Aufgabenträger · Nordrhein-Westfalen
Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe
- Abbreviation
- NWL
- Land / remit
- Nordrhein-Westfalen
- Legal form
- Zweckverband
- Seat
- Unna
Königsallee 39, 59821 Arnsberg
- Website
- www.nwl-info.de
- Management
- Christiane Auffermann, Verbandsvorsteherin (as of 6 July 2026)
Background
Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe — public-law Zweckverband created by merger (2008) of the Westphalian SPNV-Zweckverbände. Aufgabenträger for SPNV in Westfalen-Lippe; runs a joint vehicle-pool model with the other Nordrhein-Westfalen ATs (VRR, go.Rheinland) via the compartmentalised fleet-financing arrangement ("NRW-Fahrzeuggesellschaft").
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). The NWL 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 Westphalia-Lippe cooperation area.
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: 6 lot(s) as lead authority, 16 lot(s) as participating authority.
As lead authority
No. 38
Sauerlandnetz
Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Contract term
- 10.12.2028 — TBD
- Services
- RB + RE · other · 5,80 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: no
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 17 Hagen – Warburg – Kassel RE 57 Dortmand – Winterberg / Brilon Stadt RB 54 Unna – Neuenrade RB 53 Dortmand – Iserlohn RB 52 Dortmand – Lüdenscheid
- Remarks
- Traction: diesel + battery; Lot 1 (RB 52 + RB 53) already ends December 2034.
No. 3
Netz westliches Münsterland
Gross · Open procedure
- Contract term
- 12.12.2026 — 12.12.2032
- Services
- RB · Diesel · 3,30 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RB 51 Dortmand – Coesfeld – Enschede RB 63 Münster – Coesfeld RB 64 Münster – Enschede
- Remarks
- RB 51: Contract term to 2032 RB 63: Contract term to 2030 RB 64: Contract term to 2032
No. 4
RE 34 Dortmund-Siegerland- Express
Gross · Open procedure
- Contract term
- 12.12.2026 — 08.12.2040
- Services
- RE · Electric · 1,70 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 34 Dortmand – Hagen – Iserlohn – Siegen
- Remarks
- Procedure completed
No. 19
Netz nördliches Westfalen
Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Contract term
- 12.12.2027 — 13.12.2043
- Services
- RB + RE · Battery · 7,90 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: yes · ETCS: yes
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 82 Bielefeld – Detmold – Altenbeken RB 63 Münster – Coesfeld RB 67 Bielefeld – Warendorf – Münster RB 68 Münster – Sendenhorst RB 71 Bielefeld – Rahden RB 73 Bielefeld – Lemgo RB 74 Bielefeld – Paderborn RB 75 Bielefeld – Halle(West.) – Osnabrück RB 76 Verl – Gütersloh – Harsewinkel RB 77 Herford – Hameln – Elze (– Hildesheim)
- Remarks
- Beginn der Vertragslaufzeiten: RB 68: Dezember 2027 RB 76: Dezember 2027 RB 63: Dezember 2030 übrige Linien: Dezember 2029
No. 114
Teutoburgerwald-Netz
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 12.12.2032 — TBD
- Services
- RB + RE · Electric · 5,30 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: TBD · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 78 Rheda-Wiedenbrück – Bielefeld – Nienburg RB 61 Bielefeld – Osnabrück – Hengelo RB 65 Münster – Rheine RB 66 Münster – Osnabrück RB 72 Herford – Altenbeken – Paderborn
No. 80
Hellweg-Netz
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 15.12.2030 — TBD
- Services
- RB · Electric · 5,60 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: TBD · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RB 50 Dortmand – Münster RB 59 Dortmand – Soest RB 69 Münster – Hamm – Bielefeld RB 89 Münster – Hamm – Warburg
As participating authority
No. 109
12NWH (NWH-Netz)
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 01.12.2032 — 15.12.2047
- Services
- RB · TBD · 3,00 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: yes · ETCS: pre-equipped
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RB 4 Korbach – Bad Arolsen – Wolfhagen – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe RB 39 Bad Wildungen – Wabern – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Kassel Hbf RB 94 Erndtebrück – Bad Laasphe – Biedenkopf – Marburg RB 97 Brilon – Korbach – Frankenberg – Marburg
- Remarks
- potentially teilweise geänderter Zuschnitt des Netzes je nach Tractionsart in Prüfung (wg. Nachladen an Oberleitung)
No. 168
Südniedersachsen
— · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 01.12.2037 — TBD
- Services
- RB · Battery · — M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: yes · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RB 79 Bodenburg - Hildesheim RB 80 Göttingen – Northeim – Nordhausen RB 81 Bodenfelde – Northeim – Nordhausen RE 10 Hannover – Goslar – Bad Harzburg RB 84 Paderborn – Ottbergen – Kreiensen RB 85 Paderborn – Ottbergen – Göttingen RB 86 Einbeck – Göttingen
No. 57
Leine-Weser
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 09.12.2029 — 13.12.2037
- Services
- RB + RE · Battery · — M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: yes · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 10 Hannover – Goslar – Bad Harzburg RB 82 Göttingen – Kreiensen – Bad Harzburg RB 79 Bodenburg – Hildesheim RB 84 Paderborn – Ottbergen – Kreiensen RB 85 Paderborn – Ottbergen – Göttingen RB 86 Einbeck-Mitte – Einbeck-Salzderhelden – Göttingen
