Aufgabenträger sind meist Verkehrsgesellschaften der Landesregierung. Sie sind verantwortlich für die Organisation des Nahverkehrs in einem Bundesland. Zur Durchführung des Nahverkehrs beauftragen sie Verkehrsunternehmen, wie z. B. metronom. An diese Aufträge sind feste Bedingungen geknüpft: Fahrplan, Fahrzeuge, Qualität, gültige Fahrkarten und Vertrieb, fester Preis pro km.

Die DB Station & Service ist Eigentümer und Betreiber der Bahnhöfe und somit auch verantwortlich für Funktion, Sauberkeit und Fahrgastinformationen am Bahnhof. metronom ist Mieter der Anlagen.

Die DB Netz AG ist Eigentümerin der Gleisanlagen, Signaltechnik, Weichen etc. Sie ist verantwortlich für deren Funktion, Wartung und Reparatur. metronom ist Mieter der Anlagen. Die DB Netz AG erstellt den grundsätzlichen Fahrplan und stellt diesen metronom zur Verfügung

Betriebswerk (OHE)
Für die Wartung, Reparatur und Instandhaltung der Züge haben die Aufgabenträger Dienstleistungsverträge mit den Herstellern der Fahrzeuge geschlossen. Hier werden die Züge jeden Tag gewartet, repariert und gereinigt. Die Arbeiten werden vom Verkehrsunternehmen koordiniert und vom Hersteller oder einem Dienstleister durchgeführt.

Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen (EVU) metronom
Die Verkehrsunternehmen werden vom Aufgabenträger beauftragt. Aufgaben des Verkehrsunternehmens sind:
- Bereitstellung der Lokführer und Fahrgastbetreuer inkl. Ausbildung
- Ausarbeitung der Fahrplandetails
- Reinigung der Züge inkl. Ver- und Entsorgung (z. B. mit Wasser)
- Sicherheit während der Fahrt
- Information der Fahrgäste (z. B. Fahrplanheft, Kundenmagazin, Website, App, facebook)
- Verkauf der Fahrkarten
- Kontrolle der Fahrkarten im Zug
- Kundenservice (z. B. Fundbüro, Beratung, Reservierung)

All tickets within the Niedersachsentarif (Lower Saxony fare zone), the Niedersachsen-Ticket (Lower Saxony ticket), and tickets issued by Deutsche Bahn AG are valid on metronom trains (aside from a few exceptions). For tickets within the HVV, GVH, VBN and VSN transport associations, the relevant association fare applies. Tickets issued by the transport associations are valid for travel.

You can purchase tickets for metronom trains at our yellow automated tickets machines located at every train station. You can also buy metronom tickets at the automated ticket machines provided by other transport companies, e.g. Deutsche Bahn. Tickets cannot be purchased on board the train.

Tickets purchased from Deutsche Bahn AG and the transport associations are likewise valid for travel on the metronom, aside from a few exceptions.

Yes, to the full extent of the discount of 25%, 50% or 100%.

At our yellow automated ticket machines, customers can purchase the Niedersachsen-Ticket (Lower Saxony ticket) as well as tickets from the HVV, VBN GVH and VSN transport associations, Deutsche Bahn flat-rate tickets the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket (“Cross-country” ticket), plus local transport tickets for all train connections in Lower Saxony and the most significant destinations outside of the state. You can now also purchase flexible fares, saver fares and super saver fares from Deutsche Bahn at our ticket machines.

So, the metronom automated ticket machine isn’t working and there’s no other machine in sight that you can use to buy a ticket? If this is the case, please note down the machine number, machine location and the time of the fault, and make yourself known to the passenger attendant on board the train of your own accord. Since we cannot monitor the defect at the time, the passenger attendant will issue you with a receipt stating the fault at the automated ticket machine.

metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH will then check the technical fault that you registered with us. If there is a demonstrable technical fault with the metronom automated ticket machine, you will receive a request for payment amounting to the normal price of a ticket. If it could be verified that there was no fault, you will receive a payment request for an ‘penalty fare’.

Attention: a ticket machine that is no longer accepting bank notes does not count as faulty.

