Regional rail operator - Metronom network to be divided - new invitation to tender in July
Lower Saxony will assign the previously serviced Regional Railway lines of the so-called Hansanet to two separate railway companies as of mid-2026. In the upcoming new tender, the network will be divided into two smaller networks and awarded to different railway companies, a spokesperson for the Lower Saxony Transport Company (LNVG) stated in response to an inquiry from the German Press Agency. The tender is expected to start this month, with the decision to be made in the spring of 2025, and the contracts to run until 2033.
Currently, the Hansanet includes the lines Hamburg-Bremen, Hamburg-Lüneburg-Uelzen, and Uelzen-Hannover-Göttingen. "The network, in its current configuration, is quite demanding for the operator between Hannover, Hamburg, and Bremen," the LNVG spokesperson explained. "We assume that the personnel issue will be easier to manage if the current network is divided between two operators in the future." Metronom could only secure traffic recently due to personnel shortages. Since the end of August 2023, substitute schedules with fewer trains have been in effect.
Regarding the composition of the two new networks, the LNVG made no statements on inquiry. "Metronom can also bid again, but only one of the two new networks can be won," the spokesperson added. The previous operator had already announced its intention to participate in the tender.
Locomotive driver shortage causes cancellations
The LNVG and Metronom reached an agreement for an early termination of the contract, which was originally scheduled to run until 2033, on June 13, 2026. The company itself had requested this "to limit future losses from the traffic contract that runs until the end of 2033," a spokeswoman said at the time. With the early end of the traffic contract, Metronom now has the opportunity for a "orderly restart."
However, the contract for the Metronom-operated Enno Network in the Hannover-Braunschweig-Wolfsburg region was extended on Tuesday. It now runs until December 2038, according to the Regional Association Greater Braunschweig. Metronom submitted a compelling offer in terms of price and quality and was awarded the contract, it was stated. The network includes the Regional Express lines Hannover-Wolfsburg and Wolfsburg-Braunschweig-Hildesheim. Metronom has operated the lines under the Enno brand since 2015, derived from Elektro-Netz Niedersachsen-Ost.
- The new tender for the division of the Hansanet in Lower Saxony could potentially involve companies based in Hanover, as they might be interested in securing a portion of the Railroad network.
- The LNVG spokesperson mentioned that Metronome, a company based in Uelzen, faced challenges with traffic due to personnel shortages, which impacted their operations on the Hamburg-Lüneburg-Uelzen line.
- In response to the tender, German Press Agency reported that the LNVG expressed that Metronome could still participate but only for one of the two new networks in Lower Saxony, similar to how railroads operate in Bremen.
- The spokesperson for Lower Saxony Transport Company (LNVG) stated that the early termination of the contract with Metronome in Spring 2026 was agreed upon to minimize losses, allowing Metronome to reorganize its operations more effectively.
- The announcement of the extension of Metronom's contract for the Enno Network in the Hannover-Braunschweig-Wolfsburg region, including the Regional Express lines in Hamburg, was reported by the LNVG and Regional Association Greater Braunschweig.
