The Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe (local transport association of Westphalia-Lippe, NWL) published a call for tenders for the operation of passenger services on the Sauerland Network from December 2016 in the Official Journal of the European Union on 9 October 2012.
Passengers would benefit from the competition in the Sauerland as the trains would be accessible to the disabled with entrance heights of 1.2 metres as was already the case with the Sauerland-Express.
Due to the great success of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route, RE 17 would have additional space for bicycles (which already existed on RE 57 services).
In addition, the NWL specified that future trains on the Upper Ruhr Valley Railway (RE 17/57) would have a top speed of 140 km/h.
The timetable would be changed to ensure a quick connection at Fröndenberg from Neuenrade and at Menden to Dortmund.
However, ticket machines would be available in trains from the end of 2016 and no longer on the platforms, as this would prevent damage from vandalism.
[3][4][5] The contract was awarded to DB Regio, which would use LINK (II or III) DMUs made by the Polish manufacturer PESA.
[6] The DB Regio NRW procured 21 new LINT 41 railcars for operation on the Sauerland network, which were manufactured by Alstom.
The service is contracted by VRR, Zweckverband_Nahverkehr_Westfalen-Lippe (NWL) and NVV and operated by DB Regio NRW.
The Emschertal-Bahn RB 43 service connects Dortmund with Dorsten via Gladbeck Ost.
The Volmetal-Bahn will in future run an hour earlier from Lüdenscheid to Hagen on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Unna–Fröndenberg section has been closed since summer 2022 and a rail replacement bus service has operated due to damage to the railway embankment caused by badgers.