DB Regio Bus Ost

What DB Regio Bus Ost does

DB Regio Bus Ost GmbH is a regional bus operating subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, domiciled in Berlin and active across four German federal states: Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Its core function is the operation of scheduled regional public bus transport (ÖPNV) under public service obligation contracts with federal states and local authorities — most visibly through the Busverkehr Ostsachsen / Spree-Neiße Bus operations in Landkreis Görlitz (32 lines, up to 50 vehicles) — alongside bus rental, corporate charter, and consumer leisure tour services marketed under sub-brands including DB Bus Charter, BEX Charter (luxury charter in the Berlin metropolitan region, with heritage dating to 1960), and City Circle (Berlin hop-on hop-off sightseeing). The company also operates seasonal products such as the Sanssouci Express Potsdam excursion and the Weihnachtliche Lichterfahrt Berlin (Christmas Light Tour).

The underlying technology stack is built around the WOHIN·DU·WILLST mobile app (iOS and Android), which integrates real-time public transport information, personalized timetables, a "Du-musst-jetzt-losgehen" departure reminder, eTicketing, Deutschland-Ticket purchase and cancellation, Rufbus on-demand booking, and BlaBlaCar ride-sharing in select counties. All buses accept cashless payment (Giro cards, major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and are equipped with video surveillance systems. The company participates in the VBB (Berlin-Brandenburg) and ZVON (Upper Lusatia) tariff associations, distributing tickets through their respective networks and through DB Vertrieb GmbH.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: (1) contracted public transport fees from federal states and municipalities (managed services), (2) ticket sales under VBB/ZVON tariffs plus Deutschland-Ticket and ZVON-Abo subscriptions (recurring subscriptions), (3) DB Bus Charter and BEX Charter fees plus weekend/evening bus rental (transactional), (4) City Circle, Sanssouci Express, and Christmas Light Tour ticket sales (one-time consumer purchases), and (5) vehicle advertising sold via Ströer Media Deutschland GmbH (advertising). Customer segments span public-sector contracted transport (primary), daily commuters and students (primary), corporate and group charter customers, and tourists and leisure travelers. Distribution is omnichannel: contracted line operations, the WOHIN·DU·WILLST app, dedicated booking portals (city-circle.de, shop.bex.de, Palisis), VBB/ZVON service centers, and direct sales for charter and corporate accounts.

Name

DB Regio Bus Ost

Legal name

DB Regio Bus Ost GmbH

Website

https://dbregiobus-ost.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DB Regio Bus Ost GmbH is a Deutsche Bahn subsidiary operating scheduled regional bus transport across Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern under public service contracts, alongside bus charter (DB Bus Charter, BEX Charter), leisure tours (City Circle, Sanssouci Express), and the WOHIN·DU·WILLST mobility app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Bus Transport

NAICS

Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Suburban/Regional Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAGAC), On-Demand Shared Shuttle / Vanpool (Dynamic Routing, Door-to-Door) (TLAFAJAB)

Keywords

• Regional bus transport
• Public transit services
• Bus charter rental
• Sightseeing tours
• Mobility ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Transport Contracts: Core revenue comes from contracted regional public passenger transport services under transport contracts with German federal states (Bundesländer Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). The company operates scheduled bus lines (e.g., Spree-Neiße Bus operating 32 lines with up to 50 vehicles in Landkreis Görlitz) under these public service contracts.
2. Ticket Sales and Tariffs: Revenue from ticket sales through VBB (Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg) and ZVON (Zweckverband Verkehrsverbund Oberlausitz Niederschlesien) tariff zones. Additional revenue from Deutschland-Ticket subscriptions, monthly passes (ZVON Abo), and student/youth tickets (BildungsTicket). DB Vertrieb GmbH handles ticket distribution under a joint processing agreement (Art. 26 DSGVO).
3. Bus Charter and Rental: Revenue from DB Bus Charter (national event logistics and bus rental) and BEX Charter (luxury bus fleet for Berlin metropolitan region). Also includes bus rental of regular line buses (not luxury coaches) primarily on weekends, school holidays, and evenings.
4. Leisure Tours and Sightseeing: Revenue from City Circle Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing tours in Berlin (24h/48h/72h tickets), Sanssouci Express Potsdam day trips, and seasonal Christmas light tours in Berlin.
5. Vehicle Advertising: Revenue from advertising on and in buses. The company partners with Ströer Media Deutschland GmbH for traffic media advertising solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DB Regio Bus Ost GmbH operates scheduled regional public bus transport (ÖPNV) across Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern under public service contracts, including 32 lines in Landkreis Görlitz via the Spree-Neiße Bus brand. In parallel, it runs commercial offerings: bus charter and rental (DB Bus Charter, BEX Charter), leisure sightseeing tours (City Circle, Sanssouci Express, Christmas light tours), and the WOHIN·DU·WILLST mobile app for real-time information and eTicketing.

