Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe

Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe GmbH, commonly known as RLG, is a publicly owned transport company serving parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly the district of Soest and the Hochsauerlandkreis. Its activities combine three related functions: the operation and management of several railway lines used for freight traffic, the provision of rail freight services, and extensive regional and local bus operations. The company is therefore both a transport operator and a rail infrastructure company rather than a conventional passenger railway brand. RLG was established in Soest on January 24, 1979, as the successor to the Aktiengesellschaft Ruhr-Lippe-Eisenbahnen, or RLE. Its formation brought together several existing transport activities in the Ruhr-Lippe region. These included the Hamm–Lippborg and Neheim-Hüsten–Arnsberg Süd railway lines formerly associated with RLE, RLE’s bus operations, the Neheim-Hüsten–Sundern railway line and its bus services, the bus operation of the former Kreis Brilon–Kleinbahn Steinhelle–Medebach organization, and part of the Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn bus service between Brilon, Warstein and Lippstadt. The ownership structure reflects RLG’s regional public-service role. Westfälische Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH is a shareholder and manages the company’s business. The districts of Hochsauerlandkreis and Kreis Soest are also shareholders, together with a number of cities and municipalities including Arnsberg, Brilon, Erwitte, Hallenberg, Hamm, Marsberg, Medebach, Olsberg, Rüthen, Soest, Sundern, Warstein, Werl and Winterberg, as well as Anröchte, Ense, Lippetal, Möhnesee and Welver. RLG’s railway activities are concentrated on freight infrastructure and freight transport. Rail operations management is based at Hamm and Hüsten Ost. The remaining freight network measured 41.732 kilometres in 2012 and was used only for freight traffic. RLG has operated diesel locomotives including locomotive 54, a MaK G 1206 built in 2008, and locomotive 68, a KHD DG 1200 BBM built in 1962. A former RLE freight operation in the urban area of Soest was transferred to Deutsche Bundesbahn in 1987 and ultimately discontinued at the end of 2001. Bus transport is the company’s larger public-facing activity. In 2012, RLG services used 217 vehicles, including 107 company-owned buses, across a route network of approximately 3,993 kilometres. Services included express buses, regional routes, city buses in Arnsberg and Soest, local services around Neheim and Arnsberg, and selected school and night routes. The network connects communities across the two districts and supports both everyday mobility and local public transport access in a geographically varied area. RLG reported approximately 12.8 million passengers in 2022. From 2012, RLG participated with Hochsauerlandkreis, Kreis Soest and BRS Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg GmbH in the mobil4you project. One element was the introduction of an electric neighbourhood bus concept in Winterberg and Medebach. The service operated in part between 2013 and 2016; in Winterberg, it was later replaced by a community bus. This initiative reflects RLG’s role in testing flexible and lower-emission forms of rural mobility alongside its established scheduled bus network. RLG’s positioning is consequently regional and public-service oriented. It provides integrated mobility and logistics infrastructure for Westphalian communities, combining scheduled bus transport with specialist freight railway capabilities. Its importance is primarily local and regional rather than national or international.

Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe GmbH emerged from the restructuring of several transport activities in the Ruhr-Lippe area. It was founded in Soest on January 24, 1979, as the successor to Aktiengesellschaft Ruhr-Lippe-Eisenbahnen, generally known as RLE. The new company consolidated railway, freight and bus operations that had previously been distributed among several regional organizations. The inherited railway assets included the Hamm–Lippborg line and the Neheim-Hüsten–Arnsberg Süd line, together with RLE’s bus operation. RLG also incorporated the Neheim-Hüsten–Sundern railway line and its bus services. Bus-only activities came from the Kreis Brilon–Kleinbahn Steinhelle–Medebach organization and from the Brilon–Warstein–Lippstadt section of the Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn bus service. This structure gave RLG a mixed operating profile from its creation: it served passengers by bus while retaining a role in regional railway freight and infrastructure. RLG was established as a public-sector regional transport company. Westfälische Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH became a shareholder and took responsibility for business management. The districts of Hochsauerlandkreis and Kreis Soest also participated, alongside a broad group of cities and municipalities. The shareholder base included Arnsberg, Brilon, Erwitte, Hallenberg, Hamm, Marsberg, Medebach, Olsberg, Rüthen, Soest, Sundern, Warstein, Werl and Winterberg, as well as Anröchte, Ense, Lippetal, Möhnesee and Welver. This ownership model tied the company closely to local and district-level transport policy. The railway side of the business has focused on freight rather than scheduled passenger services. Railway freight management has been organized from Hamm and Hüsten Ost. In 2012, the freight-only network measured 41.732 kilometres. RLG has operated diesel traction, including locomotive 54, a MaK G 1206 manufactured in 2008, and locomotive 68, a KHD DG 1200 BBM manufactured in 1962. A separate freight activity in the Soest urban area, which RLE had taken over in 1973, was operated by Deutsche Bundesbahn from May 1987 and was completely discontinued on December 31, 2001. Bus transport became RLG’s principal passenger-facing activity. Bus depots in Arnsberg, Brilon, Lippstadt and Soest support a network serving the district of Soest and Hochsauerlandkreis. In 2012, the operation comprised 217 vehicles, 107 of them owned by RLG, and covered about 3,993 kilometres of routes. The service portfolio included express routes, regional bus lines, city buses in Arnsberg and Soest, school services and night routes. The network’s role is especially significant in a region containing smaller towns and dispersed settlements, where scheduled buses provide connections to urban centres and rail stations. Beginning in 2012, RLG worked with Hochsauerlandkreis, Kreis Soest and BRS Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg GmbH on mobil4you. The project sought to develop modern rural mobility solutions, including an electric neighbourhood bus planned for Winterberg and Medebach. The electric service was operated in part from 2013 to 2016. Winterberg subsequently replaced it with a community bus, illustrating the experimental and locally adaptable nature of the project. By 2022, RLG reported approximately 12.8 million passengers. Its continuing identity is that of a regional, publicly owned transport operator rather than a consumer brand with nationwide reach. The company combines conventional scheduled bus services, local and demand-sensitive mobility initiatives, and specialist freight railway capabilities. Its history reflects the consolidation of historic private and municipal railway and bus operations into an integrated regional transport structure.

