by James Ruggia
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Wed December 10, 2014
Photo courtesy of Vacations by Rail
The recently released Vacations By Rail (VBR) 2015 Rail Travel Outlook is full of advice for getting the most out of your rail booking. VBR is entering its 10th year of selling rail vacations from around the world. While the Outlook catalogues historic trains, new routes and classic rail vacations, it also provides insights into ideal booking times for getting the most value from their bookings. Predictably, VBR stresses booking way in advance before inventories clog up and sell out. Early bookings are also much more convenient for suppliers like VBR who want predictability.
Chicago-based VBR has been selling a global inventory of independent rail vacations, escorted rail tours and luxury rail journeys since 2004. The advantage of using a wholesaler such as VBR lies in the fact that it will help passengers or their travel agents match the right product to the kind of vacation they're looking for.
Among the recommendations in the Outlook: North American train vacations should be booked up to 11 months in advance to ensure the best availability for preferred sleeper car; Rail-cruise vacations should be booked eight to 10 months in advance; and for overseas booking VBR recommends booking nine to 12 months in advance. For European rail and river cruises, VBR recommends up to 16 months in advance.
"We work with a wide variety of rail providers around the world, giving us an excellent perspective on emerging issues and trends in the rail industry," said VBR CEO and Co-founder Todd Powell. "We surveyed our customers to determine what rail vacations are highest on people's bucket lists and found the top dream vacations are: first, a VIA Rail vacation across Canada; second, a trip aboard the Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies; and third, a trip aboard the California Zephyr from Chicago across the Colorado Rockies to Emeryville/San Francisco."
According to VBR travelers who book their 2015 vacations now through Dec. 31 can save up to 15 percent or $800 per couple on South American rail vacations; 10 percent or 1,675 per couple on European train vacations; 10 percent or $1,200 per couple on Canadian train vacations; seven percent or $500 per couple on U.S. rail vacations; and five percent or $500 per couple on Asian rail vacations.
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