Open-access operator
Rail company using third-party infrastructure
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.
01Passenger open-access operators by country
Austria
In development
- Silverstar Railways
Czech Republic
Belgium
France
- Nightjet (suspended 2025 after end of subsidies)
- Trenitalia France
- Renfe
In development
- Le Train
- Velvet
- Kevin Speed
Germany
- Eurostar
- FlixTrain
- Harz-Berlin-Express
- Nightjet
- Westbahn
- European Sleeper
Former operators
- Hamburg-Köln-Express taken over by Flixtrain
- Locomore Stuttgart-Berlin route taken over by Leo Express, marketing through Flixtrain
Hungary
Italy
Netherlands
- European Sleeper
- Arriva night services
- GoVolta
In development
- Heuro
- Qbuzz international services
Poland
In development
Romania
Slovakia
- RegioJet (all services except those on Bratislava, Komárno mainline, which are franchised)
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
- VR Snabbtåg Sverige (formerly MTRX)
- Snälltåget (Transdev) (Malmö-Stockholm-Åre)
- TÅGAB
- SJ AB
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)
- First Harrogate Trains
- Grand Union (purchased by FirstGroup)
- Glasgow Trains
- Platinum Trains
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Open-access operator”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- D-A-Independent inter-city rail.png by Metrancya, CC BY 4.0
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