THE VB-STORY
If you're interested in our story, you'll find it here. When was what done and, above all, "why"? One team, one story.
Briefly summarised
We can look back on over 145 years of company history. Founded in 1879 by Herrmann Bachstein as a railway company. With entrepreneurial vision, Bachstein built up one of the most important private transport companies with numerous small, branch and tramways.
From the 1930s onwards, road transport became increasingly important as a supplement to rail transport, so Bachstein consistently expanded this area. As a result of losses due to expropriations in the Soviet occupation zone after the Second World War, the company headquarters moved to West Germany.
We have been operating under the name Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein GmbH since 1965 and concentrate on regular services, school and commuter transport.
Today, we are a modern transport company with branches in Celle, Hornburg, Wolfsburg, Salzgitter and the Fichtelgebirge.
We are part of several transport associations and stand for reliable mobility, regional responsibility and future-orientated technology - in the spirit of our founder Herrmann Bachstein. Together with partner companies, we form the BusGroup, a network that stands for modern and sustainable mobility.
United forces
More than 200 employees drive, repair, manage, check and keep our 4 depots in Hof, Hornburg, Salzgitter and Wolfsburg as well as the central administration in Celle up to date. We attach great importance to friendliness and service-orientation. Our staff undergo regular training to ensure that we always offer you the best customer service.
Would you like to be a part of it? Then take a look at our careers pages, there might be an interesting job for you.
Please get in!
We transport thousands of people every day. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. Our most important goal: to get you to your destination safely and on time. These are the values and principles that guide us and make us a reliable partner in local public transport - you can rely on that.
Our fleet
With our modern vehicle fleet, we focus on environmentally friendly local transport. We have 22 articulated buses, 55 solo coaches and 4 minibuses in regular service.
Mission and vision
We are proud of our successes to date and of our employees who make this possible and are determined to continue contributing to your mobility and quality of life in the future. Our long-term goals include active participation in the transport transition and the protection of nature and the environment.
Strong figures that make a difference.
Status: 2024
Here we are - our branches.
We are on the road for you every day in the Hornburg, Salzgitter, Wolfsburg and Hof im Fichtelgebirge regions! Discover our branches now.
Central administration
- Nienburger Straße 50, 29225 Celle
- Mon - Thu 7.30 am - 4.30 pm | Fri 7.30 am - 12.30 pm
- 05141 48708-50
- info@vb-bachstein.de
Hof/Fichtelgebirge
- Am Bahnbetriebswerk 5, 95028 Hof/Saale
- mo - thu 7.30 - 12.30; 13.15 - 16.45 | fr 7.30 - 12.30
- 09281 81930-0
- fichtelgebirge@vb-bachstein.de
Hornburg
- In front of the Dammtor 18, 38312 Hornburg
- mo - thu 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. | fr 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- 05334 925599-0
- hornburg@vb-bachstein.de
Salzgitter
- Bahnhofstraße 67, 38259 Salzgitter
- Vor dem Dammtor 18, 38315 Hornburg (Postal)
- Mon - Fri 9 - 11 a.m. (only for lost property)
- 05334 925599-0
- hornburg@vb-bachstein.de
Wolfsburg
- Heinrichswinkel 1, 38448 Wolfsburg
- mo - thu 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. | fr 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- 05363 98989-0
- wolfsburg@vb-bachstein.de
🧡 Our social commitment
As a company with regional roots, the well-being of the people in our neighbourhood is particularly important to us.
That is why every year we support various social organisations and projects that do valuable work for children, families and people in need.
This year's donation recipients
- Society for the Promotion of the Harz e. V. - Involved in a variety of projects for people and nature in the Harz Mountains.
- Schutzhöhle e. V. - Offers protection and new perspectives for people in need.
- Municipality of Schladen-Werla - Relief fund for children in need - help for families who are in need through no fault of their own.
- Pestalozzi Foundation - Promotes education and participation for children and young people.
- Hospice Work Region Wolfsburg e. V. - Accompanies seriously ill people and their relatives with dignity and care.
The BusGroup: resources and expertise united under one roof.
Since its foundation in 2014, the BusGroup has formed a powerful cooperation between the socially affiliated companies Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein, CeBus, KVG Stade and VOG. On 1 January 2019, this network was expanded to include Müller Busreisen, further increasing the Group's expertise and reach.
As a strong community, we are committed to reliable, safe and future-orientated mobility in the region. Close networking, the efficient use of joint resources and the continuous exchange of expertise create valuable synergies from which all partner companies benefit. This close cooperation enables us to constantly optimise our transport services and adapt them flexibly to the changing requirements of our passengers.
The BusGroup stands for modern and customised mobility solutions that meet the highest quality standards. Our focus is not only on making local public transport efficient and sustainable, but also on offering people in the region comfortable, safe and sustainable mobility.
Our clients and employees are equally at the centre of everything we do. Through their commitment and expertise, our employees make a significant contribution to the quality and further development of our mobility services. We are also a reliable partner for our clients and work closely with them to develop customised solutions for the mobility of the future.
Our strength lies in our trusting cooperation with a large number of partners. Whether districts or cities, transport associations or companies - through long-term cooperation and close coordination, we create sustainable and forward-looking transport services that actively shape mobility in the region.
CeBus GmbH & Co. KG
Nienburger Straße 50 | 29225 Celle
Management: Stefan Koschick, Katrin Driver
Transport area:
Scheduled bus services in the town and district of Celle
Employees:
Around 270 in the driving service, administration and workshop areas.
