Aufgabenträger · Nordrhein-Westfalen

Zweckverband go.Rheinland (formerly Nahverkehr Rheinland / NVR)

Abbreviation
go.Rheinland
Land / remit
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Legal form
Zweckverband
Seat
Köln
Glockengasse 37–39, 50667 Köln
Website
www.goRheinland.de
Management
Dr. Norbert Reinkober, Michael Vogel und Hans-Peter Geulen, Geschäftsführer der go.Rheinland GmbH (as of 6 July 2026)

Background

Zweckverband go.Rheinland (formerly NVR — Nahverkehr Rheinland) — public-law Zweckverband covering the Cologne, Aachen and Bonn areas. Aufgabenträger for SPNV in the Rhineland; cooperates with VRR and NWL on the NRW-wide fleet-financing structures for S-Bahn and RRX fleets.

Schiene.NRW transition: From 1 January 2027 SPNV Aufgabenträgerschaft passes to the statewide Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts Schiene.NRW (§ 6 ÖPNVG NRW, as amended by the Gesetz of 12 May 2026). go.Rheinland continues as one of the three carriers (Träger) of the new Anstalt with regional tasks; existing Verkehrsverträge migrate to Schiene.NRW in stages from 2027, and awards in pending procurement procedures will be issued by Schiene.NRW. See the development note.

Remit and mandate

SPNV-Aufgabenträger for the Rhineland cooperation area (Cologne/Bonn/Aachen region).

Tender pipeline — Wettbewerbsfahrplan 2025

The following lots are listed in the 2025 Wettbewerbsfahrplan (BSN) with this authority as the lead or as a participating authority. Leadership counts: 4 lot(s) as lead authority, 5 lot(s) as participating authority.

As lead authority

No. 50

Rhein-Erft-Bahn (RB 27)

Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Contract term
10.12.2028 — 09.12.2034
Services
RB · Electric · 2,50 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
Mönchengladbach Hbf – Rommerskirchen – Köln Hbf – Troisdorf – Bonn-Beuel – Linz (Rhein) – Neuwied – Koblenz Hbf
Remarks
Options: two one-year extension option up to a maximum of 13.12.2036
No. 5

Dürener Stern (RB 21, RB 23, RB 28)

Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Contract term
13.12.2026 — 12.12.2037
Services
RB · Diesel · 1,43 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
RB 21 Düren – Jülich – Linnich (– Hückelhoven-Baal) RB 23 Düren – Untermaubach – Heimbach (Eifel) RB 28 Düren – Zülpich – Euskirchen
Remarks
Options: three one-year extension option up to a maximum of 08.12.2040 5 service programmes (BP 1 to BP 5): BP 2 + BP 3: service increases nach infrastrukturellen completionen auf den Linien RB 21 and RB 23; likely from 12.12.2027 or 15.12.2030 (+0,16 M train-km) BP 4: reactivation of the line section Linnich – Hückelhoven-Baal auf der RB 21; likely from 12.12.2032 (+0,13 M train-km) BP 5: Entfall der RB 28 (Düren – Zülpich – Euskirchen) from the tender procedure 'Dürener Stern' after completion of electrification; likely from 09.12.2035 (- 0,4 M train-km)
No. 15

die euregiobahn (RB 20 Interim)

Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Contract term
13.12.2026 — 13.12.2031
Services
RB · Diesel · 1,70 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
core line 1 Düren – Langerwehe – Eschweiler Talbahn – Stolberg Hbf – Aachen Hbf – Herzogenrath – Alsdorf-Annapark – Stolberg Hbf core line 2 Stollberg-Breining – Stolberg Hbf – Aachen Hbf – Herzogenrath – Alsdorf-Annapark – Aldenhoven-Siersdorf
Remarks
Options: two one-year extension option up to a maximum of 13.12.2031
No. 96

die euregiobahn (RB 20)

Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Contract term
14.12.2031 — 08.12.2046
Services
RB · Diesel + Electric · 1,70 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: no · New-build: yes · ETCS: retrofit
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
core line 1 (Euskirchen –) Düren – Langerwehe – Eschweiler Talbahn – Stolberg Hbf – Aachen Hbf – Herzogenrath – Alsdorf-Annapark – Stolberg Hbf / Alsdorf-Mariagrube core line 2 Stollberg-Breining – Stolberg Hbf – Aachen Hbf – Herzogenrath – Alsdorf-Annapark – Aldenhoven-Siersdorf
Remarks
New-build units and ETCS retrofit only for electric services 3 service programmes (BP 1 to BP 3): BP 1: operation of one core line [Electric] and branch line [Diesel]; likely to 10.12.2033 BP 2: operation of core lines 1 and 2 [Electric]; likely from 11.12.2033 with minor service increases BP 3: integration of the 'Eifel-Bördebahn' (Düren – Zülpich – Euskirchen) from the tender procedure 'Dürener Stern' after completion of electrification; likely from 09.12.2035 (+ 0,4 M train-km)

As participating authority

No. 62

Erft-Schwalm-Netz

Gross · Other / TBD
Contract term
09.12.2029 — TBD
Services
RB · Diesel · 1,00 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
RB 34 Mönchengladbach – Dalheim RB 39 Bedburg – Düsseldorf
Remarks
VRR-Fahrzeugfinanzierungsmodell
No. 159

Sonderverkehr SPNV NRW

Gross · Other / TBD
Contract term
09.12.2035 — TBD
Services
other · Electric · 0,04 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: TBD · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
diverse
No. 128

Rhein-Ruhr-Express

TBD · Other / TBD
Contract term
11.12.2033 — TBD
Services
RE · Electric · 14,69 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: pre-equipped
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
RE 1 (RRX) Hamm – Aachen RE 4 Aachen – Dortmand RE 5 (RRX) Koblenz – Wesel RE 6 (RRX) Minden – Köln/Bonn Flughafen RE 11 (RRX) Düsseldorf – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe
Remarks
NRW RRX model
No. 132

Folgevertrag Mittelrheinbahn

Gross · Other / TBD
Contract term
11.12.2033 — TBD
Services
RB · Electric · 3,30 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: TBD · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
RB 26 Köln – Koblenz – Mainz
No. 69

Rhein-Ruhr-Express, Teilnetz B

Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Contract term
15.12.2030 — 09.12.2045
Services
RE · Electric · 10,95 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Pool: no · New-build: yes · ETCS: yes
Operator
Not yet awarded / see authority
Lines
RE 2/RRX 7 Düsseldorf – Osnabrück RE 3/RRX 3 Hamm – Düsseldorf RE 7 Krefeld – Rheine RE 42 Mönchengladbach – Münster RE 45 Essen - Münster
Remarks
Service start phased from 12/2030 Prequalification stage completed

Source: Bundesverband SchienenNahverkehr (BSN), Wettbewerbsfahrplan 2025. Data are as published in the Wettbewerbsfahrplan and have not been independently verified against the underlying tender documentation.

Recent tender activity (TED, 2026)

Recent notices in the Supplement to the Official Journal (TED) with this authority as a lead or participating authority. This complements the Wettbewerbsfahrplan 2025 pipeline above; for the cross-cutting read see the development note SPNV procurement wave, mid-2026.

TED 321993-2026

S-Bahn Rheinland, Stage 2

Prior information notice
Contract term
Core term ~10 yr, from 12.12.2032
Services
S-Bahn · Electric · lot structure envisaged
Rolling stock
Authority-provided (NRW-RRX model, ZV VRR FaIn-EB); operator maintains
Key date
Contract notice expected Q3 2027
Lines
S-Bahn Rheinland network (Cologne area)
TED 408743-2026

Rhein-Erft-Bahn (RB 27)

Competition · Standard regime
Contract term
10.12.2028 — 09.12.2034 (6 yr) + 2×1 yr
Services
SPNV · Electric · ~2,5 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Electric new and/or used admitted; notional discount for younger new vehicles
Key date
Requests to participate due 15.07.2026
Lines
RB 27 Rhein-Erft-Bahn
TED 425070-2026

Erft-Schwalm network (RB 34 / RB 39)

Competition · Negotiated procedure
Contract term
Dec 2029 — Dec 2038 (9 yr) + up to 2 extensions
Services
SPNV · ~1,0 M train-km/yr
Rolling stock
Authority-provided by ZV VRR FaIn-EB under a lease; operator maintains
Key date
Requests to participate due 22.07.2026
Lines
RB 34 Mönchengladbach – Dalheim; RB 39 Düsseldorf – Bedburg

Source: TED notices as cited (publication numbers). Facts are as published in the notices and have not been independently verified against the full tender documentation.

Further reading

Last reviewed: 8 July 2026.