It is temporarily owned by Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe, the rail authority for eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, where the majority of Eurobahn's services operate.
Initially a joint venture between Keolis and Rhenus operating bus and rail services, it became a 100% Keolis subsidiary operating rail services in 2007. From 1 January 2022 until May 2025, it was owned by the law firm Noerr.
Eurobahn was founded as Eurobahn Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH & Co KG, later Rhenus Keolis, in 1998 as a 60/40 joint venture between Keolis (then VIA-GTI) and Rhenus.[1]
In December 2007, the joint venture was dissolved; Rhenus taking ownership of the bus operations and two railway contracts under the name Rhenus Veniro, Keolis taking full ownership of Eurobahn, renaming the company as Keolis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG.[2][3]
In October 2021, Keolis announced its intention to sell the business and exit the German market.[4][5] The business was sold to Team Treuhand, a subsidiary of Noerr law firm, effective 31 December 2021, while renaming it to its present name.[6]
In May 2025, Eurobahn was taken over for one symbolic Euro by Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe, the rail authority for eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, where the majority of Eurobahn's services operate.
In May 2000, Eurobahn commenced operating two rail services in the East Westphalia-Lippe region (OWL) in North Rhine-Westphalia.[7][8] In 2013 the OWL contract was renewed until December 2028 with an additional two routes added.[9]
From December 2003 until December 2011, Eurobahn operated the Weser-/Lammetalbahn contract.[10][11]
On 14 December 2008, Eurobahn commenced operating the Hellweg Net services.[7] In 2015, the contract was extended until 2030.[12][13]
In December 2009, Eurobahn commenced operating the Maas-Rhine-Lippe network until December 2026.[14][15]
In December 2017, Eurobahn commenced operating the Teutoburger Wald network until December 2032.[16][17][18][19]
Eurobahn was scheduled to commence operating Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn routes S1 and S4 under contract to Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) in December 2019.[20][21][22] However with Eurobahn unable to recruit enough drivers before the contract commenced, VRR cancelled the contract with incumbent DB Regio awarded a short-term contract instead.[23]
Long-distance rail services
From December 2000, Eurobahn operated an open-accesslong-distance rail service between Cologne and Bielefeld, using its Bombardier Talent rail cars offering fares as low as 40 DM, a third less than its competitor DB Reise & Touristik. Due to insufficient patronage, the service was withdrawn in January 2001.[24][25]
Since December 2016, Eurobahn is providing the train drivers for the Eurostar high-speed rail service (originally Thalys) for its German section between Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund.[26]
Services
Eurobahn operate services on the following lines:[27][28][29][30]
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