Aarhus light rail public ownership as Aarhus Letbane takes over

Aarhus light rail public ownership is set to return from December 2026 after Aarhus Letbane chose to bring operations in-house and end its operating contract with Keolis Letbaner, as reported by Railway Gazette.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Aarhus Letbane takes over light rail operations

Aarhus Letbane, the network’s administrator, says it will take responsibility for vehicle operations and traffic control and will oversee the system end to end.

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The organisation describes the change as a way to create a more direct link between the activities carried out within and around the light rail network. It also expects financial benefits for the public owners, the Midtjylland Region and Aarhus City Council, as set out in an Aarhus Letbane update.

Why the Keolis Letbaner contract termination is happening?

Aarhus Letbane CEO Michael Borre said the aim of bringing the work in-house is, among other things, to reduce the complexity of daily operations and make responsibilities clearer. He noted that cooperation with Keolis Letbaner has been good over the years, but said the way the network is organised has been too complex. In his view, removing duplicate functions should also make operations more economically efficient.

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Aarhus Letbane said it hopes all employees will keep their jobs on the same terms, with the Act on the Status of Employees in the Event of Transfer of Undertakings applying to the takeover. Borre added that employees have essential skills that will remain important after the transfer, and that dialogue with Keolis Letbaner’s management and staff is planned to support a smooth transition.

Keolis has operated the Aarhus light rail network for the past eight years and said it has ensured safe and efficient operations. Keolis Letbaner CEO Thomas Friis Brændstrup said the organisation of the network is ultimately a political decision, adding that the company regrets there was no desire to put the task out to tender to secure the best quality at the lowest cost.

A process is underway this year in which Keolis Letbaner will continue to perform the tasks while the transfer of those tasks, together with employees, is planned. According to the latest official data cited, more than 6.3 million passengers have chosen to travel on the light rail network, with a daily average of more than 20,000 passengers.

In December 2025, Aarhus Letbane signed a contract with Stadler for the delivery of eight Citylink trams, with an option to order 12 more vehicles, as described in a Stadler media release.

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