The State Government of Baden-Württemberg has awarded DB Regio the contract for regional transport services in the Neckar Valley and parts of the Südbahn. With this award, DB Regio will take over SWEG Bahn Stuttgart (SBS), currently a subsidiary of the state-owned Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs-GmbH (SWEG), which had temporarily ensured the continuation of operations after an emergency award.
Following the conclusion of the antitrust review by the Federal Cartel Office and the expiration of the legal deadline for objections, the Ministry of Transport has now granted the final contract to DB Regio for the operation of regional transport services on the routes in the Neckar Valley and parts of the Südbahn. As a result, DB Regio will also take over SWEG Bahn Stuttgart GmbH (SBS), which is currently a subsidiary of the state-owned Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs-GmbH (SWEG). This arrangement follows SWEG’s temporary role in maintaining operations after an emergency award in response to unforeseen circumstances.
“With the award to DB Regio, a chapter of demanding crisis management comes to a successful end. Together with DB Regio, we aim to further modernise regional transport services and prepare them for the future requirements of the digitally integrated Stuttgart rail hub. This will create the conditions necessary for the trains to fully utilise the new through station in Stuttgart from 2026 onwards,” said Transport Minister Winfried Hermann. The integration of a modernised transport system will enhance the efficiency of regional transport services and create a more sustainable and technologically advanced infrastructure for the coming decades.
The new transport contract will take effect on 1st August 2025 for the North Baden-Upper Swabian network and will remain in place until the timetable change in December 2032. The specific regional transport services covered by the contract include the current Lot 1 (Neckar Valley) of the Stuttgart networks from 1st August 2025 and the Südbahn from December 2027. These services, when combined, are tendered as Network 35 Lot 3 – the North Baden-Upper Swabian network, in collaboration with the Bavarian Railway Company (BEG). Approval for the award has also been granted in the BEG’s committees, solidifying the partnership and paving the way for the smooth transition of services.
Train fleet
The state of Baden-Württemberg is supporting the new transport contract by providing modern vehicles to ensure the highest standards of reliability and passenger comfort. The State Institute for Railway Vehicles Baden-Württemberg (SFBW) will supply a total of 68 Talent 3 trains, which will be gradually upgraded to the modern European Train Control System (ETCS) by the timetable change in December 2026. Once the ETCS retrofitting project is complete, the Stuttgart rail hub will be operated using ETCS. This will ensure that the regional transport services can operate with more precision and flexibility. ETCS will also allow for shorter intervals between trains, significantly increasing capacity on the routes around Stuttgart, providing a more efficient system for both local and regional passengers. In addition, the state will provide further Talent 3plus trains for the new transport contract, while simultaneously upgrading the existing fleet of SBS to the ETCS.
Of the total fleet of Talent 3 trains, 52 trains were previously leased to SBS for Network 35 Lot 3, and an additional 16 Talent 3 trains, owned by the state, will be added. These trains are being transferred from an expiring transport contract (for the Gäu-Murr regional network) into the new North Baden-Upper Swabia network. The State Institute for Railway Vehicles Baden-Württemberg (SFBW) will also provide the workshop in Pforzheim, which it took over after the insolvency of Abellio. This workshop plays a vital role in maintaining the operational efficiency of the fleet, ensuring that the trains are well-serviced and available for the smooth operation of the regional transport services.
In April 2025, the State Government of Baden-Württemberg announced that DB Regio had won the tender to operate the Neckar Valley and Südbahn. What was particularly unique about this process was that not only the operation of the network but also the purchase of the entire SBS company was put out to tender. After the insolvency of the former Abellio Rail Baden-Württemberg GmbH, the state-owned SWEG stepped in at short notice under a so-called emergency legal measure, taking over the company from 1st January 2022. This move ensured that regional transport services continued to be delivered to passengers without any disruptions. As per legal requirements, this led to the re-tendering process, ensuring the continuation of high-quality service for commuters and passengers across the region.
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