Map of private long-distance passenger rail services in Central Europe

In rail transport, an open-access operator is an operator that takes full commercial risk, running on infrastructure owned by a third party and buying paths on a chosen route and in countries where rail services run under franchises are not subject to franchising.^[1]

By country

Austria

• RegioJet
• WESTbahn

Czech Republic

• LEO Express
• RegioJet

Belgium

• Eurostar

France

• Eurostar
• Trenitalia France
• Izy

Germany

• FlixTrain
• Harz-Berlin-Express
• Nightjet
• WESTbahn^[2]

Former operators

• Hamburg-Köln-Express taken over by Flixtrain
• Locomore Stuttgart-Berlin route taken over by Leo Express

Italy

• DB/ÖBB Italia
• Nightjet
• NTV (Italo)

Former operators

• Arenaways

Netherlands

• GreenCityTrip (weekly from Amsterdam / Utrecht to Prague via Dresden)
• TUI SKI Express (operated by GreenCityTrip during winter months. Weekly train from Amsterdam/Utrecht to various destinations in the Austrian alps)
• Arriva night services^[3]

Portugal

• Takargo Rail
• COMSA Rail Transport

Slovakia

• RegioJet (all services except those on Bratislava — Komárno mainline, which are franchised)

Slovenia

• Adria transport

Spain

• Ouigo España
• Iryo

Sweden

• FlixTrain^[4]
• MTRX^[5]
• Snälltåget (Transdev) (Malmö–Stockholm–Åre)
• TÅGAB

Former operators

• Blå Tåget
• Saga Rail

United Kingdom

• Eurostar
• Grand Central
• Heathrow Express
• Hull Trains
• Lumo

In development

• Alliance Rail Holdings
• Go! Co-operative
• Grand Union

Former operators

• Heathrow Connect (absorbed by TfL Rail May 2018)
• Wrexham & Shropshire (ceased trading January 2011)

Former proposals

• First Harrogate Trains
• Glasgow Trains
• On Route Logistics (company dissolved)^[6]
• Platinum Trains
• Rutland Rail (company dissolved)^[7]