Arriva expands into new territories with launch of ‘Three-Country Train’

Arriva Netherlands is breaking down borders and expanding its presence in Europe with the launch of a new international rail service, connecting three countries.

Passengers can now travel between the cities of Liège (Belgium), Maastricht (Netherlands) and Aachen (Germany) without needing to change trains.

Arriva is one of the leading private transport operators in the Netherlands and has a significant presence across the country with buses, trains and coaches. It currently operates some cross-border bus and rail services into Germany, but this is the first time Arriva has served Belgium, growing the company’s overall presence as a significant European passenger transport operator.

The ‘Three-Country Trains’ are owned by Arriva and run in collaboration with Dutch state railway NS, Belgium’s NMBS and Germany’s goRheinland. The service is operated by crews from each of the three countries, with handovers taking place at Maastricht and Heerlen.

Anne Hettinga, CEO, Arriva Netherlands, said: “I’m very proud to see this service finally take shape after all the complex planning involved. This is a big moment for public transport in Europe and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to provide this service for customers, enabling seamless journeys and encouraging more people to use the railway.

“Contributing to a more sustainable future is at the heart of our vision to shape a future where passenger transport is the best choice. This new service is proof that we’re living up to that ambition and we hope initiatives like this will continue to encourage people to leave their cars at home.”

The all-electric route is operated by Arriva’s fleet of eight Stadler Flirt 3 Cs adapted to accommodate the different voltages and rail safety systems used across the three countries. On board, passengers are given information in Dutch, French and German. The service commenced on 30 June.

Passengers only need to purchase one ticket to move between the three countries. The ‘Euregioticket’ allows a day of unlimited travel in the region for just €21.70, with a journey time between Liège and Aachen of only 94 minutes.

Arriva has operated in the Netherlands since 1997 and is one of the country’s largest public transport providers with approximately 5,500 employees, 1,200 buses, 164 trains and 50 coaches. It has a market share of 27% on the tendered bus market and 76% on the tendered train market.

About Arriva Group:

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike-sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.  www.arrivagroup.com