Tender updates

Corrigendum to the contract notice of 24.09.2026, changing one point in the economic and financial standing criterion. Where an applicant relies on a third party’s capacity, the third party previously had to bring the full minimum annual turnover even if it supplied only part of the equity; a proportionate share of the FY 2025 turnover now suffices, and the notice works through a 40/60 example. The irrevocable undertaking of joint and several liability for performance of the contract, to the extent of the means provided, is untouched — the arithmetic gets easier, the risk does not, which is why this is the clause that usually keeps a lessor out of the applicant structure. Requests to participate remain due 30.10.2026, 12:00. The rolling-stock substance is unchanged and remains the largest addressable sub-fleet open in a German procedure: 90 vehicles come provided under a leasing model with DB Regio as keeper and maintainer under an IHVV, while the operator must bring and maintain at least 35 vehicles of 67,4–70 m on its own, with around 30 more possible for Regional-S-Bahn services, again under a leasing model.

Award notice: the RMV has awarded the Gallus sub-network (S 3 to S 6, ~6,9 M train-km in timetable year 2034, awarded only as a whole) to DB Regio AG; contract concluded 19.10.2026, running 11.12.2033 to 11.12.2055. Art. 4(3) of Regulation (EC) 1370/2007 caps rail contracts at 15 years and Art. 4(4) allows up to 22.5 where the operator provides a significant part of the assets; at 22 years the RMV uses that headroom almost in full. The term is sized to the vehicle financing rather than to the service — new vehicles are required, there is no pool, and over such a term there is barely a residual value left to place. Next to the residual-value undertakings of Mitteldeutsches S-Bahnnetz II and the provision model of the 2. MSBV, this is a third answer to the same question: avoid the residual value instead of covering or shifting it. What remains for a lessor is the stated option to reorder additional vehicles, which would carry a shorter remaining term than the base fleet — a conversation with DB Regio, not with the authority. One caution in reading the notice: the EUR 1.00 value is declared fictitious, a mandatory form entry under sec. 39(6) VgV. That reservation does not, on the notice’s wording, extend to the 99 tenders reported in section 6.1.4 — which look no more reliable, given that the interim award for the same sub-network drew a single tender and that the notice offers no explanation. The background travels further than the award: the procedure slipped a year and the parallel four-year interim went to the incumbent because manufacturers cannot deliver before December 2033, coupling requirements rule out staged procurement, and every ET 423 and ET 430 in service in Germany is owned by the incumbent, DB Regio AG S-Bahn Rhein-Main.

Prior information notice (market sounding, non-binding, transmitted 13.10.2026): DB Regio intends to bid in an SPNV procedure and is looking for lessors for 12–14 electric double-deck multiple units (at least 620 seats) and 15–20 single-deck EMUs (at least 215 seats), each for a ten-year lease from the December 2030 timetable change with two one-year extension options; the fleet is to run about 6.2 M train-km a year in Germany and must be delivered authorised and ready for service. Interested lessors must confirm by 28.10.2026, 12:00 (questions by 23.10.2026). The notice does not name the procedure, but the parameters match one entry in the Wettbewerbsfahrplan exactly: Emsland/Mittelland (No. 72; LNVG with NWL, Region Hannover and RGB), gross contract 15.12.2030–08.12.2040, 6.20 M train-km a year, RE 15 Münster–Emden single-deck and RE 60/70 Braunschweig–Hannover–Rheine/Bielefeld double-deck, second-hand vehicles admitted. That network has been run since December 2015 by WestfalenBahn (Transdev) with 13 Stadler KISS (626 seats) and 15 Stadler FLIRT owned by Alpha Trains, whose lease ends with the current contract in December 2030 — the specification describes that fleet. Three points for lessors: DB Regio is the challenger here, not the incumbent, and is asking the market, in effect, whether the existing fleet (or an equivalent) can be re-leased to it rather than to WestfalenBahn; for Alpha Trains it is the end-of-first-lease residual-value moment with two possible lessees in parallel; and the structure — gross contract, ten-year term, second-hand admitted — shows how a retender shifts the competition from operators to the question of who holds the lease. The lease is shorter than the asset life and covers only the contract term, so residual value still depends on whatever redeployment undertaking the underlying tender offers.

