Abellio (transport company)

Abellio is a public transport company that operates services in Europe, with both bus and rail networks. It was founded as NedRailways in 2001, before being renamed Abellio in October 2009. Abellio is wholly owned by the Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

Abellio
IndustryPublic transport
Founded2001
Headquarters
Utrecht
,
The Netherlands
Area served
Current
United Kingdom
Germany

Past

Netherlands
Czech Republic
Key people
Jeff Hoogesteger (CEO)
OwnerNederlandse Spoorwegen
SubsidiariesAbellio Deutschland
Abellio London
Abellio ScotRail
East Midlands Railway
Greater Anglia (60%)
Merseyrail (50%)
WestfalenBahn
West Midlands Trains (70%)
Websitewww.abellio.com

United Kingdom
A pair of Abellio Surrey Dennis Darts in November 2009
Abellio Greater Anglia train at Ipswich station in June 2014

Buses

In May 2009, Abellio purchased the Travel London and Travel Surrey businesses from National Express and rebranded them Abellio London and Abellio Surrey in October 2009.[1] The latter closed in September 2018.[2]

Rail

Abellio has a 50% shareholding in Serco-Abellio that has bid for a number of rail franchises. The joint venture has operated the Merseyrail franchise since July 2003.[3] Serco-Abellio also operated the Northern Rail franchise from December 2004 until March 2016.[4] Serco-Abellio also lodged unsuccessful bids for the Wales & Borders, West Midlands and Tyne & Wear Metro franchises.

Abellio has also bid for a number of franchises in its own right, lodging bids for the South Western franchise (in partnership with FirstGroup), London Overground, South Central, InterCity West Coast, Essex Thameside, Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern and Northern franchises.[5][6][7]

In February 2012, Abellio Greater Anglia commenced operating the East Anglia franchise.[8] In 2016, Abellio successfully bid to retain the renamed East Anglia franchise until 2025.[9] In January 2017, Abellio sold a 40% stake in the business to Mitsui.[10]

In April 2015, Abellio ScotRail commenced operating the ScotRail franchise.[11][12][13]

In December 2017, West Midlands Trains, a joint venture with East Japan Railway Company and Mitsui in which Abellio owns 70%, commenced operating the West Midlands franchise.[14][15]

In February 2018, Abellio withdrew from a bid for the Wales & Borders franchise. This bid had been undertaken in partnership with Carillion, but the liquidation of the latter left it without an infrastructure partner.[16]

In August 2019, Abellio commenced operating the East Midlands Railway franchise.[17]

Germany

Abellio Deutschland was formed by the Essen public transit company in 2004. In December 2005, British investment company Star Capital Partners purchased a 75% share in Abellio from the City of Essen.[18] In December 2008, both sold their shares to NedRailways.[19][20] The Abellio brand was later rolled out to replace the NedRailways brand internationally.[21]

Bus

In April 2013, Abellio Deutschland announced it would focus on rail transport and sell its three bus companies. In November 2013 VM and Werner were sold to Transport Capital with 220 buses.[22][23] The remaining KVG business was sold to Rhenus Veniro and the District of Bautzen in October 2014 with 84 buses.[24]

Rail

As of April 2020, Abellio Deutschland operates 50 lines in nine states amounting to 5,518 km with a fleet of 278 trains.[25] Abellio Deutschland owned a 25% share in WestfalenBahn that was founded in 2005.[26][27] In July 2017 this was increased to 100%.[28]

The Netherlands

Qbuzz was founded in 2008 by two former Connexxion directors with Abellio having a 49% shareholding.[29] Abellio purchased the remaining 51% in April 2013.[30][31]

In March 2015, Qbuzz was awarded a 15-year concession to operate services in the province of Limburg from December 2016. However, after the discovery of irregularities during the tender process, the contract was awarded to Arriva.[32][33][34] In July 2016, Nederlandse Spoorwegen announced its intention to sell Qbuzz.[35] In July 2017 it was sold to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane subsidiary Busitalia.[36]

Czech Republic

Abellio bought Probo Bus and ran its network in the Czech Republic in 2009. It consisted of regional bus transport in the Beroun District and surroundings and some long-distance bus lines between Prague and South and West Bohemia.

