Regionalbahn

It is similar to the Regionalzug (R) and Regio (R) train categories in neighboring Austria and Switzerland, respectively.

Thus, they rank below the Regional-Express train, which regularly stops only at selected stations on its route.

[1] RB trains are subject to franchising by the federal states of Germany; whilst many RB trains are still operated by DB Regio, the local traffic division of the former monopolist Deutsche Bahn, franchises often go to other companies, like Abellio Deutschland, Eurobahn or Transdev Germany.

There is no obligation to use the term Regionalbahn for basic local services; some private rail operators therefore use their own names to denote their trains.

RB services make use of vastly different types of rolling stock; on electrified lines, double-deck cars or EMUs may be used, DMUs like the Bombardier Talent.