Deutsche Bahn takes over troubled Heidekreuz rail network after years of chaos
After years of delays and service failures, the troubled Heidekreuz rail network in central Lower Saxony is set for a fresh start. Deutsche Bahn's DB Regio has taken over operations, ending the chaotic tenure of Start Niedersachsen Mitte. Passengers now hope for long-overdue improvements, including Wi-Fi—though other promised upgrades remain uncertain.
The problems began in December 2021 when Start Niedersachsen Mitte, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank, took control of the network. From the start, the operator struggled with fewer carriages, leading to severe overcrowding and delays. Cyclists were often left stranded on platforms, and commuters faced constant disruptions, fearing they might lose jobs or apprenticeships due to unreliable services.
By November 2022, the Lower Saxony Transport Authority (LNVG) had fined Start Niedersachsen Mitte €2.7 million for failing to meet service obligations. Conditions failed to improve, and in 2023, the LNVG issued a formal warning after a weeks-long total collapse on the Uelzen–Bremen route. The persistent failures paved the way for early termination of the contract, originally set to run until 2029.
Deutsche Bahn then stepped in, dissolving Start Deutschland GmbH and all its subsidiaries, including Start Niedersachsen Mitte, effective August 1. DB Station&Service AG temporarily managed operations before Deutsche Bank Regio officially took over. The shift follows Deutsche Bank Regio's 2020 victory in a Europe-wide tender for the restructured diesel network, covering the RB 37 and RB 38 lines.
Local advocates, including Pro Bahn and SPD lawmaker Sebastian Zinke, remain cautiously optimistic. While Wi-Fi is finally arriving—four years behind schedule—it remains unclear whether other promised upgrades will materialise.
The handover to Deutsche Bank Regio marks the end of a troubled chapter for the Heidekreuz network. Passengers now await tangible improvements after years of disruption. The success of the transition will depend on whether the new operator delivers on reliability and promised service upgrades.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
