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A company name on the locomotive that you have never heard of? This database collects railway operators from all over Europe – with a fact file, keeper marking, typical rolling stock and concrete tips on how to recognise them out on the network.
639
operators listed
11
European countries
7
business areas
Germany
Europe's most liberalised rail market: alongside the Deutsche Bahn companies, hundreds of private operators run local passenger, freight and industrial services.
475 operators →
Austria
Shaped by the ÖBB companies, complemented by private railways, provincial railways and a lively freight market on the Alpine transit corridors.
33 operators →
Switzerland
A dense network of SBB, large private railways and numerous regional companies – plus freight operators on the north–south transit route through the Alps.
40 operators →
Poland
From the PKP companies and the voivodeship (regional) railways to one of Europe's largest private freight markets.
23 operators →
Czech Republic
ČD and ČD Cargo as the cornerstones, alongside private long-distance and freight operators that also run cross-border services.
18 operators →
Netherlands
NS runs nationwide passenger services, regional concessions go to private operators, and freight traffic is strongly geared towards the seaports.
15 operators →
Denmark
DSB as the state operator, plus regional companies and freight operators on the transit route between Scandinavia and the Continent.
14 operators →
Norway
Vy and regional operators in passenger services, plus freight operators moving ore, timber and containers over long distances.
12 operators →
Slovenia
A small market of great importance for transit: the corridor between the Adriatic ports and Central Europe shapes freight traffic.
7 operators →
France
SNCF companies and a growing number of private freight and long-distance operators on Western Europe's largest rail network.
1 operator →
Portugal
Iberian broad gauge, a world of rolling stock all of its own and a manageable market of state-owned and private operators.
1 operator →
A railway operator (EVU, Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen) runs trains – unlike the infrastructure manager (EIU), which owns the network. Once you can tell the two apart, you immediately understand why trains from a dozen different companies can run on the same line.
Long-distance services
Companies running long-distance passenger trains – from InterCity to night trains.
19 operators listed
Local & regional services
Operators of regional, S-Bahn (suburban) and urban rapid transit services, usually under public service contracts.
164 operators listed
Freight
Freight railways and logistics companies – from block trains in transit to serving individual sidings.
184 operators listed
Infrastructure & railway construction
Companies for track construction, maintenance, track recording runs and engineering train logistics.
35 operators listed
Heritage & tourist services
Associations and companies operating historic vehicles and tourist services.
85 operators listed
Vehicle hire & leasing
Keepers and lessors whose vehicles are in service with changing operators.
7 operators listed
Other operators
Industrial railways, mixed operations and companies with several areas of focus.
145 operators listed
With Traintrack you log every sighting with operator, vehicle and location – and see what the community is reporting right now.
Every vehicle has a data panel on its side. That is where you will find the keeper marking, the vehicle number and often the company name written out in full.
The VKM (Vehicle Keeper Marking) sits right next to the twelve-digit number and identifies the keeper uniquely across Europe.
The company that owns the vehicle and the one running the train are often not the same – leased locomotives work for changing operators.
Record the operator, vehicle number, location and date together. Only this combination makes a sighting useful later on.
Note: service contracts, ownership structures, fleets and company names change all the time. Confirmed details are in the fact file on each page; anything that can change with a new contract award or a restructuring is marked as such.
