Eisenbahnen & Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser (EVB), more than 80% owned by the Land of Niedersachsen, retained the contract to operate regional passenger train service RB33 between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven and Buxtehude from December 2027 to December 2037. The contract award, announced on September 28, 2026, was part of the Weser-Elbe & Unterelbe 2027+ tendering process conducted by LNVG with Bremen and Hamburg and includes an option for EVB to operate the planned RB34 Bremervörde – Stade service if the line reopens. Contracts in the same process were awarded to Metronom for the RE5 Cuxhaven – Hamburg route and to Erixx for the
RB39 Soltau – Lüneburg route.
EVB operates RB33 with a fleet of 14 Alstom Coradia iLint hydrogen trains owned by LNVG, introduced on the route since August 2022. Initial technical issues with the hydrogen trains have largely been resolved, but EVB warned about limited availability caused by a lack of spare parts and ongoing manufacturer improvements to fuel cell reliability. On average, only about half of the hydrogen trainsets are available daily for use.
To address capacity bottlenecks, LNVG provided EVB with diesel multiple-units as partial compensation, but these do not fully mitigate shortages, especially during peak hours. EVB operates
some RB33 services with a single unit instead of paired trains to avoid cancellations. Passengers should expect high occupancy on certain services in the coming months due to these constraints.
EVB has operated the RB33 since 1981 and owns much of the route’s infrastructure. EVB spokesperson Christoph Grimm stated the contract win underscores EVB’s competitiveness in Niedersachsen, securing over 100 jobs and ensuring the company remains an alternative to Deutsche Bahn and large international corporations. Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport & Construction Grant Hendrik Tonne said the re-award ensures reliability for passengers until 2037 and secures continued hydrogen train operation
as EVB understands local route needs.
