Berchtesgadener Land Bahn

Berchtesgadener Land Bahn GmbH (BLB) was a German railway transport company headquartered in Freilassing in the district of Berchtesgadener Land, Bavaria. It was founded in May 2009 as a joint subsidiary of Salzburg AG and Die Länderbahn, following the award of a contract in October 2006 to a bidding consortium formed by the two parent companies for rail services between Freilassing and Berchtesgaden. The company operated as part of the Salzburg S-Bahn network, running line S4 and also covering the superimposed S3 on the section from Salzburg to Freilassing, where ÖBB provided the service. BLB began operations with the timetable change on 13 December 2009 and was contracted to run the line for twelve years. Its route served Freilassing, Freilassing-Hofham, Piding, Ainring, Bad Reichenhall, Bad Reichenhall-Kirchberg, Bischofswiesen and Berchtesgaden. The service used five FLIRT electric multiple units leased through Alpha Trains and based in Salzburg-Itzling, the operating depot of Salzburg AG. In 2011 the company carried approximately 900,000 passengers and was twice recognised as the best German private railway in a passenger survey. Operationally, the early months were difficult: from the takeover until the end of February 2010, regular rail service was partly suspended because of delays in the approval of the FLIRT trains by the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) and due to vandalism. Replacement rail services and other rolling stock had to be used. The EBA cited omissions by the manufacturer Stadler Rail as the cause of the delayed approval. From March 2010 the service ran regularly with the originally planned vehicles. The Freilassing–Berchtesgaden connection was integrated into the transitional tariff of the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund (SVV), while the Deutsche Bahn AG local transport tariff applied within Germany. A special feature of line S4 within the Salzburg S-Bahn system was the first-class carriage and on-board customer care by train attendants. On journeys to Austria, the first-class compartment from Freilassing served as a quiet compartment that could also be used with second-class tickets, since Austrian local trains generally do not offer first class. In December 2018, the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) awarded the contract for operating the lines from December 2021 for 15 years to Bayerische Oberlandbahn GmbH. With the timetable change on 12 December 2021, operation of the Berchtesgadener Land Bahn and the Freilassing–Bad Reichenhall–Berchtesgaden line passed to the BRB (Bayerische Regiobahn) after twelve years. The company was liquidated on 14 May 2025.

Berchtesgadener Land Bahn GmbH (BLB) was established in May 2009 as a joint subsidiary of Salzburg AG and Die Länderbahn. The formation followed the October 2006 award of a contract to a bidding consortium of the two parent companies for rail services between Freilassing and Berchtesgaden, which had previously operated as Regionalbahn services. In the railway-law sense, Die Länderbahn, a subsidiary of Regentalbahn, acted as the "operating" entity. Regentalbahn in turn belonged, through its parent Netinera, to the Italian state railway Ferrovie dello Stato. The company began operating the line with the timetable change on 13 December 2009, contracted for twelve years. It ran line S4 of the Salzburg S-Bahn and also covered the superimposed S3, which is operated by ÖBB from Salzburg to Freilassing. The route served Freilassing, Freilassing-Hofham, Piding, Ainring, Bad Reichenhall, Bad Reichenhall-Kirchberg, Bischofswiesen and Berchtesgaden. Operations were initially disrupted. From the takeover until the end of February 2010, regular rail service was partly suspended due to delays in the approval of the FLIRT electric multiple units by the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) and because of vandalism. Other rolling stock had to be used and rail replacement services were partly set up. The EBA cited omissions by the manufacturer Stadler Rail as the cause of the delayed approval. From March 2010 the service ran regularly with the originally planned vehicles. Five FLIRT multiple units were used on the line, leased through Alpha Trains and based in Salzburg-Itzling, the operating depot of Salzburg AG located on the Salzburg–Lamprechtshausen railway. Through cooperation with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), these units partly ran cross-border on line S2 to Straßwalchen. The new operator later took over these vehicles and modernised them. In 2011 the Berchtesgadener Land Bahn carried approximately 900,000 passengers. In a passenger survey, the railway was twice recognised as the best German private railway. The Freilassing–Berchtesgaden connection was integrated into the transitional tariff of the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund (SVV), while the Deutsche Bahn AG local transport tariff continued to apply within Germany. A special feature of line S4 within the Salzburg S-Bahn system was the first-class carriage and passenger care by train attendants. On journeys to Austria, the first-class compartment from Freilassing served as a quiet compartment that could also be used with second-class tickets, since Austrian local trains generally do not provide first class. On 17 December 2018, the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) awarded the contract for operating the lines from December 2021 for 15 years to Bayerische Oberlandbahn GmbH. With the timetable change on 12 December 2021, operation of the Berchtesgadener Land Bahn and the Freilassing–Bad Reichenhall–Berchtesgaden line passed to the BRB (Bayerische Regiobahn) after twelve years. The company was liquidated on 14 May 2025.

• Bidding consortium of Salzburg AG and Die Länderbahn awarded contract for rail services between Freilassing and Berchtesgaden.

• Berchtesgadener Land Bahn GmbH founded as a joint subsidiary of Salzburg AG and Die Länderbahn.

• BLB begins operating line S4 of the Salzburg S-Bahn with the timetable change, contracted for twelve years.

• Regular service begins with the originally planned FLIRT vehicles after approval delays and vandalism.

• BLB carries approximately 900,000 passengers and is twice recognised as the best German private railway in a passenger survey.

• Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) awards the contract for operating the lines from December 2021 for 15 years to Bayerische Oberlandbahn GmbH.

• Operation of the Berchtesgadener Land Bahn and the Freilassing–Bad Reichenhall–Berchtesgaden line passes to the BRB (Bayerische Regiobahn) after twelve years.

• Berchtesgadener Land Bahn GmbH liquidated.

Regional S-Bahn operator integrated into the Salzburg S-Bahn network, offering cross-border passenger rail service between Bavaria and Austria with first-class comfort and on-board attendants.

• S-Bahn Salzburg line S4 (Freilassing–Berchtesgaden)

  Passenger rail service operated by BLB from 2009 to 2021, serving Freilassing, Freilassing-Hofham, Piding, Ainring, Bad Reichenhall, Bad Reichenhall-Kirchberg, Bischofswiesen and Berchtesgaden.

• S-Bahn Salzburg line S3 (Salzburg–Freilassing section)

  BLB covered the superimposed S3 line, which is operated by ÖBB from Salzburg to Freilassing.

• BLB-Spartickets

  Discount tickets for excursions to attractions in the Berchtesgadener Land region, combinable with bus connections.

1. 1Fahrplan und Strecken der Berchtesgadener Land Bahnblb.info
2. 2Berchtesgadener Land Bahn – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Berchtesgadener Land Bahn – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org