Second change notice: tenders are now due 26.02.2027, 12:00 (previously 19.01.2027, 14:00; the notice itself misprints the old date as 2026), opening the same day at 14:30. The validity period is extended from 30.04.2027 (102 days) to 30.06.2027 (125 days), so this time bidders keep the full extra time. Scope and financing package unchanged: ~7,3 M train-km p.a. from 14.12.2031 to 09.12.2045, operator-procured fleet backed by residual-value, interest-correction and redeployment undertakings, assignment of instalments to a lessor and a waiver of defences and set-off.

Siemens Mobility will supply 113 battery-electric multiple units — 83 for the LNVG and 30 for the Regionalverband Großraum Braunschweig — for more than €2 bn. The package includes two new depots in Goslar and Soltau, spare-parts packages and long-term maintenance; the term of the maintenance contract has not been published. First units from the end of 2031, initially on the Weser-Leine and Harz-Heide networks, later on further networks including the Heidekreuz. The costs are carried by the Land, the LNVG and the Regionalverband. The order is the core of Lower Saxony’s SPNV strategy 2040+ and extends the LNVG pool model to battery traction: residual-value and technology risk on BEMUs stay with the public owner, and the successor operators of these networks will bid on provided vehicles.

Award notice for three lots totalling ~4,29 M train-km p.a. Lot 1 (RB 33 Cuxhaven – Bremerhaven – Buxtehude, optionally RB 34 from Dec 2028) goes to EVB on one tender; lot 2 (RE 5 Cuxhaven – Stade – Hamburg) to metronom on two; lot 3 (RB 39 Lüneburg – Soltau) to erixx on three. Lots 1 and 2 run Dec 2027 – Dec 2037, lot 3 Dec 2028 – Dec 2033, each with up to two option years. The pattern is worth noting: in lots 1 and 2 LNVG provides the vehicles together with certain preventive and corrective maintenance services, while in lot 3 the operator provides and maintains them — and it was the lot without provision, the smallest and shortest of the three, that attracted the deepest field.

Third deadline in this procedure: tenders are now due 06.11.2026, 12:00 (previously 05.10.2026, originally 03.09.2026), and the validity period is cut from 60 to 55 days — so the end of the binding period moves by only a good four weeks. The tender documents were amended on 30.09.2026; the notice does not say what changed. Scope unchanged: RE 3 Düsseldorf – Gelsenkirchen – Dortmund – Hamm, Dec 2030 to Dec 2032, ~1,6 M train-km p.a.

Six weeks after opening the transitional contract to competition, BEG and RMV reverse course: “contrary to the statements in the prior information notice corrected on 17.08.2026 … the authorities now intend after all to award this transitional contract by way of a direct award to DB Regio AG.” The ~4,3 M train-km p.a. on RE 10, RB 53, RB 79 and RB 80 from 10.12.2028 to 14.12.2030 (the predecessor notice reserved an extension to 13.12.2031) therefore stay with the incumbent, and no bidder field will emerge. Oddly, the notice still carries an expected contract-notice date of 15.12.2026 — most likely an uncleared form field. Two changes of procedure type in ten months, both through Art. 7(2) prior information notices — a reminder that an announced procedure type is not a planning basis until a contract notice exists.

Utilities-sector negotiated procedure for rail-borne transport of switches and large switch components using switch transport wagons (WTW) and, where needed, additional freight wagons, plus logistics services, always in connection with supplying DB InfraGO construction sites. Framework agreement with reopening of competition, 01.01.2027 to 31.12.2028. Requests to participate due 30.10.2026, 10:00. Not regional passenger rail, but a narrow specialised-wagon market.

Following its award of the Regionalverkehr Mainfranken network, BeNEX signed at InnoTrans for 56 Siemens units: 26 four-car Desiro HC double-deck EMUs (up to 242 seats) and 30 three-car Mireo (210 seats), all with ETCS and PZB, for the Frankfurt – Würzburg – Nürnberg/Bamberg routes (about 330 km in Hesse and Bavaria). Entry into service towards the end of 2030. Contract value, maintenance arrangements and financing have not been published. BeNEX has financed earlier Bavarian and Baden-Württemberg fleets with EIB participation; whether the Mainfranken fleet follows that pattern is not known.

