Regiobahn

Regiobahn GmbH is the shortened name of Regionale Bahngesellschaft Kaarst-Neuss-Düsseldorf-Erkrath-Mettmann-Wuppertal mbH, a publicly owned railway infrastructure company in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its railway assets form an important east-west link across the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, connecting Kaarst and Neuss with Düsseldorf-Gerresheim, Mettmann, and the Wuppertal area. The company is closely associated with the Regiobahn passenger-service network, although the infrastructure company, the public-service-contract holder, and the train operator are legally separate entities. The infrastructure company was incorporated on 8 August 1992 by the municipalities and districts along the proposed corridor. Its shareholders are public or municipally controlled bodies: the city of Düsseldorf holds 35 percent, the city of Mettmann 20 percent, Rhein-Kreis Neuss 11.8 percent, Stadtwerke Neuss 11.6 percent, the city of Kaarst 11.6 percent, and Wuppertaler Stadtwerke 10 percent. This ownership structure reflects the company’s regional-development purpose rather than a conventional privately owned railway model. Its role is to preserve, modernize, and manage railway infrastructure that supports local and regional public transport. On 1 January 1998, Regiobahn GmbH took over infrastructure on the Neuss–Kaarst line and on the Düsseldorf-Gerresheim–Mettmann section from Deutsche Bahn. The company then rehabilitated the western part of the corridor and prepared it for renewed regional passenger use. Passenger services on the eastern section continued temporarily before ending in January 1999. A formal construction milestone for the rebuilt service was marked at Mettmann station on 13 March 1999, and through services between Mettmann and Kaarst began on 26 September 1999 with hourly trains. The timetable was strengthened to a 20-minute interval in May 2000, helping the line function as a frequent cross-suburban service rather than a low-frequency branch railway. The passenger network is principally identified with S28 of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn. The S28 links Kaarst, Neuss, Düsseldorf, Erkrath, and Mettmann, with the infrastructure extending toward Wuppertal. A separate company, Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft mbH, was established on 7 November 2005 to hold the public-service-obligation contract with Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr. Train operation has been subcontracted to Transdev Rheinland GmbH, whose operating brand has been RBE Rheinisch-Bergische Eisenbahn. Consequently, the Regiobahn name covers a coordinated regional rail system but does not mean that the infrastructure company itself directly drives every train. A major expansion was approved in December 2013, when North Rhine-Westphalia committed to finance 33.7 million euros of an estimated 41.1 million euro extension project. The project extended the railway from Mettmann Stadtwald toward Wuppertal-Vohwinkel through a connecting curve to the Wuppertal-Vohwinkel–Essen-Überruhr railway. It also included the new Wuppertal-Hahnenfurth/Düssel station. The extension opened on 13 December 2020, bringing the Regiobahn corridor into the Wuppertal area and strengthening its role in metropolitan connectivity. Regiobahn’s positioning is therefore based on regional integration, publicly controlled infrastructure stewardship, and the reuse and modernization of railway corridors. Its visible passenger proposition is frequent suburban and regional rail service, while its core corporate function is infrastructure management and coordination with transport authorities and operating partners. The company is active in Germany and is not a publicly traded corporation.

Regiobahn GmbH was incorporated on 8 August 1992 as Regionale Bahngesellschaft Kaarst-Neuss-Düsseldorf-Erkrath-Mettmann-Wuppertal mbH. Its constituent shareholders were municipalities, a district authority, and municipally controlled utilities located along the proposed railway corridor. The ownership model was designed to give local public authorities control over a railway project intended to improve cross-suburban mobility in the Rhine-Ruhr region. The company’s initial task was to secure and develop infrastructure that had previously been associated with Deutsche Bahn. On 1 January 1998, Regiobahn took over the railway infrastructure between Neuss and Kaarst and between Düsseldorf-Gerresheim and Mettmann. It rehabilitated the western part of the route and prepared it for a new regional passenger operation. Passenger trains continued on the eastern section until 2 January 1999, after which the rebuilt service could be organized as an integrated corridor. The foundation stone for the new operation was laid at Mettmann station on 13 March 1999. Passenger services between Mettmann and Kaarst began on 26 September 1999, initially at hourly intervals. The service was subsequently expanded, and from 28 May 2000 trains operated every 20 minutes. The route became associated with S28 of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn, providing a frequent link between communities west and east of Düsseldorf. Although the Regiobahn name became highly visible to passengers, the legal structure separated infrastructure ownership from the contracting and operation of trains. Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft mbH was incorporated on 7 November 2005 to hold the public-service-obligation contract with Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr. Its shareholders were also public bodies, with stakes held by Düsseldorf, Rhein-Kreis Neuss, the Mettmann district, and Kaarst. Train operations were subcontracted to Transdev Rheinland GmbH. The operating identity RBE, or Rheinisch-Bergische Eisenbahn, was connected with Transdev Rheinland; the former Rheinisch-Bergische Eisenbahngesellschaft operated as a separate company before being merged into the Veolia/Transdev organization. The next major phase was expansion eastward. In December 2013, North Rhine-Westphalia agreed to finance 33.7 million euros of an estimated 41.1 million euro project extending the railway from Mettmann Stadtwald toward Wuppertal-Vohwinkel. The project used a new connecting curve to the Wuppertal-Vohwinkel–Wuppertal-Oberbarmen railway corridor and included a station at Wuppertal-Hahnenfurth/Düssel. The extension opened on 13 December 2020, giving the Regiobahn system a direct physical connection into the Wuppertal area. Today, Regiobahn GmbH is best understood as a regional railway infrastructure manager within a broader public-transport arrangement. It should not be conflated with Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft mbH, which contracts passenger operations, or with Transdev Rheinland, which operates trains on behalf of that company. The organization’s enduring significance lies in preserving local control of railway infrastructure, restoring underused routes, increasing service frequency, and extending suburban rail connectivity across one of Germany’s most densely populated metropolitan regions.

