What Glimble does

Glimble is a mobile-first Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) application operated by Arriva Personenvervoer Nederland B.V., a subsidiary of the Arriva group within Deutsche Bahn. Launched in July 2021 and headquartered in Heerenveen, Netherlands, the app enables consumers to plan, book, and pay for door-to-door journeys combining public transport (trains, buses, trams, metros) with shared mobility services (bikes, scooters, cars) from more than 30 operators including NS, GVB, Connexxion, RET, OV-fiets, Lime, and Uber. The platform supports cross-border ticketing into Germany and Belgium via integrations with De Lijn and NMBS/SNCB.

The product is built around iOS and Android applications with a responsive web companion, integrating GPS-based check-in/check-out ("Swipe travel") powered by Fairtiq Ltd., QR-code e-tickets that replace the OV-chipkaart, and a Smart Stop feature that detects journey completion. Analytics and engagement stack includes Mixpanel, AppsFlyer, Braze, and Veriff for identity verification. The app is available in Dutch, English, and German and supports travel planning in 40 languages.

Glimble generates revenue through three streams: transaction-based sales of public transport e-tickets priced at standard OV-chipkaart fares, upfront-paid regional travel bundles and day passes (€12.50–€50, valid within 4 weeks of purchase), and marketplace commissions on shared-mobility bookings facilitated through the app. A separate Business Portal targets employers with aggregated business and commute trip data plus CO2 emissions reporting. The user base has grown to over 400,000 active users in the Netherlands since launch, with the platform distributed exclusively through app stores and direct web access under a product-led growth motion.

Name

Glimble

Legal name

Arriva Personenvervoer Nederland B.V.

Website

https://glimble.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Glimble is a Dutch Mobility-as-a-Service app operated by Arriva (Deutsche Bahn subsidiary) that lets consumers plan, book, and pay for multi-modal journeys combining trains, buses, trams, shared bikes, scooters, and cars across 30+ operators in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Software

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobility Aggregation & Booking (Multi-Provider Marketplace) Platforms (THADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multimodal Trip Planning, Routing & Journey Orchestration Platforms (THADALAA), Corporate MaaS & Commuter Benefits Platforms (THADALAG), Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) & Multimodal Trip Planning (BPAMAIAH)

Keywords

• Mobility as a service
• Public transport ticketing
• Multi-modal journey planning
• Shared mobility platform
• Mobile travel app

Headquarters

HQ city

Heerenveen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Transport Ticket Sales: Glimble sells electronic tickets for trains, buses, trams, and metros across the Netherlands. Tickets are sold at the same price as OV-chipkaart fares without discount or subscription. Revenue is generated through transaction-based sales where users pay upfront for individual journeys or travel bundles.
2. Travel Bundles and Day Passes: Prepaid travel bundles offering unlimited travel within specific regions (Friesland-Groningen, Limburg) for multiple days within a 4-week period. Examples include day passes (€12.50 for North, €15 for Limburg) and multi-day bundles (e.g., €50 for 4 days in Limburg). Revenue is generated through upfront payment for bundled travel rights.
3. Shared Mobility Services: Commission-based revenue from facilitating bookings for shared bikes, shared scooters, and shared cars through the platform. Users pay the shared mobility providers directly, with glimble facilitating the transaction through its app.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Glimble is a unified Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) mobile application that enables consumers in the Netherlands to plan, book, and pay for combined journeys across public transport (trains, buses, trams, metros) and shared mobility services (shared bikes, scooters, and cars) from 30+ operators in a single app. It replaces the OV-chipkaart with GPS-based swipe-in/swipe-out travel and also offers regional travel bundles, day passes, group tickets, and an employer-facing business portal.

Product overview

Glimble is a unified Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform developed by Arriva Personenvervoer Nederland B.V. The core product is the Glimble Travel App, which integrates public transit booking and shared mobility services into a single application. Key features include the Swipen (GPS-based check-in/check-out) functionality powered by Fairtiq technology, and the Smart Stop automatic check-out feature. The product portfolio includes travel bundles and day tickets for specific regions (Friesland-Groningen, Limburg), student bundles, and weekend passes. The platform supports booking across multiple transport operators (NS, Arriva, GVB, Connexxion, and 25+ others) for trains, buses, trams, metros, shared bikes, shared scooters, and shared cars. A business portal enables employers to manage employee travel. The company launched in July 2021 and has grown to over 400,000 active users.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Glimble Travel App Unified mobile travel application (iOS and Android) that enables consumers in the Netherlands to plan, book, and pay for combined journeys using public transit (trains, buses, trams, metros) and shared mobility services (bikes, scooters, cars) across 30+ transport operators.
• Glimble Swipen (GPS check-in/check-out)

