KVS GmbH

Name

KVS GmbH

Legal name

KVS GmbH

Website

https://kvs.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Bus Transportation

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/County Public Bus Operators (THAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bus Leasing, Rental & Contracted Fleet Provision (EDAEADAD)

Keywords

• Public bus transport
• Municipal transit services
• On-demand bus services
• Bus advertising
• Public transport ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Saarlouis

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ticket Sales: KVS generates revenue through ticket sales using the unified saarVV tariff system, which allows passengers to use tickets across all buses and trains in Saarland.
2. Public Transport Subsidies: As a municipal company, KVS receives public funding and subsidies for operating public transportation services in the Landkreis Saarlouis.
3. Bus Advertising: KVS offers advertising space on its buses (Verkehrsmittelwerbung), including full bus wraps, partial wraps, and interior advertising. The company provides a pricing list and brochure for advertisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KVS GmbH operates public local bus transport across 42 fixed bus lines in Landkreis Saarlouis using a fleet of 80 owned buses and around 60 rental buses, supplemented by on-demand Rufbus and Sammeltaxi services. The company sells tickets under the unified saarVV tariff system covering all of Saarland and also offers advertising space on its buses as a secondary commercial offering.

Product overview

KVS GmbH operates a unified public bus transport system serving the Landkreis Saarlouis region. The core offering consists of 42 fixed bus lines with 135 vehicles (80 owned plus 60 rental buses). This is complemented by on-demand mobility services including the Rufbus (call bus) and Sammeltaxi (shared taxi), enabling flexible transportation beyond fixed routes. The company also provides integrated ticketing through the SaarVV tariff system, an online fare calculator, and onboard WiFi. Additional services include bus advertising (KVS Buswerbung), customer centers in Saarlouis and Lebach, and a lost and found office. All services are coordinated through the central hub at ZOB Kleiner Markt in Saarlouis, with some cross-border service to France (Creutzwald via line MS2).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KVS Busverkehr (KVS Bus Lines) Core public bus transport service operating 42 fixed bus lines across Landkreis Saarlouis with 80 owned buses and approximately 60 rental buses serving around 220,000 residents; includes the cross-border MS2 line to Creutzwald, France.
• Rufbus (Call Bus / On-Demand Service) On-demand bus service that transports passengers from designated stops to their destinations upon reservation, complementing the fixed-route bus lines for lower-density areas and off-peak periods.
• Sammeltaxi (Shared Taxi) Shared taxi service that transports passengers from scheduled pickup points directly to their homes, operated in cooperation with local municipalities to extend mobility coverage beyond fixed bus stops.
• KVS Buswerbung (Bus Advertising) Advertising service allowing businesses to place advertisements on KVS buses, offering full bus wraps, partial wraps, and interior advertising to gain visibility across the KVS service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 million passengers transported annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Creutzwald / Überherrn (Cross-border Service)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021KVS operates line MS2 cross-border to Creutzwald in France, representing international cooperation in public transport. This line also serves as the test route for autonomous driving in Saarland.
• Saarländischer Nahverkehrsverbund (saarVV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2005The saarVV is the unified tariff organization for all public transport in Saarland. Founded in August 2005, it provides a common tariff system allowing passengers to use a single ticket across all buses and trains in the Saarland region. KVS operates under the saarVV umbrella and participates in the coordinated transport network.
• vlexx GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation agreement at the Lebach customer center where customers can purchase vlexx train tickets for regional rail services in Saarland. Lost items from vlexx trains can also be collected at the KVS Lebach location.
• mobisaarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe mobisaar escort service provides assistance to mobility-restricted passengers, accompanying them from home to their destination including help with boarding and transferring. This complementary service enhances accessibility for KVS passengers.
• IT-Recht-Kanzlei DURYminorOthersLegal service provider for privacy policy and terms of service documentation on the KVS website.
• Website-Check GmbHminorOthersProvides website compliance checking services, specifically used for privacy policy compliance verification on kvs.de.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kasseler Verkehrs- und Versorgungs-GmbH (KVG): Municipal public transport operator in the Kassel region of Hesse. Directly comparable to KVS as a similarly sized German kommunal bus operator running regional and city routes.
• Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG (BOGESTRA): Municipal transit operator in the Ruhr area operating buses and light rail. Comparable as a German municipal Verkehrsunternehmen of similar size and public-service mandate.
• Vestische Straßenbahnen GmbH: Regional bus and rail operator in the northern Ruhr area. Comparable to KVS in operating contracted regional bus routes within a Verkehrsverbund framework.
• Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK): Regional bus operator in the Cologne metropolitan area. Comparable to KVS in providing contracted regional bus services within a Verkehrsverbund tariff system.
• Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft AG (DVG): Public bus and tram operator in Duisburg owned by the city. Comparable to KVS as a kommunal bus operator with single-region focus and contracted service obligations.
• Stadtwerke Bonn - Bus und Bahn (SWB): Municipal transit arm of Stadtwerke Bonn operating city buses. Comparable as a city-owned bus operator running fixed-route services for a mid-sized German city.

Broad incumbents

• DB Regio Bus (Deutsche Bahn): Deutsche Bahn's regional bus and rail division. Comparable as a much larger broad incumbent that competes for regional bus concessions across Germany, including potentially at KVS's re-tender.
• Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG): Munich's city bus, tram, and metro operator. Comparable as a major German municipal transit provider; relevant for understanding service quality and digital integration benchmarks.
• Stadtwerke Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main (VGF): Frankfurt's municipal transit operator for buses, trams, and metro. Comparable as a large kommunal transit operator facing similar electrification and modernization pressures as KVS.
• Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HHA): Hamburg's municipal metro and bus operator. Comparable as a large German kommunal transit incumbent, though at significantly greater scale than KVS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kvs-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 KVS GmbH