- Remarks
- Vehicles provided by the authority
No. 158
Weser-Ems
— · Open procedure
- Contract term
- 09.12.2035 — TBD
- Services
- RB + RE · Electric + Battery · — M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: retrofit
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- Osnabrück – Oldenburg – Wilhelmshaven Esens – Sande – Wilhelmshaven Osnabrück – Vechta – Delmenhorst – Bremen
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. 140
S-Bahn Hannover
Gross · Restricted procedure
- Contract term
- 10.12.2034 — TBD
- Services
- S-Bahn · Electric · 9,33 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- S 1 to S 8, S 21 and S 51
- Remarks
- Redeployment guarantee for vehicles from the predecessor contract
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. 18
Niederrhein-Münsterland-Netz; Teilnetz 2
Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Contract term
- 12.12.2027 — TBD
- Services
- RB + RE · Battery · 4,00 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: yes · ETCS: pre-equipped
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 14 Essen-Steele – Borken / Coesfeld RE 44 Bottrop – Kamp-Lintfort RB 31 Xanten – Duisburg RB 36 Oberhausen – Duisburg-Ruhrort RB 43 Dortmand – Dorsten
- Remarks
- NRW RRX model Service start phased from 12/2027 Tender procedure completed
No. 177
Main-Lahn-Sieg
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 12.12.2038 — TBD
- Services
- RE · Electric · 2,35 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: TBD · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 98 Kassel – Frankfurt RE 99 Siegen – Frankfurt
No. 8
Weser - Ems
Gross · Restricted procedure
- Contract term
- 13.12.2026 — 08.12.2035
- Services
- RB · Diesel · 4,33 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: no
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- Osnabrück – Oldenburg – Wilhelmshaven Esens – Sande – Wilhelmshaven Osnabrück – Vechta – Delmenhorst – Bremen
- Remarks
- Transitional award still using diesel
No. 11
Maas-Wupper-Express
Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Contract term
- 13.12.2026 — 08.12.2040
- Services
- RE · Electric · 2,60 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: yes · ETCS: retrofit
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 13 Hamm – Eindhoven
- Remarks
- optionales VRR-Fahrzeugfinanzierungsmodell; Mehrsystemfahrzeuge (Deutschland / Niederlande) erforderlich; Tender procedure completed
No. 13
Express Netz Emscher
Gross · Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
- Contract term
- 13.12.2026 — 14.12.2030
- Services
- RE · Electric · 2,01 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: no
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RE 3 Düsseldorf – Hamm RE 41 Bochum - Haltern am See
- Remarks
- Tender procedure completed
No. 99
S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr, Teilnetz A
TBD · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 14.12.2031 — TBD
- Services
- S-Bahn · Electric · 4,89 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: yes · New-build: no · ETCS: no
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- S 1 Dortmand – Solingen S 4 Unna – Dortmand-Lütgendortmand
- Remarks
- NRW RRX model
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
No. 72
Emsland/Mittelland
Gross · Restricted procedure
- Contract term
- 15.12.2030 — 08.12.2040
- Services
- RE · Electric · 6,20 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: no · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- Teillos Emsland: RE 15 Münster – Emden Teillos Mittelland: RE 70 Braunschweig – Hannover – Bielefeld RE 60 Braunschweig – Hannover – Rheine RE 62 Rheine - Osanbrück - Löhne
- Remarks
- Second-hand vehicle type approval
No. 77
Folgeverträge Eifel-Westerwald- Sieg-Netz
Gross · Other / TBD
- Contract term
- 15.12.2030 — TBD
- Services
- RB + RE · TBD · 6,10 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- Pool: no · New-build: TBD · ETCS: TBD
- Operator
- Not yet awarded / see authority
- Lines
- RB 23 Limburg(Lahn) – Mayen Ost RE 25 Gießen – Koblenz RB 29 Limburg – Siershahn RB 38 Andernach – Kaisersesch RB 90 Limburg(Lahn) – Au(Sieg) – Siegen RB 91 Hagen – Siegen RB 92 Finnentrop – Olpe RB 93 Betzdorf(Sieg) – Bad Berleburg RB 95 Dillenburg – Siegen RB 96 Betzdorf(Sieg) – Dillenburg
- Remarks
- Neuer Network perimeter under discussion
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 341173-2026
Rhein-Emscher-Express (RE 3)
Competition · Open procedure (amendment)
- Contract term
- Dec 2030 — Dec 2032 (2 yr interim)
- Services
- SPNV · ~1,6 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- See tender documentation
- Key date
- Tenders due 03.09.2026 (amended)
- Lines
- RE 3 Düsseldorf – Gelsenkirchen – Dortmund – Hamm (lead: VRR)
TED 371360-2026
RB 64 Euregio-Bahn (cross-border)
Prior information notice
- Contract term
- 8 yr, from Dec 2032
- Services
- SPNV · ~1,1 M train-km/yr
- Rolling stock
- See tender documentation (dual-system / DE–NL homologation)
- Key date
- Early PIN — procedure not yet opened
- Lines
- RB 64 Münster (Westf.) – Enschede (NL); with Province of Overijssel
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.