• 2022

  Passenger volume reaches approximately 12.8 million

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  RLG recorded approximately 12.8 million passengers in 2022.

• 2012

  RLG participates in mobil4you

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  RLG joined Hochsauerlandkreis, Kreis Soest and BRS Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg GmbH in the mobil4you rural mobility project.

• 2001

  Soest freight operation discontinued

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  The remaining freight operation in the Soest urban area was fully discontinued on December 31, 2001.

• 1987

  Soest freight operation transferred to Deutsche Bundesbahn

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  Deutsche Bundesbahn began operating the former RLE freight activity in Soest from May 1987.

• 1979

  Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe is founded

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  RLG was founded in Soest on January 24, 1979, succeeding Aktiengesellschaft Ruhr-Lippe-Eisenbahnen and consolidating several regional rail and bus operations.

• 1973

  RLE takes over Soest-area freight operation

  [1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor RLE took over the remaining freight operation of Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn in the urban area of Soest.

A publicly owned regional mobility provider combining bus transport for passengers with freight railway infrastructure and rail freight services in Westphalia.

• Public transport · 1979

  Regional bus services

  RLG operates scheduled regional bus routes across Kreis Soest and Hochsauerlandkreis. The network links smaller municipalities with district centres, railway stations and larger towns. It includes regular regional services as well as express bus connections intended to provide faster links between important destinations.

• Urban public transport · 1979

  City bus services

  The company provides city bus services in Arnsberg and Soest, forming the urban component of its broader regional network. These routes complement longer-distance regional services and provide local connections within the two towns and their surrounding built-up areas.

• Specialized bus transport

  School and night bus services

  RLG’s bus portfolio includes school-oriented routes and night services. Examples include school connections around Arnsberg, Neheim-Hüsten and surrounding communities, together with night routes linking Arnsberg, Neheim, Sundern and nearby settlements.

• Rail freight · 1979

  Rail freight and infrastructure services

  RLG operates and manages selected railway infrastructure for freight traffic and conducts rail freight operations. Its remaining freight-only network measured 41.732 kilometres in 2012. Railway operations management is associated with Hamm and Hüsten Ost, and the company has operated diesel locomotives for these services.

• Rural mobility pilot · 2013

  mobil4you electric neighbourhood bus

  As part of the mobil4you project, RLG and regional partners planned and partly operated an electric neighbourhood bus in Winterberg and Medebach. The service ran in part between 2013 and 2016. Winterberg later replaced the pilot with a community bus.

• 2012mobil4you

  Winterberg · Medebach · Hochsauerlandkreis · Kreis Soest

  RLG collaborated with Hochsauerlandkreis, Kreis Soest and BRS Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg GmbH on mobil4you, a project focused on improving rural mobility. One planned element was an electric neighbourhood bus for Winterberg and Medebach.

  Outcome. The electric bus operated in part from 2013 to 2016. Winterberg later replaced the service with a community bus.

  Source

• 2012

  Participation in rural mobility pilotStrategy

  Background

  Rural communities in RLG’s operating area required mobility options complementing conventional fixed-route bus services.

  Action taken

  RLG joined regional public-sector partners and BRS Busverkehr Ruhr-Sieg GmbH in mobil4you, including plans for an electric neighbourhood bus in Winterberg and Medebach.

  Aftermath

  The electric service operated in part between 2013 and 2016; Winterberg subsequently used a community bus instead.

  Source

• 2022

  RLG reported 12.8 million passengers in 2022[1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe recorded approximately 12.8 million passengers in its bus transport activities in 2022.

• 2013

  mobil4you rural mobility project continued in the region[1]Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Product launch

  RLG and regional public-sector partners implemented the mobil4you project, including an electric neighbourhood bus operated in part in Winterberg and Medebach.

1. 1Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Regionalverkehr Ruhr-Lippe official websiterlg-online.de