SilverRail, the B2B technology company powering rail bookings globally has created a new infographic showcasing rail and air travel options side-by-side for key city pairs across Europe.
The infographic has been produced to highlight the importance of making rail as visible as air across online travel booking sites, so that travellers can effortlessly compare the price and total journey time when travelling from city centre to city centre across Europe.
When searching for journey options online today, very few travel agencies and distributors are able to showcase rail and air options side-by-side, and even fewer are able to represent the full length of a traveller’s door-to-door journey; incorporating the time it takes to travel to and from the station, and the multiple modes of transport required to get there. However, SilverRail foresees a future where Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are able to provide travellers with a full view of options for their entire door-to-door journey, incorporating multiple modes of transport (taxi, bus, tube, train, etc.), whilst enabling it to be booked in one single transaction – no matter the complexity of the journey.
Giving travellers access to this type of information enables better and more informed decision making when choosing which mode of transport to take. Presenting rail alternatives side-by-side with online airfares is the first step to realise this vision, and the next step in the development of rail – ultimately empowering travellers to plan, book and take trips seamlessly across different modes of transport.
Cameron Jones, Chief Commercial Officer at SilverRail said “With Europe having invested heavily in its high speed rail network over the last few years, rail has gained a competitive edge over air. This is particularly apparent on high speed routes of four hours or less, where travellers are increasingly choosing the convenience that rail offers over short-haul flights. Firstly, rail is far more productive. Recent research by Belgium operator Thalys revealed that 90% of managers surveyed viewed rail travel as productive time, while only 6% said the same about air travel. Secondly, rail is often more convenient. It gets business travellers to their destination with less stress, whilst typically offering an end-to-end, city centre to city centre journey - as train stations are typically in, or very close to business centres.
“However, rail is simply not as visible on key booking sites, and very rarely in the same search results as air. In fact, only 20% of rail is currently booked online in the UK, which means it is often missed out as a travel option. We have started to see some movement on booking sites and we are excited to partner with key OTA’s, who are set to transform the accessibility of global rail travel. This will ensure the train is considered as an option by a growing number of travellers, and in turn, help rail companies grow their ticket sales.
“If you take into account all factors – including productivity, convenience and CO2 impact – rail travel is often a winning choice. Now is the time to improve the visibility of rail as a travel option and truly challenge the status quo."
