What Cottbusverkehr does

Cottbusverkehr GmbH is a municipally-owned public transport operator headquartered in Cottbus, Germany, wholly owned by the Stadt Cottbus (City of Cottbus). Founded with the launch of its first electric tram on July 18, 1903, the company operates urban bus and tram services across Cottbus and the surrounding Spree-Neiße district, covering a service area of more than 1,800 km² and transporting approximately 12 million passengers annually. With a workforce of 350+ employees, the company delivers 24/7 operations supported by a central control center and ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 13816 certified quality and environmental management systems. Cottbusverkehr holds exclusive operating rights within its service area and is integrated into the regional Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) tariff network, providing seamless ticketing and connections across Berlin-Brandenburg.

The company's core technology asset is its modern fleet of more than 100 buses and trams, including new Škoda ForCity Classic low-floor trams introduced in 2025 to enhance barrier-free accessibility. Cottbusverkehr has launched a hydrogen technology initiative under the #H2Rass program (2024) as part of its stated commitment to achieve 100% e-mobility by 2030. Distribution is multi-channel: physical ticket sales through two customer centers (Hauptbahnhof and Stadtpromenade), 18 stationary ticket machines, on-board driver sales, and digital channels including the VBB Bus&Bahn app and the AboOnline subscription portal. Ancillary revenue streams include vehicle advertising across the fleet (reaching 220,000+ potential daily customers), special historic-vehicle rentals for events, depot tours, and Bus School safety training programs.

Cottbusverkehr monetizes through a diversified fare structure combining transaction-based tickets (Single Ticket €2.70, 24-Hour Ticket €6.50, 4-Trip Ticket €10.00, 24-Hour Group Ticket €19.40) with monthly subscriptions (Abo Cottbus AB €39.90, VBB Umweltkarte €52.40, VBB-Abo 63vorOrt €34.30 for seniors, and the nationwide Deutschlandticket at €63.00). Bundled tourism products such as the Pückler Ticket (€5.60, with attraction discounts) and Wellness Ticket (€23.00, including Spreewald Therme entry) target visitors and day-trippers. The wholly-owned subsidiary Verkehrsservice Cottbus GmbH (VSC) provides complementary taxi and transport services, extending the group's mobility offering across Cottbus and Lusatia. As a municipal operator within the VBB network, Cottbusverkehr's revenue model is also supported by public subsidies tied to its public service mandate.

Name

Cottbusverkehr

Legal name

Cottbusverkehr GmbH

Website

https://cottbusverkehr.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cottbusverkehr GmbH is a municipally-owned public transport operator in Cottbus, Germany, wholly owned by the City of Cottbus. It provides urban bus and tram services across Cottbus and the Spree-Neiße district, transporting 12 million passengers annually under the VBB regional tariff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Charter Bus Industry (4855)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Shuttle Bus Leasing/Rental (Airport/Hotel/Corporate) (TLABADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Minibus & Microbus Leasing/Rental (15–30 seat) (TLABADAF), Tourist/Attraction Circulator Shuttles (Downtown/Theme Parks) (TLAFAJAL)

Keywords

• Public transportation services
• Urban bus transit
• Tram operations
• Fare ticketing
• Municipal mobility

Headquarters

HQ city

Cottbus

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets, day tickets, multi-trip tickets, and connecting tickets for urban and regional transport within Cottbus AB and ABC fare zones
2. Subscription Passes: Monthly and annual subscriptions including VBB Umweltkarte, Abo Cottbus AB, Deutschlandticket, and VBB-Abo 63vorOrt for seniors
3. Special Travel Services: Vehicle rental for special occasions using historic trams and buses, group trip services, and depot tours
4. Vehicle Advertising: Advertising opportunities on buses and trams operating throughout Cottbus and Spree-Neiße district, reaching over 220,000 potential customers daily across 1,800+ km² area

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cottbusverkehr GmbH operates scheduled public transport services using trams and buses across Cottbus and the Spree-Neiße district under the VBB tariff system. The company sells individual and group tickets, day and multi-trip passes, and recurring subscriptions for commuters, students, seniors, and tourists, and complements transit operations with special-occasion historic vehicle rentals, depot tours, and Bus School safety training.