The largest SPNV award of the year: ~23,7 M train-km p.a. on S 1 to S 8 (incl. S 20), 10.12.2034 to 14.12.2041, extendable up to three times by one year to 11.12.2044; gross contract, negotiated procedure with prior call for competition. The fleet is split three ways. 90 vehicles are provided under a leasing model and stay in DB Regio’s keeper responsibility and maintenance under a maintenance and availability agreement (IHVV), so another operator needs no capacity for them; further vehicles may follow under the same model from an option in DB Regio’s supply contract, and ~30 more (Regional-S-Bahn) may be added. But the operator must bring forward at least 35 vehicles of 67,4–70 m in its own responsibility and maintain them itself. Crucially, the request to participate already requires a statement of available vehicles and their legal basis (ownership, hire, lease) — and an applicant without them must file binding documents for those vehicles, which the notice describes as “contractual agreements, third-party undertakings”. (The express non-revocability on form FB D2 is attached to reliance on a third party’s capacity, not to the fleet evidence itself.) Requests to participate due 30.10.2026, 12:00; minimum turnover EUR 850 m, equity EUR 85 m, reference of at least 8 M train-km p.a.

Two further change notices. The suitability criteria now require, in addition to the sec. 6 AEG licence, a safety certificate under sec. 7a AEG to be submitted with the tender — or a description of how licence and certificate are to be obtained. The tender deadline moved twice more, to 23.09. and then 24.09.2026, 12:00 (validity 98 days) — the fourth deadline in the procedure, after 28.08. and 21.09.2026. Tenders are in; an award is expected by the end of December 2026.

Change notice moving the tender deadline, and the opening, from 16.09. to 21.09.2026 (12:00 and 13:00 respectively; validity 101 days); the deadline has since passed. The three-year diesel interim covers RE 75 Ulm – Memmingen – Kempten – Oberstdorf, RE 79 Augsburg – Kempten, RB 73 Kempten – Pfronten and RB 94 Kempten – Hergatz from 09.12.2029 to 11.12.2032, with three one-year extension options for RE 75. Suitability: EUR 95 m minimum turnover (FY 2024), EUR 9,5 m equity. The notice is silent on rolling stock; the Wettbewerbsfahrplan records the network as pool-provided.

Contract modification under sec. 132(2) sentence 1 no. 2 GWB to the running Nordwesthessen-Netz contract (12NWH18), concluded 29.07.2026 with DB RegioNetz Verkehrs GmbH: a trial with three battery railcars leased by the operator, deployed for a limited period in place of diesel vehicles, to prepare the network’s decarbonisation and establish the infrastructure upgrade required. A change of operator was ruled out on technical grounds because the units must slot into existing diagrams and be swapped at short notice. Value withheld. The re-award of the network (12NWH) follows in December 2032, with the perimeter expressly dependent on the traction type.

A thirteen-year award covering ~7,4 M timetable-km p.a. on RE 1, RE 2, RE 3, RB 11, RB 20 and RB 21 from December 2030 to December 2043 ends without a winner and with not a single tender received; reason given: “decision of the buyer on account of changed requirements”. The notice says nothing about rolling stock, but the Wettbewerbsfahrplan records the network as requiring new-build vehicles with no pool — so the operator would have had to procure and finance an entire electric fleet for thirteen years without residual-value or redeployment undertakings of the kind offered in Mitteldeutsches S-Bahnnetz II. The most pointed evidence yet that new-build awards without authority-side financing components may simply fail to find a market.

Prior information notice for an interim award covering December 2028 to December 2031, ~890.000 timetable-km p.a., by negotiated procedure with prior call for competition; the procedure is expected to start in November 2026. The reason is infrastructure: electrification of the Mitte-Deutschland-Verbindung is not expected before the early 2030s, so the existing services must stay contracted until the re-tender that follows. Published the same day as the notice closing the Thüringer Elektro-Netz competition, of which this line formed part — Thuringia appears to be breaking the failed network into separately awardable interims.

BEG corrects the contract notice in terms: “the end of the tender period and the time of tender opening are incorrect”. The 31.12.2037, 23:59 given in the original notice becomes 25.01.2027, 12:00, with opening the same day at 13:00 and a 95-day validity period. Everything else stands: RB 74 Munich – Buchloe, ~0,7 M train-km p.a., 09.12.2029 to 12.12.2037 with three one-year extension options and two early termination options from December 2035, fleet entirely the operator’s responsibility.

Open procedure for RB 74 Munich – Buchloe, ~0,7 M train-km p.a., running 09.12.2029 to 12.12.2037 (eight years, extendable three times by one year; two early termination options from December 2035). Neither authority provision nor a vehicle pool is envisaged — the Wettbewerbsfahrplan records both as “no” and the suitability criteria require experience in vehicle procurement and maintenance, so the fleet is the operator’s responsibility. Minimum annual turnover EUR 20 m (FY 2025), positive equity of at least EUR 2 m. Caution on the deadline: the notice states 31.12.2037, 23:59 for both tender receipt and opening — some three weeks after the contract end of 12.12.2037 and evidently a form placeholder; the requirement that suitability evidence not predate 01.01.2027 points to an actual deadline during 2027.

