New bus line OM2: Vechta and Diepholz now connected every hour!

New bus line OM2: Vechta and Diepholz now connected every hour!

On December 1, 2025, the new OM2 bus line celebrated its official launch and brings a breath of fresh air to mobility in the region. This new line connects the cities of Vechta and Diepholz, ensuring regular hourly connections. Over 200 passengers used the new connection in the first two days, which shows the high demand. The mayors Florian Marré from Diepholz and Kristian Kater from Vechta as well as the district administrators Volker Meyer and Tobias Gerdesmeyer were present at the opening, who were able to properly celebrate the project. The bus companies Schomaker from Lohne and Rittmeyer from Drebber have joined forces to operate this line.

A total of 15 stops are served, including important stations such as Diepholz train station and the University of Vechta, which is particularly important for students. The journey from station to station takes approximately 35 minutes and buses run from 5am to 11pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 9pm on weekends. Departures always take place at 10 minutes from the train stations in both cities, which makes planning easier for passengers. The financing of the line costs 840,000 euros per year, with the costs being borne proportionately by the districts of Diepholz (45%) and Vechta (55%). In addition, funding from the state local transport company is available for five years.

Importance of the new line

The introduction of the OM2 is an essential step towards improving mobility in the region. The connection to the university in Vechta is valued in terms of recruiting young people and contributes to the upgrade of public transport. Diepholz also considers the integration of Aschen into the bus network to be important. These measures are part of a broader strategy to optimize local public transport (ÖPNV) in northern Germany, which includes, among other things, the planning of an e-bus concept for the Cloppenburg and Vechta districts.

The e-bus concept is currently being developed and should be completed by the end of 2025. For this purpose, scientific support is organized to examine the CO2 reduction potential. These measures are part of the funding guideline “Model projects to strengthen public transport”, which is intended to create a more attractive public transport offering. The aim is to effectively serve people's mobility needs while protecting the environment. According to bmv.de, local public transport should become more sustainable and better connected in the future.

Perspectives for the future

The successful introduction of the OM2 line could serve as a model for future projects. The positive passenger numbers on the Vechta-Cloppenburg connection show that there is demand for better connections. New, environmentally friendly buses will be purchased soon as soon as the appropriate funding has been approved. Until then, the existing vehicles will be used. This signals not only the efforts to create modern and effective public transport, but also the commitment of regional politicians to advance mobility in a responsible manner.

But there is still much more to do. The integration of the old, uneconomical bus routes into new, more economical routes is planned, which could increase the attractiveness of the entire service. Another challenge remains the revision of the timetables, especially with regard to the concession for the Vechta city bus, which expires at the end of 2026. It remains to be seen what innovations passengers will experience here.

These new developments in local public transport show that a lot is happening in the region and people can look forward to improved mobility options.