The first XBus lines will go into operation in summer 2022

On June 12, 2022, the first two of a total of seven so-called XBus lines will start operating in the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR). The starting point of the new offer is the XBus lines X13 and X42, another five lines are expected to go into operation in the course of 2023. Today, representatives of the participating transport companies and municipalities as well as the VRR presented the offer to the public in the presence of Transport Minister Ina Brandes. Objective: With direct routes and fast travel times, the XBuses connect places without their own rail connection to regional transport, connect neighboring towns and districts and cover the regional mobility needs between the more rural areas and conurbations.

Minister Ina Brandes: “We want to get more people to switch to buses and trains. This is achieved with attractive offers in local transport, for example with the new XBus lines of the DSW21, the Vestische Straßenbahn GmbH and the STOAG Stadtwerke Oberhausen. With the new XBuses, commuters and travelers will be able to travel quickly, comfortably and affordably in the Rhein-Ruhr transport association. With frequent frequencies and direct routes, express buses are crucial for good mobility for people – especially in rural areas. With every new bus line, we save on car journeys, relieve our roads and protect the climate. The state government is funding regional express bus services with 100 million euros in order to further strengthen local public transport as the backbone of clean mobility - in the country and in the city."

The new XBuses are intended to offer commuters in rural areas or in the environs of large centers a worthwhile alternative to their own car. They connect so-called "remote areas", i.e. municipalities that do not have their own train station and are therefore not connected to regional transport with the regional express, regional train or S-Bahn. As cross-connections between the existing SPNV axes, they offer additional opportunities to switch from cars to environmentally and climate-friendly public transport. And they close public transport gaps between cities and large districts. The XBuses are therefore important for further optimization of the mobility offer in the cities and districts in the network area - according to the needs of the people in the regions concerned.

Ronald RF Lünser, board spokesman of the VRR, is pleased that after four years of intensive preparation and coordination between the Rhine-Ruhr transport association, the municipal authorities and the transport companies, the first XBuses will be on the road in the association area. "For a successful traffic turnaround, it is important to create new offers that meet the mobility needs of passengers. And in the short term and without much effort. Because unlike with new rail routes, no additional infrastructure needs to be created.” The state of North Rhine-Westphalia provides funds for regional express buses. In the coming years, the VRR will invest 1,25 million euros per year in the first seven XBus lines, with the cities and districts securing further financing for the new offers.

New XBus offer takes into account the mobility needs of passengers

DSW21 Transport Director Hubert Jung: "In our position paper "Dortmund.Mobil 2030" we have outlined a large number of measures and projects with which we want to make our offer even more attractive and efficient against the background of the traffic turnaround. The start of the XBus line X13 heralds the implementation phase. For our Dortmund university campus and the technology center in particular, this creates a new, tailor-made connection to the catchment area in the northern Ruhr area. We are confident that the X13 will be well received by our passengers as a coherent addition to regional rail services.”

Holger Becker, Operations Director of Vestische Strassenbahn GmbH: "With the XBuses, DSW21, STOAG and Vestische are continuing what we have been doing for years: the cooperation of transport companies. Our thoughts and our actions do not stop at the municipal borders, but rather they connect cities and thus the people. You can rely on us. With the financial incentives, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has sent a strong signal for the traffic turnaround. But if we are all serious, this can only be the beginning.”

Werner Overkamp, ​​STOAG Managing Director: "In order to double the share of public transport in the modal split as part of the mobility turnaround, new attractive offers are required in addition to qualitative improvements. We need strong local public transport with close intervals, short travel times and new products. In this context, buses are of great importance in order to achieve a short-term shift from motorized private transport to public transport. STOAG is pleased to bring another new product onto the road with the XBuses. The X42 represents an excellent connection between the Movie Park, Dorsten, Kirchhellen and Oberhausen.”

The first XBus lines at a glance

The first two XBus lines will start operating on June 12, 2022. Line X13 from DSW21 and Vestische Strassenbahnen GmbH connects Datteln via Waltrop, Dortmund-Mengede, Dortmund-Huckarde, Dortmund-Dorstfeld with the Dortmund Technology Center and the Dortmund University Campus. Line X42 operated by STOAG Stadtwerke Oberhausen GmbH and Vestischen Strassenbahnen GmbH runs between Oberhausen, Oberhausen-Sterkrade, Bottrop-Kirchhellen - Dorsten / Bottrop-Feldhausen and the Movie Park Germany. Lines X05 (Wesel - Schermbeck - Dorsten), X27 (Kleve - Kalkar - Xanten - Wesel), X28 (Goch - Uedem - Xanten - Wesel), X32 (Kleve - Kalkar - Rees - Empel-Rees) will follow at a later date. and X49 (Kempen - Vorst - Anrath - Willich - Meerbusch-Osterath - Haus Meer) - operated by NIAG and DB Rheinlandbus.

Vehicle fleet in the uniform XBus design

In order to draw the attention of as many people in the cities and districts concerned to the offer, the new XBuses will have a distinctive, company-neutral design. All local transport customers should be able to recognize the buses at first glance. That's why everyone involved across the association has agreed on a memorable XBus word and figurative mark. In the future, further lines can also be optically integrated into the new network. Because that is exactly what is planned. Further lines are to be launched in the next few years, provided that the organizational framework and general conditions have been clarified and the respective lines are desired locally and are compatible with the local transport plans of the city or district.

Uniform standards for the whole of NRW

The first seven XBus lines will initially be operated with buses from the transport company's standard fleet. After this transitional period, vehicles will be used that are better suited to the traffic character of the XBus lines. For this purpose, the three special-purpose associations VRR, NWL and NVR had already defined uniform quality standards for the whole of NRW in 2019.