Product overview

Cottbusverkehr GmbH operates as a public transport company offering a comprehensive suite of mobility services in Cottbus and the Spree-Neiße district. The core offering consists of urban tram and bus transport services, supplemented by an extensive ticketing ecosystem including single tickets, day passes, and various subscriptions (VBB Umweltkarte, Abo Cottbus AB, Deutschlandticket, VBB-Abo 63vorOrt). The company has expanded its portfolio with special services such as historic vehicle rentals, group trip registrations, depot tours, and Bus School safety training. In 2025, the company introduced new Škoda ForCity Classic low-floor trams as part of its fleet modernization. The subsidiary Verkehrsservice Cottbus GmbH (VSC) provides complementary taxi and transport services, while the EinsteigerTV YouTube channel serves as an informational resource. Digital services include online ticket purchasing via the VBB app, subscription management through AboOnline, and a trip planner for journey planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Urban Bus and Tram Transport Services Scheduled public transport services operating modern low-floor trams and buses throughout Cottbus and the Spree-Neiße district, providing daily mobility for approximately 12 million passengers per year across an area of more than 1,800 km².
• Single Ticket

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 million passengers transported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ŠkodacoreTechnology or IntegrationŠkoda ForCity Classic Niederflur (low-floor) trams represent the new era of passenger comfort in Cottbus with modern technology, accessibility, and contemporary design setting new standards for local public transport. Delivery began in 2025.
• Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional transport association providing unified ticketing and tariff system across Berlin and Brandenburg. Cottbusverkehr operates within the VBB network offering seamless connections and standardized fares across the region.
• Verkehrsservice Cottbus GmbH (VSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company operating taxi and transport services in Cottbus and Lusatia for over 20 years. Part of Cottbusverkehr group providing comprehensive mobility services including special trips with historic vehicles.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB): Mid-sized German municipal transit operator running buses and trams in Leipzig; comparable in business model (municipal-owned, multi-modal transit, fare structure) and product breadth (tickets, subscriptions, special services).
• Hallesche Verkehrs-AG (HAVAG): Tram and bus operator serving Halle (Saale); comparable as a German municipal transit operator with similar fleet composition (trams + buses), regional ticketing integration, and passenger scale.
• Rostocker Straßenbahn AG (RSAG): Municipal transit operator in Rostock with tram and bus services; highly comparable as a mid-sized German city operator with combined tram-bus fleet, regional integration, and similar passenger volumes.
• Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe (MVB): Municipal public transport company in Magdeburg operating trams, buses, and ferries; comparable as a mid-sized German municipal operator with similar service portfolio and multi-channel ticketing approach.
• ViP Potsdam (Potsdamer Verkehrsbetriebe): Public transit operator serving Potsdam with buses and trams; similarly mid-sized municipal operator in Brandenburg within the VBB network, making it the closest direct comparable to Cottbusverkehr in scale, vehicle mix, and regional context.
• Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (DVB): Municipal transit operator of Dresden operating buses, trams, and ferries; comparable in offering a multi-modal urban transit system with regional network integration, though at a larger scale than Cottbusverkehr.

Others

• Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB): Regional transport authority that coordinates tariff and ticketing across all operators in Berlin-Brandenburg; Cottbusverkehr is a member and operates within VBB's unified tariff system, making VBB a key ecosystem/partner rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG): Berlin's mass transit operator and the dominant regional incumbent within the VBB network; far larger than Cottbusverkehr but operates the same unified ticketing system and serves as the broader incumbency benchmark for the regional transit category.

Regional players

• Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn AG (NEB): Regional rail operator in Brandenburg; operates within the VBB network and shares the regional ticketing system with Cottbusverkehr, serving as a complementary regional transport peer rather than a direct urban transit competitor.
• Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt (Oder) (VgF): Local public transport operator in Frankfurt (Oder), a neighboring Brandenburg city; comparable as a small municipal transit operator in the same federal state and VBB network, serving a similar demographic profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CottbusverkehrGMBH
• Xx.com/cottbusverkehr
• Facebookfacebook.com/cottbusverkehr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cottbusverkehr-gmbh

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Cottbusverkehr