Arriva Group reaches agreement for VR Group to purchase its Swedish business

The Arriva Group CEO, Mike Cooper, said:-  “A decision to sell our business in Sweden, whilst difficult to make, is part of our forward-looking strategy to manage a tighter portfolio and ensure we maintain a strong and competitive business for the long-term.

“Today’s announcement is good news for our colleagues in Arriva Sweden. The agreement for VR Group to acquire the entire business, which includes two rail, three bus and two multimodal contracts with all colleagues – around 3,800 - transferring over on completion, will provide continuity and certainty for our Swedish colleagues, passengers and clients alike.

“Arriva Sweden has been part of the Arriva Group since 1999 and in that time has grown to become the fourth largest bus operator and third largest rail operator in the country. VR Group, in line with its current growth strategy, has ambitions to invest and grow operations in Sweden and further its market presence and so this represents an exciting opportunity for the Swedish business.

“The transaction is expected to complete in early July and so our priority now is to support our colleagues in Sweden through the transition as they maintain their focus on delivering the very best services for passengers and client bodies.”

About the transaction

For further details about the transaction please see VR Group’s press release.

The transaction is expected to complete in early July 2022 and will be subject to customary closing conditions, including, among others, approval by the Deutsche Bahn Supervisory Board and the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.

About Arriva Group:

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 43,000 people and, in 2021, delivered around 1.3 billion passenger journeys across 14 European countries. It is part of Deutsche Bahn (DB), one of the world’s leading passenger and logistics companies.

With buses, trains, coaches, trams, water buses, car- and bike-­­­sharing systems, and on-demand transport solutions, DB ­Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of DB Arriva are divided into four lines of business: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe.

Arriva has operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

For further information: www.arriva.co.uk

About Arriva Sweden

In Sweden, we help approximately 170 million passengers each year to reach their destinations. With approximately 3,800 employees, 800 buses, 238 train units and 65 trams, we create modern transport solutions where safety always comes first. As a passenger on an Arriva service, you should experience high quality services and be confident that we do everything we can to make your trip a safe one. All year round - around the clock.

For further information: www.arriva.se

About VR Group

VR Group is a responsible service company that focuses on travel, logistics and maintenance – we will transport you towards a prosperous and carbon neutral Finland. We keep society moving by providing smooth daily travel and transport, with experience gained over 160 years. By promoting electric track and city transport, we are reducing emissions throughout Finland. In 2021, our net sales were EUR 838,3 million euros and we employed over 5,600 top professionals. On board our trains, 55 million journeys were made, and we transported 37.4 million metric tonnes of goods. Our company is owned by the Finnish State and, in addition to Finland, we operate in the Nordic countries. We are actively seeking growth and aim to be the best in our industry. The better we succeed, the more society around us benefits – we are getting there together for a better world. Further information: www.vrgroup.fi