DB Regio has been awarded a 12-year contract to operate trains in Germany’s Kahlgrund region.

DB will take over from Hessesche Landesbahn, which has run services between Schöllkrippen-Hanau for the last decade, in December 2015.

The announcement was made this week by the Bavarian Railway Company, which plans and funds regional railway traffic in Bavaria.

As part of its franchise agreement, DB will have to introduce modern DMUs with a capacity of 350 onto the 30 kilometre route.