Association of German Transport Companies

What Association of German Transport Companies does

Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV) is the trade association representing approximately 685 to 700 companies performing public passenger transport (ÖPNV) and rail freight transport (SGV) in Germany. Its origins trace to the 1846 Association of Prussian Railways and the 1895 Association of German Tramway and Light Railway Administrations; the current VDV was formed at the beginning of 1991 through the merger of three predecessor bodies, the VÖV, the BDE, and the VÖV of the former German Democratic Republic. The association is legally structured as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) under German law, with operating offices in Cologne (headquarters), Berlin (Hauptstadtbüro), and Brussels (Europabüro), nine regional groups, six general committees, and 19 expert committees supported by more than 400 voluntary experts.

VDV's core service is political and technical representation: it advocates for member interests before federal parliaments, ministries, EU institutions, and regulators; produces technical standards through VDV Recommendations and VDV Reports; and publishes sector statistics, the "Blaue Bücher" series, Schriften & Mitteilungen, and the magazine VDV Das Magazin. Digital offerings include the VDV VerbandsApp for event registration and member services, the KnowHow@ÖV knowledge platform, a secure member portal, and the New Mobility Forum, a 2019-launched matchmaking platform that connects roughly 30 mobility startups and technology providers (including Better Mobility, FREE NOW, Uber, Lime, MOIA, TIER, VOI, Via, SIXT, and Deutsche Bahn's Call a Bike / Flinkster) with VDV member companies. A wholly owned subsidiary, VDV-Akademie GmbH, delivers training and professional development for the public transport sector.

VDV's business model is membership-based, financed primarily through membership dues supplemented by event revenue (VDV-Jahrestagung, Rheinischer Abend, InnoTrans, IT-TRANS, transport logistic, mobility move), publication sales, and training fees from VDV-Akademie. Specific membership fees are not publicly disclosed. Customers are not commercial buyers but member organizations, segmented into Public Transport Companies (primary segment, covering ÖPNV) and Rail Freight Transport Companies (secondary segment, covering SGV). Membership is in effect mandatory for sector representation, making the membership base essentially the entire German public transport and rail freight industry. The organization is not public, receives no private equity or venture capital, and is governed by a Vorstand, Geschäftsführung, Verbandsbeirat, and committee structure.

Name

Association of German Transport Companies

Legal name

Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen e.V.

Website

https://vdv.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV) is the German trade association representing approximately 685-700 companies in public passenger transport and rail freight transport. Founded in its current form in 1991 with roots dating to 1846, it advocates for members, publishes technical standards, and runs events and digital member services from offices in Cologne, Berlin, and Brussels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VDV is a German trade association (e.V.) that represents approximately 685 public passenger transport and rail freight transport companies before parliaments, authorities and other institutions. It produces technical standards (VDV Recommendations and VDV Reports) through expert committees, offers member services including training through its VDV-Akademie subsidiary, runs the New Mobility Forum matchmaking platform, publishes industry statistics and VDV Das Magazin, and conducts political advocacy in Cologne, Berlin and Brussels.

Product overview

VDV (Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen) is a sector association for public transport companies, not a product company per se. Its offerings include the VDV VerbandsApp for event management and knowledge access, the New Mobility Forum platform connecting mobility startups with transport companies, the KnowHow@ÖV knowledge platform, VDV Das Magazin publication, and a secure member portal. These services support around 685 member companies in public passenger transport and rail freight transport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VDV VerbandsApp: Digital platform for event registration, professional knowledge resources (KnowHow@ÖV), and industry publications for VDV members
• New Mobility Forum
• VDV-Akademie