Abellio CZ founded in July 2011. In spring 2012, Abellio CZ lodged an extensive complaint about wrong assignment of the tender to running of fast train line Ostrava – Krnov – Olomouc. The complaints were completely rejected.

In November 2013, Abellio sold Abellio CZ and Probo Bus to Arriva with 110 buses.[37][38]

References
  1. National Express Group plc agreement to sell Travel London National Express Group 21 May 2009
  2. "Falcon Coaches to take over Abellio's remaining Surrey route" Coach & Bus Week issue 1357 28 August 2018 page 11
  3. Merseyrail franchise goes Dutch The Daily Telegraph 24 April 2003
  4. Serco-NedRailways Announced as Preferred Bidder for new Northern Rail franchise Strategic Rail Authority 1 July 2004
  5. Short Listed Bidders for Greater Anglia and InterCity West Coast Rail Franchises Department for Transport 24 March 2011
  6. Bidders to oversee improvements on rail franchises announced Department for Transport 29 March 2012
  7. Shortlist for Northern and TransPennine operators revealed Department for Transport 19 August 2014
  8. Greater Anglia rail franchise announcement Department for Transport 20 October 2011
  9. Better journeys for rail passengers and boost for Derby train industry as new East Anglia franchise announced Department for Transport 10 August 2016
  10. Abellio to sell 40% stake in Greater Anglia to Mitsui Railway Gazette International 17 January 2017
  11. Dutch firms wins ScotRail franchise from FirstGroup BBC News 8 October 2014
  12. Abellio awarded ScotRail franchise Railway Gazette International 8 October 2014
  13. Abellio awarded contract to operate Scotland's National Railway, ScotRail Abellio
  14. More seats for rail passengers as nearly £1 billion is invested in Midlands services Department for Transport 10 August 2017
  15. West Midlands Trains announced as winning bidder for West Midlands franchise Abellio 10 August 2017
  16. "Abellio ends rail bid after Carillion collapse". BBC News. BBC. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  17. More seats and services and state of the art trains for passengers on new East Midlands railway Department for Transport 10 April 2019
  18. Star Capital Partners completes two new German investments Archived 2016-09-11 at the Wayback Machine Star Capital Partners 27 January 2006
  19. Contracts Railway Gazette International 13 December 2008
  20. Abellio Archived 2016-04-03 at the Wayback Machine Star Capital Partners
  21. Company History Abellio
  22. Completion of sale of Hessen bus Abellio
  23. Luther advises Transport Capital AG on the acquisition of two bus companies from the Abellio Group Luther 11 November 2013
  24. Abellio sells the Dreiländereck to Oberlausitz Abellio 29 October 2014 (German)
  25. "Abellio Deutschland | Abellio Deutschland". www.abellio.de. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  26. Welcome to Abellio Archived 2017-08-10 at the Wayback Machine Abellio February 2017
  27. The Company WestfalenBahn (German)
  28. Abellio takes full ownership of WestfalenBahn as market gets more competitive Railway Gazette International 18 July 2017
  29. Connexxion, Arriva and Qbuzz NRC Handelsblad 2 September 2011 (Dutch)
  30. NS obtains remaining share in Qbuzz Archived 2014-08-25 at the Wayback Machine Nederlandse Spoorwegen February 2014
  31. Qbuzz Archived 2017-08-10 at the Wayback Machine Abellio
  32. NS uncovers tendering irregularities Railway Gazette International 29 April 2015
  33. Arriva wins re-awarded Limburg operating contract Railway Gazette International 3 June 2015
  34. Arriva delighted as it profits from scandal at rival Abellio The Daily Telegraph 9 June 2015
  35. NS puts Qbuzz up for sale Railway Gazette International 11 July 2016
  36. Busitalia buys Qbuzz, Dutch public transport services company Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane 13 July 2017
  37. Deutsche Bahn purchases Czech companies from Abellio Archived 2016-04-02 at the Wayback Machine Deutsche Bahn 29 November 2013
  38. Arriva acquires Abellio's Czech operations Bus & Coach Buyer 4 December 2013
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