If you lost any bank notes or coins due to a technical fault or there are any other problems with the ticket machine, please call or write our customer service: Telephone: +49 (0)581 97 164 444 or automat@der-metronom.de

Please keep the exact amount of cash at hand. Depending on whether an automated ticket machine has enough change available or not, a bank note may not be accepted.

If a bank note symbol on the display is crossed out, it is not possible to pay by bank notes in this very moment.

Please note that a small amount of money cannot always be paid with a high value bank note. Change can be given back as coins and bank notes, but it is limited. Please also use the cashless payment options.

If you have received a penalty fare, please transfer the exact amount of money to the specified bank account within the specified time period. It is important to name the transaction number of the penalty fare with the transfer.

If you`d like to object, please use the contact details written on the penalty fare sheet. An objection can only be presented by letter and via a specific online form.

Please show us your ticket within a 7-day period. That`s possible with the passenger attendant on our train, by letter, online form or fax.

The penalty fare will then be reduced to a low fee.

Military service personnel with a valid authorisation pass in connection with a valid military ID card can travel for free on metronom trains in standard class for journeys between their place of residence and their place of work. However this does not apply to journeys that start and end within the transport associations.

Yes, provided that an agreement was made with metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH on the purchase and use of the semester ticket issued by the respective General Students’ Committee (AStA). The semester tickets issued by the HVV, GVH or VBN transport associations can also be used on metronom trains, but only on the routes indicated.

Children under the age of 6 travel with the metronom free of charge. Children aged between 6 and 14 pay halves of the regular price (Lower Saxony fare zone or Deutsche Bahn tickets) when travelling alone. When accompanied by mum or dad, grandma or grandpa, or another guardian, they can travel on the metronom for free. However, this rule only applies if the adults have purchased tickets at the regular price and the number of children is marked on the ticket.

Attention: This rule may differ for special offers and for other transport network fares (e.g. HVV).

Children under the age of 6 travel free of charge.

Up to three children aged between 6 and 14 can travel for free on the Niedersachsen-Ticket (Lower Saxony ticket), regardless of the number of paying persons. It doesn’t matter if you are travelling with your own or someone else’s children.

If you are travelling with more than three children aged between 6 and 14, three children travel for free whilst the other children are considered to be paying passengers. A fare of €5 must be paid for each and they must be named on the Niedersachsen-Ticket (Lower Saxony ticket).

Along with the usual hand luggage, each passenger may bring one item of heavy luggage with them. Heavy luggage items are objects and packages (e.g. suitcases, boxes, barrels, drinks crates etc.) which can be carried by only one person, but are not hand luggage. These items are to be principally stored in the designated areas. You will find space for bulky objects in all of the entrance and exit areas in the open-plan carriage sections.

No alcoholic beverages can be consumed on metronom trains or taken on board if the container is opened and, in particular, if it cannot be closed again. A ban on alcohol consumption is in force. Those who can’t resist must pay a penalty amounting to €40.

As soon as there’s a bit of a storm, it seems like everything falls apart? Our routes often take us through the countryside and many trees line both sides of the platform. Unfortunately, they are too close to the platform in several locations. The required pruning has either not yet been carried out by our colleagues at Deutsche Bahn, or the process is being impeded by land owners. When there are storms, trees fall onto the platform again and again. It can be a long time before the damages are repaired.

If unplanned train cancellations occur, we have to organise ad hoc bus transport, or so-called emergency bus services. We have concluded contracts with the regional bus and taxi companies so that we can immediately request vehicles in the event of cancellations. However we are dependent on our partners being able to quickly provide us with vehicles with sufficient capacity. During peak travel times in particular, it can be difficult to provide sufficient capacity. Sometimes you may just have to wait until the buses arrive.

If we know about a construction work in advance, we have enough time to plan a replacement bus service. We are then able to work out a timetable in advance and ensure we have sufficient capacity on board. The bus companies are also able to adapt to the demand. Even the bus companies can adjust to it.

The trains that we use were provided by LNVG. metronom pays a form of rent for their use and takes responsibility for their operation. The features of the trains are however the responsibility of LNVG. LNVG have been planning to modernise the vehicle fleet for some time now, and this includes installing plug sockets and integrating Wi-Fi. These upgrades are expected to be finished in 2025.