Product overview

DB Regio Bus Ost GmbH is a regional public transit and mobility services company operating under the Deutsche Bahn umbrella. The core offering is regional bus transport (ÖPNV) across Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, delivered through the Busverkehr Ostsachsen brand (operating 32 lines in the Landkreis Görlitz area under Spree-Neiße Bus). The product portfolio is organized into distinct sub-brands: WOHIN·DU·WILLST App serves as the primary digital platform providing real-time schedules, eTicketing, Rufbus booking, and Germany-Ticket management; City Circle provides hop-on hop-off sightseeing in Berlin; Sanssouci Express and Weihnachtliche Lichterfahrt Berlin offer leisure tour products; and DB Bus Charter / BEX Charter handle event logistics and bus rental. Supplementary services include vehicle advertising (partnered with Ströer), lost and found, dispute resolution, passenger rights information, safety training (Busschule), and specialized ticketing products (ZVON-Abo, BildungsTicket, student tickets) with cashless on-board payment support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Busverkehr Ostsachsen: Public transport (ÖPNV) operations in Landkreis Görlitz, operating 32 lines with up to 50 vehicles for school and city line services.
• DB Bus Charter
• BEX Charter
• City Circle

Products and services

• WOHIN·DU·WILLST App A free iOS and Android mobility app providing personalized timetables, real-time delay notifications, departure reminders, offline saved routes, Deutschland-Ticket purchase and cancellation, eTicketing in select counties, Rufbus on-demand booking in select counties, regional news feeds, tourist points of interest, and BlaBlaCar ride-sharing integration for public transit users in the region.
• City Circle Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tours Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus tours in Berlin operated in open double-decker buses, with 24h/48h/72h tickets, free WiFi, headphones, audio commentary in 20 languages, and a child-friendly audio channel; sold to tourists visiting Berlin.
• Sanssouci Express Potsdam Day Trip A half-day bus excursion from Berlin to Potsdam including a guided tour of Sanssouci Palace and Park, with audioguide, round-trip in modern coach from Kurfürstendamm 216; sold to tourists and leisure travelers, daily in summer and Fri/Sat in winter.
• Weihnachtliche Lichterfahrt Berlin (Christmas Light Tour) A seasonal 2.5-hour guided Christmas lights bus tour through festively decorated Berlin including a Christmas market visit, mulled wine and Christmas pastry; sold to tourists and leisure visitors during December.
• DB Bus Charter Nationwide event logistics and bus rental service covering bus logistics for trade shows, large-scale events, company outings, and transfer rides throughout Germany; sold to corporate and event clients.
• BEX Charter Luxury Bus Rental Luxury bus rental service for the Berlin metropolitan region operating a large fleet of high-end coaches with experienced drivers, serving corporate events, company mobility, school trips, and Kita outings.
• Busverkehr Ostsachsen (Spree-Neiße Bus) Public Transit Scheduled regional public transit service in Landkreis Görlitz operating 32 lines with up to 50 vehicles for school transport and urban city-line services under the Spree-Neiße Bus brand; operated under public service contracts.
• BildungsTicket ZVON Student/Apprentice Ticket Subscription-based monthly education ticket offering unlimited travel within the ZVON transport association for pupils, students, and apprentices.
• ZVON Abo Monthly Commuter Subscription Monthly subscription ticket for commuters and frequent travelers in the ZVON transport area (Landkreis Görlitz), available online or by post with direct debit payment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32 bus lines operated with up to 50 vehicles in Landkreis Görlitz alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DB Vertrieb GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDB Vertrieb GmbH is a joint data processing partner (Verantwortliche gem. Art. 26 DSGVO) for sales services including ticket sales, fare reimbursement, and payment processing. This is a critical partnership for revenue collection and customer-facing sales operations.
• VBB Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDB Regio Bus Ost participates in the VBB tariff zone. The VBB publishes tariff conditions and carriage regulations for the Berlin-Brandenburg transport area. All VBB tickets are valid on DB Regio Bus Ost services in the VBB area.
