Open-access operator
Rail company running on third party-owned infrastructure
In rail transport, an open-access operator is an operator that takes full commercial risk, running on infrastructure owned by a third party and buying paths on a chosen route and, in countries where rail services run under franchises, are not subject to franchising.[1]
By country
Austria
- RegioJet
- WESTbahn
Czech Republic
- LEO Express
- RegioJet
Belgium
- Eurostar
- European Sleeper[2]
France
- Eurostar
- Trenitalia France
- Renfe[3]
In development
- Le Train
- Kevin Speed[4]
Former operators
- Izy
Germany
- Eurostar
- FlixTrain
- Harz-Berlin-Express
- Nightjet
- WESTbahn[5]
- European Sleeper[2]
Former operators
- Hamburg-Köln-Express taken over by Flixtrain
- Locomore Stuttgart-Berlin route taken over by Leo Express
Hungary
Italy
Former operators
Netherlands
- GreenCityTrip [note 1]
- TUI SKI Express [note 2]
- European Sleeper[2]
- Arriva night services[6]
Proposals
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
- RegioJet (all services except those on Bratislava — Komárno mainline, which are franchised)
Slovenia
- Adria transport
Spain
Sweden
- MTRX[10]
- Snälltåget (Transdev) (Malmö–Stockholm–Åre)
- TÅGAB
- SJ AB[note 3][11]
Former operators
United Kingdom
- Eurostar
- Grand Central
- Heathrow Express
- Hull Trains
- Lumo
In development
- Go-op
- Grand Union
- Virgin Trains
- Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway
Former operators
- Wrexham & Shropshire (ceased trading January 2011)
Former proposals
- Alliance Rail Holdings (company dissolved) [14]
- First Harrogate Trains
- Glasgow Trains
- Platinum Trains
Notes
- ^ Weekly from Amsterdam / Utrecht to Prague via Dresden.
- ^ Operated by GreenCityTrip during winter months. Weekly train from Amsterdam/Utrecht to various destinations in the Austrian alps.
- ^ Most services run open-access with the exception of Stockholm - Duved, Stockholm - Hamburg and services run by subsidiaries.
References
- ^ Abrams, Martin (July 2015). "Passenger's Guide to Franchising" (PDF). Better Transport. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ a b c "Nachttrein Berlijn - Boek een slaaptrein bij European Sleeper". European Sleeper (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ Preston, Robert (13 June 2023). "Renfe's French subsidiary ready for business". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "About". www.kevin-rail.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ "WESTbahn". westbahn.at. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Arriva launches national night services in the Netherlands". railjournal.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ Vosman, Quintus (8 June 2023). "Arriva Netherlands plans Groningen - Paris train service". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Vosman, Quintus (12 June 2023). "Qbuzz applies to operate Dutch cross-border open-access services". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Vosman, Quintus (12 May 2023). "FlixTrain applies for cross-border Dutch-German service". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "MTR launches open access inter-city service". Railway Gazette International. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- ^ "SJ-koncernen". SJ (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "FlixTrain starts ticket sale in Sweden | RailTech.com". RailTech.com | Online News for the Railway Industry. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ "Flixtrain lämnar Sverige – Järnvägar.nu". Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "ALLIANCE RAIL HOLDINGS LTD". data.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
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