National Express set for £1.35bn boost after winning German rail contracts
BIRMINGHAM-based transport group National Express has boosted its overseas operations by securing contracts to operate two German regional services in a move which could be worth £1.35bn to the business.
The new National Express services between Krefeld, Cologne, Bonn, Wuppertal and Münster will be launched in December 2015 and run for 15 years. The services, currently run by Deutsche Bahn – parent to Chiltern Railways, carry around 18 million passengers per year and will generate revenues of around €1.6bn over the life of the contract.
Dean Finch, Group Chief Executive, National Express said: “I am very pleased we have signed these two rail contracts. As well as confirming our entry into the German rail market, they also demonstrate how our success in running the UK’s best performing rail franchise is opening up new market opportunities abroad. We are determined to maintain these standards and deliver services of the highest quality to all of our customers in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
The contract was signed by Tobias Richter, Managing Director of National Express Rail and by the representatives of the regional German rail services Martin Husmann, VRR, Burkhard Bastisch, NWL, and Dr. Wilhelm Schmidt-Freitag, NVR in Wuppertal’s Historische Stadthalle. British Ambassador Simon McDonald also attended the signing.
Simon McDonald said: “This is a proud day for British business. The contract is a vote of confidence from our German partners and a testimony to the strength of British transport companies.”
National Express already operates its coach network in Germany under the City2City brand, having been selected as part of Germany’s newly liberalised coach market.
