Abellio (transport company)

Abellio (Dutch pronunciation: [aːˈbɛlioː]) is a Dutch public transport company that operates bus and rail services in Germany, and formerly also in Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is wholly owned by the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).

Created in 2004 by EVAG, the city council-owned public transit company of Essen, the company initially operated as NedRailways. It promptly expanded into both railway and bus operations in the region. British investment company Star Capital Partners purchased a 75% share in Abellio from the City of Essen in December 2005. In December 2008, both parties sold their stakes in the venture to the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). It adopted the current Abellio branding in January 2010.