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Metronome gets the contract: New times in the Hanse network from 2026!
Metronome wins contract for northern lot of Hanseatic network; new routes from 2026, while DB Regio takes over the southern route.
Metronome gets the contract: New times in the Hanse network from 2026!
What's happening in the world of regional trains? The Metronom Railway Company seems to be getting going at the moment. As Kreizeitung Wochenblatt reports, the Lower Saxony State Transport Company (LNVG) has decided that Metronom is likely to be awarded the northern lot of the Hanseatic Network tender. The contract is valid from June 2026 and runs until 2033. This lot includes important routes: the RE3 from Hanover via Uelzen and Lüneburg to Hamburg and the RE4 from Hamburg to Bremen.
Although Metronom is pleased that the course has been set, there are also downsides: the southern route from Uelzen via Hanover to Göttingen will in future be served by DB Regio. The company has regretted this loss, but also stressed that it is not possible for one provider to win both lots. However, this situation offers Metronom the opportunity to focus on existing routes and further improve quality, service and reliability.
New momentum in the Hanseatic network
The Hanseatic network, which was put out to tender by the LNVG, will be divided between two different operators from mid-2026. [NDR]. The LNVG plans to start the new tenders in July 2024. The first decisions about the new operators should be made in spring 2025.
A crucial point for the LNVG is how to handle the staff shortage. The current network is a challenge for operators. It is expected that staffing issues will be easier to manage if the network is divided between two operators. Metronome has had to deal with train cancellations in the past, often due to a lack of staff. In order to counteract this problem, replacement timetables with fewer connections have been in effect since the end of August 2023.
A look at the future
However, Metronome remains optimistic about the future. The operation of the Enno network, which is contractually secured until 2038, continues. In an exciting development, the route from Braunschweig to Hildesheim will be extended to Elze next year. From 2026, Metronom also wants to add five new Enno trains to the existing 29 trains in order to meet the increasing number of passengers.
The LNVG's decision is therefore eagerly awaited, and travelers should always inform themselves about possible short-term changes to the timetable before starting their journey. Despite all the challenges, Metronom would like to thank its passengers, employees and responsible authorities for their trust and describes this step as a new beginning.