DB Regio Bus Nord

Name

DB Regio Bus Nord

Legal name

Autokraft GmbH, DB Regio Bus Nord GmbH, Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH, Weser-Ems Busverkehr GmbH

Website

https://www.dbregiobus-nord.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Public Bus Transportation

NAICS

Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), School and Employee Bus Transportation (48541), Charter Bus Industry (485510)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Scheduled Intercity Coach Operators (TLAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intercity Bus Franchises/Concessionaires (Public Service Contracts) (THAIADAG), Regional Intercity Bus Operators (Scheduled) (THAIADAB)

Keywords

• Regional bus services
• Public bus transport
• Airport shuttle service
• Passenger transportation
• Demand-responsive transit

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 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 Transport Contracts: Revenue from public service contracts with regional transport authorities (ÖPNV-Aufgabenträger) who procure bus services through competitive tendering. The company operates under long-term traffic contracts that define routes, frequencies, and service levels.
2. Passenger Fares: Revenue from ticket sales to passengers using bus services. Fares are collected through various channels including on-board sales, apps, customer centers, and online platforms. Multiple tariff systems apply based on transport association territories.
3. Airport Shuttle Services (KIELIUS): The KIELIUS airport bus service between Kiel and Hamburg Airport operates as a commercial service with ticket revenue from passengers. Online tickets are priced from 16 Euro, monthly subscriptions from 85-160 Euro depending on route.
4. Charter and Rental Services: Mietbus (charter bus) services offered by Autokraft, RBB, and Weser-Ems-Bus for group travel, events, and private hire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

DB Regio Bus Nord operates scheduled regional and local public bus services across Schleswig-Holstein, Niedersachsen, Bremen, and parts of Hamburg through five subsidiaries (Autokraft, Dithmarschenbus, Regionalbus Braunschweig, Weser-Ems-Bus, Haller Busbetrieb). The portfolio includes the KIELIUS airport shuttle between Kiel and Hamburg Airport, hydrogen and electric bus fleets, demand-responsive Rufbus services, and leisure bus routes. Tickets are distributed through mobile apps, online shops, customer centers, and on-board sales under multiple regional tariff systems.

Product overview

DB Regio Bus Nord is a regional bus transport company under Deutsche Bahn comprising five subsidiary bus companies: Autokraft GmbH (Schleswig-Holstein), DB Regio Bus Nord GmbH/Dithmarschenbus (Dithmarschen district), Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH/RBB (Lower Saxony including Uelzen, Lüneburg, Heidekreis), Weser-Ems Busverkehr GmbH/WEB (Weser-Ems region including Bremen, Oldenburg, Osnabrück), and Haller Busbetrieb GmbH/HBB (Heidekreis). The portfolio includes core bus services across multiple tariff systems, specialized offerings like KIELIUS airport shuttle between Kiel and Hamburg Airport, various subscription tickets including Deutschland-Ticket (63 euros/month) and regional variants, on-demand Rufbus services (RuDi in Dithmarschen, SMILE24 in Eckernförde), and recreational buses (Freizeitbus Uelzen, FreizeitBus Osnabrück, Urlauberbus Ostfriesland). Digital services are accessible through Wohin·Du·Willst app and various transport association apps (hvv, NAH.SH, VBN, VOS, VEJ). The company is transitioning to sustainable mobility with hydrogen buses in Friesland, electric buses in Uelzen, and electric bus funding for Autokraft and Weser-Ems-Bus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scheduled Regional Bus Services Fixed-route scheduled bus services operated across Schleswig-Holstein, Niedersachsen, Bremen, and parts of Hamburg through five subsidiary bus companies (Autokraft, Dithmarschenbus, Regionalbus Braunschweig, Weser-Ems-Bus, Haller Busbetrieb).
• KIELIUS Airport Shuttle Hourly airport shuttle bus service connecting Kiel via Neumünster to Hamburg Airport, with online tickets from 16 euros and monthly subscriptions from 85-160 euros. Operating since 1979.
• Deutschland-Ticket Germany-wide monthly subscription ticket for public transport valid in all regional trains, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams, and buses. Priced at 63 euros per month, cancellable monthly.
• Freizeitbus Uelzen Recreational bus service operating May 1 to October 31 on weekends and holidays, serving tourist destinations in Uelzen district with free bicycle transport included.
• Urlauberbus Ostfriesland Vacation bus service in East Frisia region offering routes to Wattenmeer region for leisure travel and tourism.
• Rufbus On-Demand Services Demand-responsive transport services including RuDi Nord (Heide), RuDi Süd (Marne), RuDi Mitte (Meldorf), and SMILE24 (Eckernförde). Bookable via Wohin·Du·Willst App or phone.
• X85 Bus Line Lübeck-Fehmarn Rail replacement bus service between Lübeck and Puttgarden (Fehmarn) operating with modern double-decker buses from MAN manufacturer. Hourly departures with 2-hour journey time.
• Wasserstoffbusse (Hydrogen Buses) Six hydrogen fuel cell buses deployed in Landkreis Friesland, produced by Caetano with Toyota fuel cells. Features 590km range, wheelchair/bicycle access, video surveillance, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and USB charging.
• E-Busse Stadtverkehr Uelzen Electric buses deployed in Stadt Uelzen city transport, operated by RBB on behalf of mycity (Stadtwerke Uelzen).
• PlusBus OstFriesland PlusBus service in Ihlow municipality (Landkreis Aurich) with new lines and buses operated by Weser-Ems-Bus, providing enhanced bus connections in East Frisia region.
• Wohin·Du·Willst App Mobile application for nationwide public transport, enabling Deutschland-Ticket purchase and management, real-time travel information, route planning, eTicketing, Rufbus booking, and offline access to saved trips.
• Mietbus Charter Services Charter bus (Mietbus) services offered by Autokraft, RBB, and Weser-Ems-Bus for group travel, events, and private hire.
• Uelzen-Tarif Subscription Regional tariff system for Landkreis Uelzen based on tariff zones, with annual subscription option for adults, trainees, students, and schoolchildren.

