Verkehrsbetriebe

What Verkehrsbetriebe does

Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein (VMR), headquartered in Brohl-Lützing, Germany, is a regional public bus operator and subsidiary of Transdev GmbH, the largest private mobility provider in Germany. Founded in 1984 as Verkehrsbetriebe Rhein-Eifel-Mosel (VREM), the company provides bus transportation services across three counties in Rhineland-Palatinate — Landkreis Mayen-Koblenz, Landkreis Cochem-Zell, and Landkreis Ahrweiler — through a network of approximately 180 routes delivered by a fleet of approximately 33 buses (Mercedes, MAN, and Neoplan) and a workforce of around 55 employees. Service operations are contracted under public service obligation awards from the relevant Landkreise, the most significant being the December 2021 10-year contract with Landkreis Mayen-Koblenz that introduces approximately 180 new buses over the contract term. The product portfolio spans regular lines, RegioBus regional express, NachtBus night services, FreizeitBus leisure routes to tourist destinations (Vulkanregion Laacher See, Eifler Feuerkrater), RadBus bicycle-transport services, Vulkan-Express train-bus connections with the Brohltalbahn narrow-gauge railway, and ExpressBus high-speed connections.

The business operates within the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel (VRM) tariff system with cross-border interoperability into the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) and accepts the nationwide Deutschlandticket monthly pass. Revenue mechanics combine contracted managed service revenue from the Landkreise with farebox revenue from single tickets, day and multi-day passes, time-based subscriptions (Schülertickets and Jobtickets), and the national Deutschlandticket, sold through on-board drivers, customer centers, and the VRM online portal. In-house technical capabilities are limited to operational passenger information systems, including a real-time GPS tracking system launched in March 2022 that feeds live bus locations into the VRM online journey planner; vehicle maintenance and repairs are supported through the in-group subsidiary NZM Nutzfahrzeugzentrum Mittelrhein GmbH. Brand and quality credentials include the June 2022 DEKRA Quality Seal for fleet safety standards and BFSG website accessibility compliance per EN 301 549.

Name

Verkehrsbetriebe

Legal name

Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein AWV Ahrweiler Verkehrs GmbH

Website

https://verkehrsbetriebe-mittelrhein.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein is a Transdev-owned regional bus operator in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, running approximately 180 routes across three counties under public service obligation contracts, with a fleet of ~33 buses delivering ~2,000 daily trips.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Bus Transportation

NAICS

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

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

Intercity Bus Ticketing, Distribution & Reservation Platforms (TLAFAFAI), Economy/Conventional Scheduled Intercity Bus Services (THAIADAE)

Keywords

• Regional bus services
• Public transportation
• Passenger transit
• Commuter bus lines
• Leisure bus services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brohl-Lützing

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

Revenue model

1. Public Transport Services: Contracted bus transportation services provided under public service obligations for three Linienbündel (line bundles) in the region
2. Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales to passengers including single tickets, day tickets, subscription tickets, student tickets, and employer-subsidized job tickets
3. Deutschlandticket: Revenue from the national Germany-wide monthly transport ticket

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein operates a regional public bus network of approximately 180 routes across three Landkreise in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (Mayen-Koblenz, Cochem-Zell, and Ahrweiler). The portfolio spans regular lines, RegioBus express services, NachtBus night services, FreizeitBus leisure routes serving tourist destinations, RadBus bicycle-transport lines, and ExpressBus high-speed connections. Tickets are sold under the integrated VRM tariff system and the nationwide Deutschlandticket through on-board sales, customer centers, and digital channels.

Product overview

Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein (VMR) operates as a public bus transportation company providing regional and local bus services across three counties in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of transportation services centered around its bus network of approximately 180 routes, supported by the VRM (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel) tariff system. The core offering consists of regular bus services organized into multiple line bundles (Mayen-Koblenz with lines 31 and 300-399 plus NachtBus N23-N39, Cochem-Zell with lines 741-745, and Ahrweiler), supplemented by specialized services including RegioBus regional express lines, FreizeitBus leisure routes serving tourist destinations like the Vulkanregion Laacher See and Eifler Feuerkrater, RadBus bicycle-transport services, ExpressBus high-speed connections, and NachtBus night services. Tickets are sold through the VRM tariff system covering single tickets, day tickets, multi-day tickets, time-based tickets, student tickets, and the nationwide Deutschlandticket. Digital services include online ticket sales, real-time departure monitoring, and journey planning tools. The company operates a fleet of approximately 33 buses (Mercedes, MAN, and Neoplan brands) and employs around 55 staff, with operations managed through Transdev as part of a ten-year contract secured in 2021 for approximately 180 new buses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bus Transportation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 99% of nearly 2000 daily trips performed as scheduled
• +1 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Transdev GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and majority owner. As the largest private mobility provider in Germany, Transdev provides operational support, standards, and integration into an international network of 107,000 employees across 19 countries. Verkehrsbetriebe Mittelrhein operates under the Transdev umbrella while maintaining regional brand identity.
• VRM (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationRegional transport association providing unified tariff system, journey planning infrastructure, and coordinated network planning. VMR operates all routes under the VRM tariff scheme, enabling seamless travel across multiple operators.
• Landkreis Mayen-KoblenzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic authority contracting bus services. In 2021, VREM won a major 10-year contract to operate bus services across the county with approximately 180 new buses.
• Interessengemeinschaft Brohltal-Schmalspureisenbahn e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Vulkan-Express tourist route connecting the narrow-gauge railway (Brohltalbahn) with bus services to Maria Laach and regional attractions, enabling combined train-bus excursion trips.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Saar-Mobil / Saar-Pfalz-Bus (DB Regio): Regional bus operator in the Saarland and Pfalz adjacent to VMR's service territory. Comparable rural-interurban PSO model in a neighboring Bundesland.

Broad incumbents

• DB Regio (Deutsche Bahn): Parent of DB Regio Bus and the dominant German public transport group. Competes indirectly via rail (which feeds/competes with buses) and directly via its bus subsidiaries.
• FlixBus (FlixMobility): Germany's dominant long-distance bus operator. Does not directly compete for local PSO contracts but competes for passenger trips on interurban corridors and shapes modal expectations.

Direct peers

• DB Regio Bus Mitte / Rhein-Mosel-Bus: Deutsche Bahn's regional bus arm operating scheduled PSO bus services across Rhineland-Palatinate and adjacent Länder. Directly competes with VMR for Landkreis concessions in the same geography.
• Transdev Rhein-Ruhr / Transdev Rhein-Main: Sister subsidiaries of VMR's parent Transdev GmbH operating comparable regional bus concessions in other German regions. Closest operational peers given shared ownership, procurement, and standards.
• Koblenzer Verkehrsbetriebe (KVB / KVG Koblenz): Municipal bus operator serving Koblenz and parts of Landkreis Mayen-Koblenz. Overlaps directly with VMR's urban and regional routes in the core operating area.
• Regionalverkehr Köln (RVK): Public regional bus operator in the Rheinland area operating under similar PSO concession contracts with neighboring Verkehrsverbünde. Comparable scale, fleet, and rural-interurban service mix.

Others

• Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel (VRM): Regional transport association that sets tariffs and coordinates journey planning across operators including VMR. Functions as both a partner and the policy/coordination layer governing VMR's pricing.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verkehrsbetriebe

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Verkehrsbetriebe