NACE 49 – Land Transport and Transport via Pipelines | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 49 covers the transport of passengers and goods by road and rail as well as transport via pipelines. Public tenders in land transport mainly concern local public transport (ÖPNV) — one of the highest-volume service areas in European public procurement law.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 49 cover?

NACE 49 (Land transport and transport via pipelines) covers all forms of ground-based passenger and freight transport — from rail through to scheduled bus services.

Public Tenders – Land transport

Local public transport is the most significant procurement area in land transport — Regulation (EC) 1370/2007 governs the award of public service contracts in passenger transport:

• Regional rail passenger transport (SPNV) — tendered by the federal states (Germany: transport authorities; Austria: ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG / provinces)
• Scheduled bus services (urban and regional line services)
• School transport (framework agreements for municipalities)
• Freight transport for public authorities (relocations, material transport, courier services)
• Shuttle services for social institutions (disability transport, medical transport)
• Operation of mobility hubs and mobility management

Relevant CPV codes

Contracting authorities

• Federal states and transport authorities (regional rail transport, bus line tenders)
• Transport associations (VBB, VVS, VOR) as coordinators of local public transport awards
• Municipalities and districts (school buses, local bus lines, shuttle services)
• Federal authorities (freight transport, removal services)
• Social institutions (sponsors of integration assistance for shuttle services)

FAQ

Which EU regulation governs local public transport tenders? Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 (Regulation 1370) is the central legal basis for the award of public service contracts in passenger transport by rail and road. It permits direct awards to internal operators (in-house) as well as competitive tendering.

Does local public transport always have to be tendered? No. Regulation 1370/2007 permits direct awards under certain conditions — e.g. for small contracts (annual value below EUR 1 million or below 300,000 km/year), for emergency measures or for internal operators (in-house undertakings).

• NACE H – Transportation and storage: Parent section
• NACE 50 – Water transport: Water-based passenger transport
• NACE 51 – Air transport: Air passenger transport
• NACE 52 – Warehousing and support activities for transportation: Logistics and freight forwarding

Last updated: January 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.