Award notice for the Munich – Prague transitional contract: Die Länderbahn GmbH DLB wins, selected 16.07.2026 and contracted 27.07.2026; the unsuccessful bidder was the Leo Express consortium. Two tenders, one from another EEA state. ~1,87 M train-km p.a. on RE 25 Munich – Landshut – Regensburg – Cham – Furth im Wald – D/CZ border plus one RE 23 train pair to Hof. Commencement 10.12.2028, contract end 13.12.2031 — three years, extendable twice by one year. New and used vehicles were admitted and no capital-service guarantee is disclosed, so the winner carries the fleet; the follow-on München – Prag award from 12/2031 offers an onward-deployment perspective.

Change notice: tenders are now due 19.01.2027, 14:00 (previously 03.12.2026, 12:00), opening the same day at 14:30; the validity period moves from 31.03.2027 (118 days) to 30.04.2027 (102 days). Tender documents were amended on 19.08.2026. Everything else stands: ~7,3 M train-km p.a. on S 2, S 7, S 8, RE 13, RB 51 and RE 14 from 14.12.2031 to 09.12.2045, plus four options. The operator procures the fleet, and the authorities offer an unusually complete financing package — residual-value undertaking, depot subsequent-use undertaking, interest correction, redeployment undertaking on early termination, assignment of instalment payments to a lessor and a waiver of objections, defences and set-off. The vehicle concept carries 51.4 % of the quality score.

Award notice for freight forwarding and rail haulage between Hamburg and Halle (Saale) freight station, 13.12.2026 to 11.12.2027 with a twelve-month extension option. Raillogix wins; contract concluded 17.08.2026. Six tenders were received — one from an SME, one from another EEA state — a notably deeper field than the two or three now typical in SPNV. Because the required number of weekly round trips was uncertain, bidders priced two variants and the client selects between them after evaluation. Contract value withheld.

Change notice: the tender deadline moves to 05.10.2026, 12:00 (previously 03.09.2026); the tender documents were amended on 18.08.2026 and the notice gives “updated information” as the reason. The 60-day validity period is unchanged, so unlike the recent EVO and Mitteldeutsches S-Bahnnetz II amendments the extra four weeks are a real gain for bidders. Scope unchanged: RE 3 Düsseldorf – Gelsenkirchen – Dortmund – Hamm from the December 2030 to the December 2032 timetable change, ~1,6 M train-km p.a.

Corrigendum to prior information notice 807704-2025 under Art. 7(2) sentence 3 Reg. (EC) 1370/2007: the authorities now intend to award the transitional contract competitively rather than by the negotiated procedure without prior call for competition recorded in the Wettbewerbsfahrplan. The transitional contract covers RE 10, RB 53, RB 79 and RB 80 from 10.12.2028 to 14.12.2030 (extension reserved to 13.12.2031), ~4,3 M train-km p.a. (Bavaria ~4,1 M, Hesse ~0,2 M). It bridges the DB Regio contract ending December 2028 and the Regionalverkehr Mainfranken contract awarded to BeNEX from December 2030, whose commencement may slip to December 2031. A two-to-three-year electric fleet requirement now goes to an open bidder field — a rare short-lease opening. The notice gives 15.12.2026 as the expected date for publication of the contract notice.

Contract modification notice (8th amendment agreement, concluded 16.07.2026 with S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH) to the Hamburg S-Bahn transport contract originally awarded under notice 003078-2012. Because infrastructure works — five new stations and additional tracks for the RB 81 / S 4 integration — will not permit class ET 490 operation of RB 81 by the end of 2028, double-deck operation is extended for timetable year 2028 with an option for 2029. The amendment also addresses the DB InfraGO general renovation of the Hamburg – Lübeck line from mid to late 2028. Relied on sec. 132(2) sentence 1 no. 3 GWB (unforeseeable circumstances). The stated value of EUR 1.00 is expressly flagged in the notice as a form artefact; the agreement itself is published on the Hamburg transparency portal.

