rail vehicle maintenance, welding (DIN EN 15085-2 CL1), bonding (DIN 6701), wheel reprofiling, and non-destructive testing services for rail vehicles and parts.
• Eisenbahnschule (Railway School) In-house railway training school providing education and qualification programs for train drivers (Triebfahrzeugführer) and customer service personnel, supporting both internal workforce development and external industry training needs.
• Fahrsimulator (Train Simulator) Training simulator facility for train driver qualification and ongoing professional development, supporting Triebfahrzeugführer training programs at Die Länderbahn.
• EgroNet-Ticket Cross-border tariff ticket product for the EgroNet region, enabling travel across multiple tariff systems in the German-Czech border region with a single ticket.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates 14 million train-kilometers annually across 5 brands, growing to 20 million with S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• České dráhy (ČD) — Czech State RailwayscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023České dráhy operates cross-border rail services alongside Die Länderbahn on the Munich–Prague corridor (alex RE 25). On the German side, Länderbahn operates under the alex brand; on the Czech side, ČD operates the corresponding services. This long-standing cooperation enables daily cross-border connectivity between Germany and the Czech Republic. Cooperation also exists on the Hof–Selb–As route (with CD).
• KD (Kolejová Doprava) — Polish Private RailwayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015KD is a Polish private railway company. Die Länderbahn expanded its cooperation with KD for the Dresden–Breslau (Wrocław) cross-border connection with the 'Breslau-Express' resumed in 2015, connecting the German regional network to Polish destinations.
• NETINERA Deutschland GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Die Länderbahn GmbH DLB is a wholly owned subsidiary of NETINERA Deutschland GmbH since 2011. NETINERA was founded in 2011 when Arriva Deutschland GmbH was acquired by a consortium led by Italian state railway Ferrovie dello Stato (FS). NETINERA serves as the parent company coordinating multiple regional rail brands across Germany, providing group-level management, compliance frameworks, and strategic direction to Länderbahn.
• ZVNL (Zweckverband für den Nahverkehrsraum Leipzig)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVNL is the public transport authority for the Leipzig region that awarded Die Länderbahn the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland contract (MDSB2025plus, Lot 2) in July 2023. The contract covers operations from Halle (Saale) through Leipzig to Plauen from December 2026.
• Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEG is the state railway authority for Bavaria that awards and funds regional rail traffic contracts. Die Länderbahn has multiple active contracts with BEG, including the Regionalverkehr Ostbayern contract (won both lots in 2023, starting December 2025) and the continuation of alex services (awarded 2022 for 2023–2026).
• VVO (Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVVO is the Upper Elbe Transport Association covering the Dresden area. Die Länderbahn's trilex services operate within VVO's tariff area, and the company recognizes VVO tickets on its trains in the region.
• ZVON (Zentralverkehrsverbund Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZVON is the transport association for the Upper Lusatia-Lower Silesia region. Die Länderbahn's trilex services operate within ZVON's tariff area, and the company recognizes ZVON tickets on its trains.
• Bezirk Liberec (Liberec Region Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Liberec Region ordered trilex services on lines L2 and L4 (Liberec–Česká Lípa–Děčín and Liberec–Rybniste) through a joint procurement with neighboring regions Ústí nad Labem and Mittelböhmen (Středočeský kraj). Services operate until end of 2031.
• Ustecký kraj (Ústí Region Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ústí Region awarded the 'Louny' network contract to Die Länderbahn in March 2019, covering routes including Osek–Most–Louny–Rakovník and Jirkov–Chomutov–Žatec–Lužná u Rakovníka, significantly expanding the company's Czech market presence.
• Siemens MobilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationSiemens Mobility is supplying 41 Mireo three-car electric multiple units to Die Länderbahn for the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland network (operations starting December 2026). The Mireo trains are equipped to the latest standards including modern passenger amenities, accessibility features, and are designed to operate through the City-Tunnel in Leipzig.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• České dráhy (ČD): Czech state railway incumbent that partners with Länderbahn on the Munich–Prague alex RE 25 corridor and cooperates on Hof–Selb–As. Comparable as a cross-border passenger operator with overlapping geographic territory in northern Bohemia, though competing on its home turf.
• BLS AG: Swiss regional and interregional rail operator (Bern–Lötschberg–Simplon network, S-Bahn Bern). Comparable in scale and public-service-contract operating model, though operating in Switzerland rather than the German SPNV market.

Broad incumbents

• DB Regio AG: Deutsche Bahn's regional rail subsidiary and the dominant German SPNV operator with the largest network footprint. Directly competes with Die Länderbahn in Bavarian and central German tenders and is the benchmark incumbent in gross-cost contract procurements.

Direct peers

• Transdev GmbH (Transdev Germany): German arm of French Transdev group, operating regional rail and bus networks across multiple German states under public contracts. Highly comparable as a multi-brand, internationally-owned private competitor bidding for SPNV concessions alongside Länderbahn.
• Abellio Deutschland: Previously a major Dutch-owned private rail operator in Germany (Stuttgart S-Bahn, Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn, NRW). Now under new ownership and restructuring, but historically a direct private competitor in regional contract tendering in central Germany, including overlapping markets with Länderbahn.
• Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland: UK-owned private rail operator with German contracts (Baden-Württemberg, Bayern). Comparable international private entrant competing for SPNV tenders, with similar reliance on public procurement and modern fleet procurement (Siemens Mireo, Alstom Coradia).
• National Express Germany GmbH: UK-listed National Express's German rail subsidiary operating regional services (e.g., Rhine-Ruhr-Express, Rhineland-Palatinate) under similar public service contracts. Closely comparable business model: international private operator winning German SPNV tenders with multi-brand fleets.
• agilis (DB RegioNetz Verkehrs GmbH): DB Regio subsidiary operating regional rail in Bavaria (Franken, Ostbayern) on the same public-service contract model. Direct head-to-head competitor on Bavarian tenders including some Oberpfalz routes that overlap with Länderbahn's oberpfalzbahn and waldbahn services.

Others

• Siemens Mobility: Supplier of the 41 Mireo EMUs being delivered to Länderbahn for S-Bahn MDSB. Not a competitor but a critical strategic partner — fleet supply decisions directly affect Länderbahn's competitive bidding position for future German electric SPNV contracts.

Emerging players

• Flixtrain (Flix SE): Open-access long-distance rail operator under the FlixBus/FlixTrain ecosystem. Adjacent rather than direct — operates commercial (not contracted) services, but competes for the same regional passenger rail demand and represents the emerging private rail model in Germany.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Die Länderbahn