Ostseeland Verkehr (Ostseeland Verkehr GmbH, abbreviated OLA) was a German regional railway operating company based in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northern Germany. It provided passenger rail services on a number of regional routes in the Baltic Sea hinterland before its operations were absorbed by other operators.
Key facts
| Name | Ostseeland Verkehr GmbH |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | OLA |
| Type | Limited liability company (GmbH) |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Region of operation | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany |
| Country | Germany |
Overview
Ostseeland Verkehr was established as a private regional rail operator to run passenger services on routes that had been opened to competitive tender by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The company's services connected smaller towns and rural districts with regional centres in the north-eastern part of Germany, complementing the long-distance and S-Bahn-style services run by Deutsche Bahn.
Background
Following German rail liberalisation in the 1990s, several regional networks in eastern Germany were tendered to private and subsidiary operators. OLA emerged in this context as one of the operators contracted to provide diesel multiple-unit services on lightly used branch and cross-country lines in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Services
OLA operated regional passenger trains on routes within Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, typically using diesel multiple units suited to non-electrified branch lines. Services were operated under contract with the regional public transport authority responsible for procuring rail services in the state.
Significance
As one of the early non-Deutsche Bahn operators in north-eastern Germany, Ostseeland Verkehr formed part of a wider trend of regional rail liberalisation in Germany, in which state authorities awarded service contracts to competing operators with the aim of improving efficiency and service quality on regional networks.
Related topics
References
- Wikidata: Q2036077