Netherlands, Arriva wins €1.6bn East Brabant contract with 170 new zero-emission buses

Arriva Group has been awarded a contract extension in the Netherlands, where the Province of Brabant has awarded the public transport company a new 12.5-year contract – worth over €1.6 billion – to continue operating bus services in East Brabant from December 2026. The award follows a competitive tender. In early 2024 Arriva had won a new contract to continue serving the West Brabant region.

This renewal will see Arriva “increase service frequency by 15 per cent, improve existing routes and introduce faster, more direct connections for passengers. It also unlocks significant fleet investment, with 170 new zero-emission buses set to replace the current diesel fleet”, Arriva points out.

170 new electric buses coming to East Brabant

According to local trade media PV Magazine, the new East Brabant concession will not only bring a 15% increase in service levels but also introduce metro-style buses on key urban routes in Tilburg and ’s-Hertogenbosch. The region will benefit from new direct connections—including express links from Kaatsheuvel/Efteling and Waalwijk to Tilburg and ’s-Hertogenbosch—and the upgrade of line 99 (Uden–Nijmegen) to a Bravodirect service. Additionally, the province will invest €3.5 million annually on top of the current budget to support service growth.

It is also mentioned on PV Magazine that EBS, a competitor in the tender and a subsidiary of Israeli operator Egged—active in occupied Palestinian territories—faced opposition from local politicians and civil society groups, with around 400 protest letters sent to the province. However, the provincial executive confirmed that such involvement is not a current legal ground for exclusion.

This latest award from the Province of Brabant follows a separate €900 million, 10-year contract for Arriva to operate bus services in West Brabant, which came into effect this month and runs until 2035. The new contract builds on Arriva’s established bus and rail operations across the Netherlands, accelerating its growth in a key European market and reinforcing its focus on delivering sustainable public transport in partnership with local authorities.

Anne Hettinga, Managing Director for Arriva Netherlands and member of the Arriva Group Executive Committee, said: “This new contract extension is another boost for Arriva’s ambitious long-term growth strategy. It reinforces our strong market position in the Netherlands and demonstrates continued trust from local Passenger Transport Authorities in our ability to deliver value for passengers. We’re excited to build on our existing bus services by rolling out cleaner and more comfortable vehicles and introducing new routes that meet the needs of the communities we serve.”