• ZVON Zweckverband Verkehrsverbund Oberlausitz NiederschlesiencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDB Regio Bus Ost is a partner in the ZVON transport association (Busverkehr Ostsachsen). ZVON publishes tariff conditions and carriage regulations for the Upper Lusatia transport area. The company accepts all ZVON tariff offerings and participates in the ZVON Abo (subscription) program.
• Ströer Media Deutschland GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStröer Media Deutschland GmbH is the exclusive partner for vehicle advertising on and in DB Regio Bus Ost vehicles. They handle all sales咨询 and client management for advertising on buses. Contact: [email protected], 02236 38696221.
• Polizei Zittau-Oberland (Police Station Zittau-Oberland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDB Regio Bus Ost cooperates with the Polizei Zittau-Oberland to deliver the Busschule (bus school) safety training program for first graders. The program teaches children safe behavior at bus stops, when boarding/alighting, and inside buses, including awareness of blind spots. The training includes both theoretical and practical components.
• Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr e.V.minorOthersThe arbitration board for public passenger transport provides an independent out-of-court dispute resolution service for individual disputes between passengers and transport companies. The service is free for both parties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (DVB): Municipal bus, tram, and ferry operator in Dresden, Saxony, operating within the same VVO tariff zone as DB Regio Bus Ost's Saxony services. Comparable regional public bus operator with similar contracted and farebox revenue model in eastern Germany.
• Hallesche Verkehrs-AG (HAVAG): Public bus and tram operator in Halle (Saale), Saxony-Anhalt, where DB Regio Bus Ost also maintains operations support. Comparable regional bus operator under similar German public service contract structures and fare association participation.
• Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG): Berlin's primary public transit operator, running buses, U-Bahn, trams, and ferries in the German capital. Directly comparable on urban/regional bus operations within the same VBB tariff zone and overlapping with DB Regio Bus Ost's Berlin-area services.
• DB Regio Bus Bayern: Another regional bus subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, operating scheduled public bus services in Bavaria under analogous public service contracts with the Free State of Bavaria. Closely comparable in business model, parent backing, and contract structure, differing primarily by operating geography.
• Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB): Public transit operator for Leipzig and surrounding region in Saxony, including bus, tram, and on-demand Flexa services. Directly comparable in providing scheduled bus services under public service contracts in eastern Germany, with similar on-demand mobility offerings.
• Regiobus Stuttgart: Regional bus operator serving the Stuttgart metropolitan area in Baden-Württemberg under public service contracts. Comparable as a German regional bus operator focused on suburban and interurban scheduled services outside the major city operator's network.

Broad incumbents

• FlixBus: Germany's leading intercity bus operator offering long-distance scheduled services across Europe. Adjacent competitor that operates in the bus passenger transportation space but focuses on intercity coach services rather than regional/public service obligations.
• Hamburger Hochbahn (HHA): Major urban transit operator in Hamburg running buses, U-Bahn, and ferries. Comparable as a large German public transit operator with diversified mobility services, though geographically distinct from DB Regio Bus Ost's eastern German territory.

Regional players

• Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB): Public bus, tram, and rail operator for Cologne and surrounding region in North Rhine-Westphalia. Comparable German municipal/regional transit operator with similar bus services under public contracts, though serving a different geographic market.

Others

• Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn (MRB): Regional rail operator in central Germany (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia) operated under contracts with transit authorities. Related as another contracted Deutsche Bahn Group subsidiary providing passenger transport services in eastern Germany under public service obligations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 DB Regio Bus Ost