Award notice for the Mainfranken regional network: BeNEX Regionalverkehr GmbH & Co. KG wins both lots, contracts concluded 16.07.2026. Lot 1 (express, RE 10/54/55, ~4,18 M train-km p.a.) drew three tenders, lot 2 (Regio-S-Bahn, RS 1/2/4/11 and RB 79, ~3,08 M train-km p.a.) two. Commencement 15.12.2030, 12 years plus a three-year option. Used vehicles from build year 2015 (lot 1) and 2008 (lot 2) as well as new vehicles were admitted; a capital-service guarantee is offered for new vehicles. Net contract with a two-year gross start-up phase on the Bavarian side, gross contract on the Hessian side. Contract values are withheld (stated as EUR 1.00 per lot).

Change notice to the EVO competition (RE 2 Munich – Landshut – Regensburg – Weiden – Hof): the deadline for receipt of tenders moves from 28.08.2026 to 21.09.2026, 12:00, opening the same day at 13:00. Reason stated: updated information. The tender validity period is cut from 125 to 101 days in step, so the end point (31.12.2026) is unchanged — the extra time accrues on the tendering side only. Otherwise unchanged: ~2,17 M train-km p.a., commencement 10.12.2028 to 12.12.2043 (15 years), net contract with a gross start-up phase of at least two years, and a capital-service guarantee for financing the new vehicles. This is the second amendment in the procedure after the February 2026 change to the suitability criteria.

Prior information notice (Art. 7(2) Reg. (EC) 1370/2007) for the Elektronetz Mittelsachsen: RE 3, RB 30, RB 30V and RB 45, ~5,75 M train-km p.a., commencement 15.12.2030, at least 12 timetable years with options up to a 15-year maximum. Rolling stock is provided in full by ZVMS for the entire term. Before the procedure is published, ZVMS will run a market sounding expressly on vehicle provision and its maintenance — informal registration by 31.08.2026 (spnv-vergabe@vms.de), sessions expected mid/late September 2026 in Chemnitz. Launch remains subject to approval by the individual authorities’ governing bodies and, for Brandenburg, to budget availability.

Prior information notice merging the present Hellweg and Teutoburger Wald networks into one ~10,8 M train-km p.a. package, expected 12/2029 to 12/2044. Two operating stages: stage I keeps today’s timetable to 12/2032, stage II then implements a first part of the S-Bahn Münsterland. On rolling stock, the eurobahn Flirt units continue in stage I (Alpha Trains lease runs to 12/2032); from 12/2032 the VRR/NWL-owned E-Talent units are provided by the authorities, primarily for RB 65 and RB 89, while bidders may cover the remaining fleet requirement with used or new vehicles, maintenance sitting with the operator. Unusually, the winning bidder is obliged to purchase eurobahn KG and its general partner. The procedure is to start in Q4 2026.

Prior information notice (Art. 7(2) Reg. (EC) 1370/2007) for the re-award of the Rhein-Neckar S-Bahn network around Mannheim: two lots with lot limitation, gross contracts, staggered commencement expected from December 2033, term generally 15 years, 6–9 M train-km p.a. per lot. One lot is to run with new-build vehicles; in the second lot SFBW provides its existing fleet under the BW model. NVBW acts as procurement agent; the notice matches Wettbewerbsfahrplan lots No. 131/142 (S-Bahn Rhein-Neckar Los 1/Los 2). No participation deadline yet — the competition notice is still to come.

Change notice to the TN1 competition (RE 10/RB 37): the participation deadline moves from 24.07.2026 to 07.08.2026, 12:00. The notice also states that, following the May 2026 ÖPNVG NRW structural reform, the award will be issued by the new statewide authority (Schiene.NRW), which becomes the contracting party to the Verkehrsvertrag — SPNV Aufgabenträgerschaft passes to it on 1 January 2027. First-offer award reserved (§ 17(11) VgV). See the development note on the reform.

Open/competitive procedure for the Nuremberg S-Bahn network (S1–S6), contract term 15.12.2030 – 10.12.2044. New and used vehicles (from build year 2010) admitted; 27 Coradia Continental are provided via the existing capital-service guarantee. Net contract (Bavaria) / gross (Baden-Württemberg). Tenders due 18.01.2027.

SPNV award with BEMU operation from 12/2028, approx. 2.7 M train-km p.a.; rolling stock provided by the authority. Participation requests due 24.07.2026, 12:00.

Negotiated procedure, term 12/2029 – 12/2038, approx. 1.0 M train-km p.a. Vehicles provided by ZV VRR FaIn-EB under a lease (Pacht) model. Participation requests due 22.07.2026, 12:00.

Gross contract for RB 27 from 12/2028, approx. 2.5 M train-km p.a. New and used vehicles admitted, operator-financed. Participation requests due 15.07.2026, 12:00.