Open-access operator explained

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]

Passenger open-access operators by country

Austria

• RegioJet
• WESTbahn

In development

• Silverstar Railways^[2]

Czech Republic

• LEO Express
• RegioJet

Belgium

• Eurostar
• European Sleeper^[3]

France

• Nightjet
• Trenitalia France
• Renfe^[4]

In development

• Le Train
• Velvet^[5]
• Kevin Speed^[6]

Germany

• Eurostar
• FlixTrain
• Harz-Berlin-Express
• Nightjet
• WESTbahn^[7]
• European Sleeper

Former operators

• Hamburg-Köln-Express taken over by Flixtrain
• Locomore Stuttgart-Berlin route taken over by Leo Express

Hungary

• RegioJet

Italy

• DB/ÖBB Italia
• Nightjet
• NTV (Italo)
• Arenaways

Netherlands

• European Sleeper
• Arriva night services^[8]

In development

• GoVolta^[9]
• Heuro^[10]
• Qbuzz international services^[11]

Poland

• LEO Express

In development

• FlixTrain^[12]

Romania

• Astra Trans Carpatic
• Regio Călători
• Softrans
• Transferoviar Grup

Slovakia

• RegioJet (all services except those on Bratislava — Komárno mainline, which are franchised)

Slovenia

• Adria transport

Spain

• Ouigo España
• Iryo

Sweden

• VR Snabbtåg Sverige (formerly MTRX)^[13]
• Snälltåget (Transdev) (Malmö–Stockholm–Åre)
• TÅGAB
• SJ AB^[14]

Former operators

• Blå Tåget
• Saga Rail
• FlixTrain^{[15] [16]}
• Sydvästen

United Kingdom

• Eurostar
• Grand Central
  • Heathrow Express Hull Trains
• Lumo

In development

• Go-op
• Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway
• Virgin Trains
• Gemini Trains
• Evolyn
• FS Italiane
• Alliance Rail (Marchwood-Southampton)

Former operators

• Wrexham & Shropshire (ceased trading January 2011)

Former proposals

• Alliance Rail Holdings (company dissolved) ^[17]
• First Harrogate Trains
• Grand Union (purchased by FirstGroup)
• Glasgow Trains
• Platinum Trains

References

Citations

Notes and References

1. Web site: Abrams. Martin. July 2015. Passenger's Guide to Franchising. 4 September 2020. Better Transport. 4.
2. Web site: 2024-11-22 . [passenger] A new star is born: Silverstar Railways plans domestic and international train services ]. 2025-02-10 . Railcolor News . en-GB.
3. Web site: Nachttrein Berlijn - Boek een slaaptrein bij European Sleeper . 2023-05-08 . European Sleeper . nl.
4. Web site: Preston . Robert . 2023-06-13 . Renfe’s French subsidiary ready for business . 2023-07-03 . International Railway Journal . en-GB.
5. Web site: Alstom receives an order from Proxima for 12 Avelia Horizon very high-speed trains, including 15 years of maintenance . 2024-12-24 . Alstom . en.
6. Web site: About . 2023-05-08 . www.kevin-rail.com . 9 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509175438/https://www.kevin-rail.com/english . dead .
7. Web site: WESTbahn . 2022-03-29 . westbahn.at . en.
8. Web site: Arriva launches national night services in the Netherlands . 2022-12-27 . railjournal.com . en.
9. Web site: Vosman . Quintus . 2023-12-07 . GoVolta to run day trains from Amsterdam to Paris, Berlin and Basel . 2024-12-25 . International Railway Journal . en-GB.
10. Web site: HEURO . 2024-12-25 . www.heurotrain.com . en.
11. Web site: Geerts . Esther . 2023-06-12 . Arriva and Qbuzz request access for trains between the Netherlands and Paris . 2024-12-25 . RailTech.com . en-GB.
12. Web site: Wintle . Thomas . 2024-11-15 . Poland: FlixTrain gets permission to run Berlin-Warsaw route . 2024-12-25 . RailTech.com . en-GB.
13. News: MTR launches open access inter-city service . 23 March 2015 . . 2017-05-20 . 24 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201024084715/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/mtr-launches-open-access-inter-city-service.html . dead .
14. Web site: SJ-koncernen . 2024-05-23 . SJ . sv.
15. Web site: 2021-04-14. FlixTrain starts ticket sale in Sweden RailTech.com. 2021-05-12. RailTech.com Online News for the Railway Industry. en-GB.
16. Web site: Flixtrain lämnar Sverige – Järnvägar.nu . 2024-06-02 .
17. Web site: ALLIANCE RAIL HOLDINGS LTD . 2023-06-15 . data.companieshouse.gov.uk.