National Express begins operating German rail services
Updated : 08:41
National Express Group has begun operating services on its first two German rail contracts on the Rhine Munster Express route.
It comes after the FTSE 250 company won the two contracts in February 2013, which are for 15 years and will bring in revenues of approximately €1.6bn (£1.15bn).
The two lines it operates service the North Rhine-Westphalia region, including commuter cities Cologne and Bonn.
National Express Group chief executive Dean Finch said Gemany, being Europe's largest rail market, is an important part of the company’s strategy.
"The German rail market presents significant further opportunity for National Express.
“We are working on the start-up of our next two German rail contracts on the Rhine-Ruhr Express."
He said it brings already secured revenues from German rail to €2.6bn.
Finch also said the company is waiting for the outcome of its appeal on the €1.4bn Nuremberg S-Bahn contract, and has submitted a bid for another German rail contract.