Open-access operator

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

In development

Silverstar Railways^[2]

Czech Republic

Belgium

France

In development

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

Germany

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^[3]
Arriva night services^[8]

In development

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

Poland

LEO Express

In development

FlixTrain^[12]

Romania

Slovakia

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

Slovenia

Adria transport

Spain

Sweden

VR Snabbtåg Sverige (formerly MTRX)^[13]
Snälltåget (Transdev) (Malmö–Stockholm–Åre)
TÅGAB
SJ AB^{[note 1]}^[14]

Former operators

United Kingdom

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

Notes

^ Most services run open-access with the exception of Stockholm - Duved, Stockholm - Hamburg and services run by subsidiaries.

Citations

^ Abrams, Martin (July 2015). "Passenger's Guide to Franchising" (PDF). Better Transport. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
^ "[passenger] A new star is born: Silverstar Railways plans domestic and international train services". Railcolor News. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
^ ^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.
^ "Alstom receives an order from Proxima for 12 Avelia Horizon very high-speed trains, including 15 years of maintenance". Alstom. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
^ "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 (7 December 2023). "GoVolta to run day trains from Amsterdam to Paris, Berlin and Basel". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
^ "HEURO". www.heurotrain.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
^ Geerts, Esther (12 June 2023). "Arriva and Qbuzz request access for trains between the Netherlands and Paris". RailTech.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
^ Wintle, Thomas (15 November 2024). "Poland: FlixTrain gets permission to run Berlin-Warsaw route". RailTech.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
^ "MTR launches open access inter-city service". Railway Gazette International. 23 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. 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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[n3-14] Most services run open-access with the exception of Stockholm - Duved, Stockholm - Hamburg and services run by subsidiaries.

[1] Abrams, Martin (July 2015). "Passenger's Guide to Franchising" (PDF). Better Transport. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2020.

[2] "[passenger] A new star is born: Silverstar Railways plans domestic and international train services". Railcolor News. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2025.

[:0-3] "Nachttrein Berlijn - Boek een slaaptrein bij European Sleeper". European Sleeper (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 May 2023.

[4] Preston, Robert (13 June 2023). "Renfe's French subsidiary ready for business". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

[5] "Alstom receives an order from Proxima for 12 Avelia Horizon very high-speed trains, including 15 years of maintenance". Alstom. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

[6] "About". www.kevin-rail.com. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

[7] "WESTbahn". westbahn.at. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[8] "Arriva launches national night services in the Netherlands". railjournal.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.

[9] Vosman, Quintus (7 December 2023). "GoVolta to run day trains from Amsterdam to Paris, Berlin and Basel". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 25 December 2024.

[10] "HEURO". www.heurotrain.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.

[11] Geerts, Esther (12 June 2023). "Arriva and Qbuzz request access for trains between the Netherlands and Paris". RailTech.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.

[12] Wintle, Thomas (15 November 2024). "Poland: FlixTrain gets permission to run Berlin-Warsaw route". RailTech.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.

[13] "MTR launches open access inter-city service". Railway Gazette International. 23 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2017.

[15] "SJ-koncernen". SJ (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 May 2024.

[16] "FlixTrain starts ticket sale in Sweden | RailTech.com". RailTech.com | Online News for the Railway Industry. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.

[17] "Flixtrain lämnar Sverige – Järnvägar.nu". Retrieved 2 June 2024.

[18] "ALLIANCE RAIL HOLDINGS LTD". data.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2023.

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Open-access operator

Passenger open-access operators by country

Austria

In development

Czech Republic

Belgium

France

In development

Germany

Former operators

Hungary

Italy

Netherlands

In development

Poland

In development

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Former operators

United Kingdom

In development

Former operators

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