Operation:
Celle
Operating sites in Bergen, Eicklingen, Faßberg (with workshop), Marwede, Steinhorst and Wietze.
CeBus GmbH & Co. KG was founded in Celle in 2002. The shareholders are: Kraftverkehr Celle Stadt und Land GmbH, Lembke & Koschick GmbH & Co. KG, Celler Straßenbahn GmbH and Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein GmbH.
The mobility service covers all bus routes in the town and district of Celle.
KVG Stade GmbH & Co. KG
Harburger Straße 96 | 21680 Stade
Management: Jan Behrendt, Michael Fastert
Kraftverkehr GmbH - KVG -
Dahlenburger Landstraße 37 | 21337 Lüneburg
Management: Jan Behrendt, Michael Fastert
Transport area:
Regular bus services in the cities of Buxtehude, Cuxhaven, Lüneburg, Stade and Winsen (Luhe) and in the districts of Cuxhaven, Harburg, Heidekreis, Lüneburg, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Rotenburg (Wümme) and Stade
Employees:
Over 1,000 in the central administration in Stade and six companies
Operations:
Buxtehude, Cuxhaven, Hittfeld, Lüneburg, Soltau, Stade
KVG Stade GmbH & Co. KG is a subsidiary of Verkehrsbetrieb Osthannover GmbH. Its mobility services include scheduled urban services in Buxtehude, Cuxhaven, Lüneburg, Stade and Winsen (Luhe) as well as intercity, school and commuter services in the districts of Cuxhaven, Harburg, Heidekreis, Lüneburg, Rotenburg (Wümme) and Stade. Its business activities also include the rental of buses and coaches and the organisation and implementation of planned rail replacement and emergency bus services for partners such as metronom, S-Bahn Hamburg, erixx and enno.
Müller Busreisen GmbH
Stolpner Straße 4 | 01833 Stolpen-Langenwolmsdorf
Management: Jan Behrendt, Ramona Durke
Transport area:
Scheduled bus services in the city of Dresden and the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge
Employees:
Around 45 in the areas of transport, administration and workshop
Operations:
Stolpen
The company was founded in Stolpen in 1945. Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein GmbH has been a wholly-owned shareholder since 1 January 2019. The mobility offering includes bus services, school transport and rail replacement services.
Verkehrsbetrieb Osthannover GmbH (VOG) -
Nienburger Straße 50 | 29225 Celle
Management: Jan Behrendt, Michael Fastert
Verkehrsbetrieb Osthannover GmbH (VOG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen AG (OHE). VOG is the main shareholder of KVG Stade GmbH & Co. KG and Kraftverkehr Celle Stadt und Land GmbH.
Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein GmbH
Nienburger Straße 50 | 29225 Celle
Management: Jan Behrendt, Michael Fastert
Transport area:
Scheduled bus services in the city of Wolfsburg and in the districts of Bayreuth, Gifhorn, Hof, Helmstedt, Kulmbach, Saale-Orla-Kreis, Salzgitter, Tirschenreuth, Vogtlandkreis, Wolfenbüttel and Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge
Employees:
Around 220 in the areas of transport services, administration and workshops in four companies.
Operations:
Hof (Saale), Hornburg, Salzgitter, Wolfsburg-Vorsfelde
The mobility services offered by Verkehrsbetriebe Bachstein GmbH include scheduled bus services in Lower Saxony in the city of Wolfsburg and the districts of Gifhorn, Helmstedt, Salzgitter and Wolfenbüttel.
And in Bavaria, in the Fichtelgebirge in the districts of Bayreuth, Hof, Kulmbach, Saale-Orla-Kreis, Tirschenreuth, Vogtlandkreis and Wunsiedel.
VB is also involved in various equity investments.
Project 500 - New record: electric bus covers over 500 kilometres
With regard to the usability of electric buses in regional scheduled services, there is often still scepticism about the accessibility of the significantly longer travel distances compared to urban public transport. The fact that electric buses are now also competitive in regional transport has been impressively demonstrated by a practical trial at the Bachstein transport company.
Back in February of this year, the Bachstein transport company carried out a test drive with an IVECO Heuliez E to test the range of a battery charge in regular service. Despite the cold weather in February, the specified range of between 300 and 350 kilometres was achieved. At this point, it was clear to the company that the 500 kilometre mark could also be achieved with just one battery charge in the next test run.
The record-breaking test drive has now been successfully completed - 543 kilometres, 48 hours on route 750 and no intermediate charging: an impressive record for an IVECO electric bus journey. This is because the vehicle itself is designed to cover only 300 kilometres. For the record-breaking project, the IVECO E-WAY commuted on route 750 in the district of Wolfenbütel in the Braunschweig region on 15 and 16 July from 5.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on just one battery charge. The electric bus had already achieved a range of 520 kilometres in a preliminary test on 12 and 13 July under exactly the same conditions.
Both test drives were accompanied by TÜV Nord employees, who sealed the charging socket on the vehicle before the start of the first test day and noted the mileage. At the end of the second day's driving, the seal was removed again and the range driven was certified.
The team from the Bachstein transport company and the "BusGruppe" partners placed particular emphasis on testing the electric bus under the most realistic conditions possible. The bus therefore travelled on a real route and was on the move in commuter and school traffic, stopped at bus stops, opened and closed its doors, and passengers got on and off again.