• 2020

  Wuppertal extension opened

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The Mettmann Stadtwald–Wuppertal-Vohwinkel extension opened on 13 December, including Wuppertal-Hahnenfurth/Düssel station.

• 2013

  State financing agreed for eastern extension

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  North Rhine-Westphalia committed 33.7 million euros toward a 41.1 million euro extension toward Wuppertal.

• 2005

  Separate passenger-contract company formed

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft mbH was established to hold the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr operating contract.

• 2000

  Service frequency expanded

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  From 28 May, the route operated at 20-minute intervals.

• 1999

  Rebuilt regional service launched

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  Passenger operations between Mettmann and Kaarst began on 26 September with hourly trains.

• 1998

  Infrastructure transferred from Deutsche Bahn

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  Regiobahn assumed infrastructure responsibility for the Neuss–Kaarst and Düsseldorf-Gerresheim–Mettmann sections on 1 January.

• 1992

  Regiobahn GmbH incorporated

  [1]Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org

  The regional railway company was incorporated on 8 August by municipalities and public authorities along the Kaarst–Wuppertal corridor.

A publicly owned regional railway infrastructure and transport-coordination organization focused on frequent suburban rail connectivity across the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area.

• Commuter rail service · 1999

  S28 Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn

  The S28 is the principal passenger service associated with Regiobahn. It links Kaarst and Neuss with Düsseldorf, Erkrath, Mettmann, and the extended corridor toward Wuppertal. The service was relaunched after infrastructure rehabilitation and became notable for its frequent 20-minute timetable from 2000. Regiobahn GmbH manages the infrastructure, while passenger-service contracting and train operation are handled through separate entities.

• Regional express rail service

  RE 47

  RE 47 is a regional rail service associated with the Regiobahn operating arrangement between Düsseldorf and Remscheid-Lennep. The service is distinct from the infrastructure company’s core identity but forms part of the wider regional rail network in which Regiobahn-related entities participate.

• Rail infrastructure · 1998

  Regiobahn railway infrastructure

  Regiobahn’s core corporate offering is the management and development of railway infrastructure. Its network includes the line between Kaarst and Neuss and the route from Düsseldorf-Gerresheim through Mettmann toward the Wuppertal-Dornap junction. The company’s infrastructure role supports passenger services operated under public transport contracts.

• 2013

  Expansion toward WuppertalStrategy

  Background

  The existing corridor was to be extended from Mettmann Stadtwald toward Wuppertal-Vohwinkel to improve regional connectivity.

  Action taken

  North Rhine-Westphalia agreed to finance 33.7 million euros of the estimated 41.1 million euro project, including a connecting curve and a new Wuppertal-Hahnenfurth/Düssel station.

  Aftermath

  The extension opened on 13 December 2020 and connected the Regiobahn corridor with the Wuppertal area.

  Project financing. 33.7 million euros in state financing toward a 41.1 million euro project (2013)

  Source

• 1998

  Takeover and rehabilitation of railway infrastructureStrategy

  Background

  Regional public authorities sought to preserve and reuse railway infrastructure on routes that had previously been managed by Deutsche Bahn.

  Action taken

  Regiobahn assumed the Neuss–Kaarst and Düsseldorf-Gerresheim–Mettmann infrastructure and began preparing the corridor for regional passenger service.

  Aftermath

  The rehabilitation enabled the relaunch of passenger trains between Mettmann and Kaarst in 1999.

  Source

1. 1Regiobahn GmbHen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Regiobahn official websiteregio-bahn.de