Quantifiable outcome

• 130,000 tonnes CO2 saved compared to diesel buses from deployed electric buses nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration19 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Bahn AG (Parent Company)coreOthersDB Regio Bus Nord is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. The company operates as part of DB Regio AG, the market leader in German local public transport. DB Regio Bus Nord subsidiaries (Autokraft, RBB, Weser-Ems-Bus, Dithmarschenbus, Haller) are integrated into the DB Group structure with shared resources, technology platforms, and brand identity.
• Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV)coreOthersFederal Ministry of Transport providing funding for electric and hydrogen bus procurement. In current funding round, 151 companies received 417 million Euro for 1,887 electric buses. DB Regio Bus Nord subsidiaries received support for fleet electrification.
• Landkreis FrieslandcoreOthersCounty partnership for hydrogen bus deployment. Landkreis Friesland invested 450,000 Euro in addition to 16.5 million Euro BMV funding for six hydrogen buses and infrastructure.
• MOIN GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for bus services in Landkreis Lüneburg. Since January 2026, joint venture of RBB and irro operates bus services under contract with MOIN GmbH.
• Transport Associations (Verkehrsverbünde)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with multiple transport associations for tariff coordination and integrated ticketing: VBN (Bremen-Niedersachsen), VEJ (Ems-Jade), VNN (Nordost Niedersachsen), VOS (Osnabrück), VRB (Region Braunschweig), VSN (Südniedersachsen), hvv (Hamburg), NAH.SH (Schleswig-Holstein). These partnerships enable seamless travel across regions with unified tariffs.
• Taxi TammsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTaxi company providing RuDi Nord demand-responsive transport services in Heide area as subcontractor for DB Regio Bus Nord GmbH.
• Taxi PetersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTaxi company providing RuDi Süd demand-responsive transport services in Marne area as subcontractor.
• Taxi 4000minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTaxi company providing RuDi Mitte demand-responsive transport services in Meldorf area as subcontractor.
• Willy Hummert Omnibusverkehr GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBus company partnered with Weser-Ems-Bus to operate Ringlinien X491 and X492 in Hasbergen area of VOS Süd region, including new L89/Ohrbeck stop.
• DB Vertrieb GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for ticket distribution and subscription management, including handling Deutschland-Ticket sales and KIELIUS monthly subscriptions.
• Planungsgesellschaft Nahverkehr Osnabrück (PlaNOS)coreOthersPlanning organization for public transport in Osnabrück region involved in new bus concept 'RegioTakt' implementation.
• irro ReisencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus company partnered with RBB in joint venture for Landkreis Lüneburg bus services since January 2026.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DB Regio Bus Mitte: Sibling division of Deutsche Bahn AG operating scheduled regional and city bus services across central Germany (Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, parts of Nordrhein-Westfalen). Directly comparable in operating model: contracted bus services under DB Regio, multiple subsidiaries, Verkehrsverbund integrations, and parallel fleet electrification program.
• Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH): Public municipal bus operator serving Hamburg and the surrounding Schleswig-Holstein districts. Directly competes in the same Hamburg hvv tariff zones as DB Regio Bus Nord's Weser-Ems-Bus and Autokraft services, with overlapping route geographies.
• Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft (KVG): Municipal transit operator in Kiel providing city bus and ferry services in the same Schleswig-Holstein NAH.SH tariff as Autokraft. Comparable in operating scheduled bus routes, contract-based service, and integrated app-based ticketing.
• DB Regio Bus Bayern: DB AG's southern German bus division operating contracted regional routes across Bayern. Operates an identical business model under the same DB Regio umbrella, with parallel hydrogen and electric bus deployment programs and Verkehrsverbund integrations.
• Regionalverkehr Köln (RVK): Regional bus operator in the Rheinland providing scheduled services across multiple Landkreise under Verkehrsverbund tariffs. Comparable in contract-based operations, multi-subsidiary structure, and rural-urban route mix in a German Verkehrsverbund.
• Omnibusverkehr Franken (OVF): Regional bus operator in Franken/Nordbayern providing scheduled and on-demand services under VGN tariff. Comparable as a contracted German bus operator with Verkehrsverbund integration, multi-district coverage, and Rufbus-style demand-responsive offerings.

Emerging players

• FlixBus: Germany-headquartered intercity coach operator and DB's main competitor in long-distance road passenger transport. Comparable in passenger bus operations and digital ticketing, but operates commercial scheduled intercity network rather than contracted regional routes, so only partial overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe: Public transit operator in Hannover offering urban tram, light rail, and bus services under the GVH tariff — same Verkehrsverbund-style framework that DB Regio Bus Nord serves. Comparable in contracted regional bus operations in Niedersachsen, though with a broader urban rail portfolio.
• Hamburger Hochbahn: Hamburg's principal public transit operator running U-Bahn, buses, and ferries under the hvv tariff — the same network in which DB Regio Bus Nord's Weser-Ems-Bus and Autokraft routes operate. Adjacent competitor with broader metro services but overlapping bus routes in Hamburg.

Regional players

• moBiel: Municipal transit company in Bielefeld operating city buses under the WestfalenTarif. Comparable as a smaller-scale contracted bus operator, though geographically separate and operating in a different Verkehrsverbund.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=TVkrWc-Kgng
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/db-regio-bus-nord-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Nord