NATIONAL EXPRESS is set to win two more rail franchises in Germany.

The Group, which has also recently started a new 15-year c2c franchise in London and Essex, has been named as the preferred bidder for the five Nuremberg S-Bahn routes by BEG -- the passenger transport authority in Bavaria. The potential award involves two 12-year contracts worth more than £1 billion in total.

The five S-Bahn routes involved serve the second most populous state in Germany, with almost 1.5 million inhabitants. They are presently operated by the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Regio, and carry more than 20 million passengers a year.

With the exception of a small service in Bremen, all S-Bahn services in German metropolitan areas have been operated by Deutsche Bahn until now. National Express is the first overseas operator of a significant German S-Bahn.

The franchises begin in December 2018. NXG has also undertaken to lease 38 new electric five-car trains on behalf of the Bavarian passenger transport authority.

The news from Bavaria follows the award of two regional rail franchises to NXG in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2013. These services will begin in December this year.

National Express chief executive Dean Finch said: “National Express is delighted to have won another rail contract in Germany, confirming this market as an exciting growth opportunity for the Group. This new rail contract in Bavaria, which builds on our earlier success in North Rhine-Westphalia, is further evidence that our track record in running the UK’s leading rail franchise is recognised internationally. We look forward to providing passengers in the Nuremberg region with a high quality rail service for many years to come.”