Products and services

• VDV VerbandsApp A web-based mobile application by VDV and VDV Academy for event registration, booking, and access to industry knowledge including VDV publications and committee documents.
• New Mobility Forum A matchmaking platform connecting startups and companies with innovative mobility offerings to VDV member transport companies, aiming to promote sustainable mobility in cities and rural areas.
• KnowHow@ÖV Knowledge Platform A knowledge platform containing VDV publications, expert knowledge, and learning resources for the public transport industry.
• VDV Das Magazin Online magazine covering topics related to public transport and rail freight in Germany.
• VDV-Mitgliederbereich (Member Portal) A secure member area providing access to VDV communications, documents, expert committees, event calendars, and cloud document storage.
• New Mobility Projects Map Interactive Germany map showing mobility projects including bike-sharing, e-scooter, ride-pooling, carsharing, and rideselling initiatives by VDV partners.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Better MobilitycoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2019Better Mobility GmbH is a specialist for multimodal mobility platforms and Mobility-as-a-Service, offering software solutions that network public transport and mobility offerings digitally while maintaining data sovereignty for customers.
• Call a Bike (Deutsche Bahn)coreTechnology or IntegrationWith over 16,000 bikes in more than 70 cities, Deutsche Bahn is the nationwide market leader in bike sharing with one million registered customers annually.
• cambiocoreTechnology or Integrationcambio was founded in 2000 through the merger of CarSharing pioneers from Aachen, Bremen and Cologne. In Germany and Belgium, the company offers station-based car sharing for private and business customers.
• CleverSolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationCleverSolutions specializes in the planning, introduction and operation of On-Demand transport in Germany. The team has successfully launched more than 30 demand-controlled mobility offerings.
• dmo digital mobilities consultantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerdmo addresses core topics around digital mobility, sharing, on-demand services, autonomous driving, MaaS and digital platforms for mobility transition.
• Donkey RepubliccoreTechnology or IntegrationDonkey Republic is a worldwide bicycle rental system based in Copenhagen, renting bicycles in many major cities. Bikes are station-based and can be rented for longer periods.
• DottcoreTechnology or IntegrationDott is one of Europe's leading e-Mobility companies with a mission to relieve city traffic through micromobility with clean rides and make it accessible to all.
• Enterprise MobilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationEnterprise Mobility is the world's largest mobility service provider and a fully family-owned company. With a fleet of 1.7 million vehicles, Enterprise operates in more than 100 countries.
• ESM GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationESM GmbH from Hanover is a software specialist for demand transport and on-demand transport since 1997. Their AnSaT system is used in over 100 counties.
• FLEXIBUScoreTechnology or IntegrationFLEXIBUS is Germany's oldest digital ride pooling service, active since 2009 in Bavarian Swabia, offering individual mobility complementary to existing public transport networks.
• Flinkster (Deutsche Bahn)coreTechnology or IntegrationDB offers Germany's largest car sharing network through Flinkster. Around 30 partners provide some 350,000 customers with approximately 4,500 vehicles nationwide.
• goFLUX Mobility GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationgoFLUX enables commuters to form carpools to work via an app, integrating these carpools into public transport networks as cooperation partners.
• FREE NOWcoreTechnology or IntegrationFREE NOW (formerly mytaxi) is one of Europe's leading mobility providers. Founded in 2009 as the first taxi app, FREE NOW is now available in over 100 cities with more than 100,000 drivers.
• HaconcoreTechnology or IntegrationFor more than 35 years, Hacon has developed software that helps transport companies optimize processes and make traveling as easy as possible for passengers.
• Interlink GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlink works on classic and innovative solutions around mobility topics from integrated transport planning to autonomous driving in public transport.
• iokicoreTechnology or Integrationioki makes mobility accessible to everyone, anywhere, anytime - whether in metropolises or in rural areas. ioki is a complete service provider for digital mobility forms.
• LimecoreTechnology or IntegrationLime offers a modern and emission-free transport solution with electric scooters. The company was founded in the USA in June 2017 and is now active in over 100 cities in Europe, North America, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
• MILES MobilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationMILES Mobility brings free-floating car sharing to the next level with a holistic offering. Billing is per kilometer rather than per minute. Founded in 2016 in Berlin.
• MOIA (Volkswagen)coreTechnology or IntegrationMOIA is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group developing mobility services and working in partnership with cities and local public transport operators.
• nextbikecoreTechnology or Integrationnextbike is the European market leader in bike sharing and has been developing sustainable bike sharing systems for over 14 years. Currently active in over 200 cities.
• SHARE NOWcoreTechnology or IntegrationSHARE NOW offers car sharing everywhere and anytime. As market leader and pioneer of free-floating car sharing, SHARE NOW is represented in 31 metropolises worldwide with more than 20,000 vehicles.
• TIER MobilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationTIER Mobility GmbH is a German e-scooter sharing startup founded in 2018 and based in Berlin. The goal is to offer alternatives to cars to free cities from emissions and congestion.
• ViacoreTechnology or IntegrationVia was founded in 2012 and is a pioneer in TransitTech, using new technologies to operate public mobility systems and optimize networks of dynamic shuttles, buses, and autonomous vehicles worldwide.
• VOIcoreTechnology or IntegrationVOI is an environmentally friendly mobility company from Sweden that brings e-scooter sharing systems to Europe in cooperation with cities. Founded in Stockholm in May 2018.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA): German automotive industry association. Adjacent peer as a German sector trade association of similar scale and structure, representing the competing (road) mode in modal-share debates.
• Deutsche Bahn AG: Germany's largest rail operator and a major VDV member/ecosystem participant. Comparable not as a peer association but as the dominant member whose interests VDV represents in policy and standards-setting.

Direct peers

• mofair: German association of private rail passenger operators. Directly comparable as a Germany-based transport trade association focused on rail competition and policy advocacy, with overlapping member profiles and competing positions on track access.
• UITP (International Association of Public Transport): Global umbrella association for public transport authorities and operators, headquartered in Brussels. Most directly comparable to VDV as a sector trade body representing public transport members, with overlapping advocacy, knowledge-sharing, and event functions.
• Allianz pro Schiene: German rail promotion alliance representing environmental associations, trade unions, and transport companies. Directly comparable to VDV as a domestic rail advocacy organization, often co-publishing rail policy positions and competing for political influence on rail freight and passenger issues.
• American Public Transportation Association (APTA): U.S. national trade association for public transportation. Functionally analogous to VDV: advocacy, standards, conferences, and member services for bus and rail operators in a single national market.
• European Rail Freight Association (ERFA): European-level association for rail freight undertakings. Comparable to VDV's rail freight advocacy function, focused on EU-level policy and competing/cooperating with VDV's European office in Brussels.
• Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER): European rail sector association for operators and infrastructure managers. Comparable to VDV at EU level, representing rail members on policy and lobbying, with substantive overlap on key files handled by VDV's Brussels office.

Regional players

• Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT): UK trade association for bus and coach operators. Functionally similar to VDV as a national passenger transport member association, but focused on the UK market and on bus/coach rather than rail.
• Union des Transports Publics (UTP): French professional organization for public transport and rail companies. Closest international peer to VDV in scope, serving a similar (though different) national market with comparable advocacy, training, and event activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mobiwissen
• Facebookfacebook.com/DieVerkehrsunternehmen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/die-verkehrsunternehmen
• Instagraminstagram.com/vdv_verband
• Xx.com/VDV_Verband

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Association of German Transport Companies