Revenue was €5,093 million in 2016 compared with €4,973 million in 2015, an increase of 2.4%.

Operating revenue

Revenue in the Netherlands

Revenue from rail passenger transport in the Netherlands

Revenue from passenger transport increased by €111 million (4.9%) to €2,358 million due to the annual price indexation (2.1%) and growth in the number of passenger-kilometres (2.0%). NS achieved higher revenue through an increase in season-ticket holders in the consumer market (2.3%) and growth in the corporate market (8.1%). The upturn in the economy and growing purchasing power had a positive impact on revenues. Furthermore, 2016 was a leap year, with one extra day compared with 2015. The number of people in employment (an important measure affecting peak-hour traffic) grew by 1.3% in 2016. NS recorded higher revenues from student public transport passes (0.9%) due to price indexation. However, the average number of students with a pass fell by 0.8% in 2016 compared with 2015, in part because of the social loan system.

Revenue from bus passenger transport in the Netherlands

Revenue from bus operations in the Netherlands provided by Qbuzz was €212 million, compared with €207 million in 2015, an increase of 2.4%. Most of the growth came from higher revenues from the BRU/Utrecht franchise due to a rise in the passenger-kilometres and larger project grants from the province of Utrecht.

Revenue from station development and operation in the Netherlands

Revenue from station development and operation in the Netherlands fell by €27 million in 2016. The underlying trend is good. The main reason for the lower revenue is the fall in revenue from property development and operation due to fewer development projects and fewer sales of property compared with 2015. Furthermore, retail revenue fell by €12 million in the Netherlands. That is the net effect of a decrease in revenue from the franchise formats Burger King, La Place and Ola Happiness (down by €26 million) and growth in revenue from the other formats (up by €14 million).

Revenue from station operation in other countries

The revenues from retail operations abroad fell by €18 million due to these operations being discontinued.

Revenue from the United Kingdom

Revenue from rail passenger transport in the United Kingdom

The revenue from passenger transport by rail in the United Kingdom provided by Abellio was €1,430 million in 2016. This is €74 million less than in 2015 (€1,504 million). The effect of a full year of revenue from the ScotRail franchise in 2016 was partly offset by the transition in 2016 from the Greater Anglia franchise to the more limited Greater Anglia franchise as of 1 May 2015. However, the fall in the value of sterling in particular compared with the average exchange rate in 2015 had a negative impact on the revenue denoted in euros. The effect of the weaker pound was €183 million. The revenue denoted in sterling increased by 7.2% in 2016.

Revenue from bus passenger transport in the United Kingdom

There was an increase too of 7.7% in the revenue from passenger transport for Abellio bus operations in the UK, expressed in pounds sterling, in part due to the start of new bus franchises. Despite this, the revenue in euros fell from €221 million in 2015 to €211 million in 2016 because of the fall in the value of the pound relative to the euro.

Revenues from Germany

Revenue from rail passenger transport in the Germany

In Germany, Abellio recorded revenue from passenger transport of €181 million (2015: €68 million). The growth came mainly from the Saale-Thüringen-Südhartz franchise, which started in 2015.

Revenue from other NS activities

Other revenue rose by €13 million in 2016. In Abellio in particular, more external services were provided within the ScotRail franchise and in Germany more assignments were carried out by PTS, the maintenance and cleaning company that is part of Abellio Germany.