Quantifiable outcome

• 400,000+ active users in the Netherlands
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen)coreTechnology or IntegrationNS is one of the primary public transport operators integrated into the glimble platform. Users can purchase NS train tickets directly through the glimble app, enabling seamless multi-modal journey planning across the Netherlands.
• GVBcoreTechnology or IntegrationGVB metro and tram services in Amsterdam are integrated into the glimble platform for multi-modal journey planning and ticketing.
• ConnexxioncoreTechnology or IntegrationConnexxion bus services are integrated into the glimble platform for journey planning and ticketing.
• RETcoreTechnology or IntegrationRET metro and tram services in Rotterdam are integrated into the glimble platform.
• ArrivaflagshipTechnology or IntegrationGlimble is a trade name and flagship digital service of Arriva Personenvervoer Nederland B.V. Arriva provides the primary operational infrastructure, including train and bus services in Friesland-Groningen and Limburg regions. Glimble serves as Arriva's consumer-facing mobile platform.
• Fairtiq Ltd.coreTechnology or IntegrationFairtiq provides the GPS-based location tracking technology enabling the swipe-in/swipe-out travel feature. The software is integrated into the glimble app to automatically track journeys and calculate fares based on actual travel distance.
• GO SharingcoreTechnology or IntegrationElectric moped sharing service integrated into the glimble platform for first/last mile connectivity.
• OV-fietscoreTechnology or IntegrationNS shared bicycle service integrated into the glimble platform for planning multi-modal journeys.
• TNO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTNO conducts the MaaS (Mobility as a Service) research project in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Glimble shares pseudonymized travel data for research purposes to understand how different transport modes can be better integrated and to study the effects of MaaS apps on CO2 emissions and traffic congestion.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FREE NOW (myTaxi): European multi-mobility app (formerly myTaxi) offering taxis, ride-hailing, car-sharing, and transit across major European cities. Broader mobility aggregator with overlapping European market presence.
• Uber: Multi-mobility super-app with ride-hailing, public transit ticketing, and shared mobility integrations. Integrated into Glimble as a partner but also a broader competitor in shared urban mobility with significantly larger scale.
• Bolt: European ride-hailing and micromobility super-app. While primarily focused on ride-hailing and scooters, Bolt is expanding into multi-modal mobility services and could compete with Glimble's first/last-mile use cases.

Direct peers

• Moovit: Global multi-modal transit app acquired by Intel for ~$900M, serving 1.5B+ users across 3,500+ cities. Operates in the Netherlands with journey planning across public transit, though does not directly resell tickets at scale like Glimble.
• MaaS Global (Whim): Finnish subscription-based MaaS platform (Whim app) offering monthly packages bundling public transit, taxis, bikes, and car-sharing. Closest subscription-model MaaS peer with similar European multi-modal positioning.
• NS App (Nederlandse Spoorwegen): The official Dutch national railway app for NS, the dominant Dutch rail operator. Also a Glimble integration partner, NS App offers direct ticket purchasing, journey planning, and increasingly multi-modal features, creating direct competition for Dutch travelers.
• Citymapper: Multi-modal urban transit app offering journey planning, real-time data, and ticketing across major global cities. Direct functional competitor to Glimble in the multi-modal planning and booking space.
• Transit App: Multi-modal journey planning app popular in North America and expanding in Europe. Offers real-time transit data, trip planning, and integrates mobility options, serving a similar use case as Glimble.
• Fairtiq: Swiss-based MaaS app with identical swipe-in/swipe-out GPS-based ticketing model. Direct technology partner (powers Glimble's swipe feature) and serves overlapping European markets (Switzerland, Germany, Austria). Most directly comparable platform given shared technology foundation and similar value proposition.
• 9292: Leading Dutch public transport journey planner across all Dutch operators (bus, train, tram, metro). Competes directly with Glimble's planning functionality and has strong incumbent brand recognition in the Netherlands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glimble
• Instagraminstagram.com/glimble_nld/?hl=nl
• TikToktiktok.com/@glimble.nl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Glimble