As European rail travel continues to become increasingly more popular with Americans, Rail Europe took a big step to make selling and booking the product easier, introducing a new booking platform for travel advisors called Easy Rail Access (ERA).

ERA is a one-stop-shop that makes the booking process easier and quicker than ever before for agencies and travel advisors, said Dau-Khoi Nguyen, president & CEO, adding that they also will benefit from comprehensive, continuously updated offers and customer service support. Rail Europe is progressively deploying the Easy Rail Access platform worldwide into 2020.

“Rail Europe is working hard to make the user experience for its travel advisor partners easier and more productive,” said Nguyen. “ERA will allow them the ability to much more quickly find rail choices and the information they need for their clients, as well as complete the booking process faster.” The majority of Rail Europe’s business, he noted, comes from travel professionals.

Educating Agents

The company is educating advisors about ERA—using its teams in the field to inform them about the updated system. E-learning certification programs are also available. Trade partners can connect to Rail Europe products in three ways: the agent.raileurope.com website; API/web service connections; and Euronet, a desktop application that will be retired by the end of 2020.

Booming Business

Last year, the European passenger rail market from outside the Continent was estimated at between $883 million and $1.104 billion, Nguyen said. This number could almost double by 2028, as consumers become more environmentally aware, realizing that the train remains the most sustainable means of transport after cycling.

Eurailpass sales, which offer unlimited travel for a certain number of days, are up 8 percent in 2019 over 2018, while sales for high-speed trains like the TGV in France are up 12 percent. With the increasing number of high-speed trains, it is possible to reach most major cities in Europe within two or three hours from Paris, Nguyen said.

Complexities of Rail Travel

Rail Europe is the world’s largest distributor of train tickets and passes. It offers train journeys across more than 30 countries, 25,000 destinations and 11,000 different routes.

Traveling in Europe by train is complex because there are so many rail lines and fares, said Nguyen, adding that Rail Europe sees its mission as supporting European tourism in general. By simplifying the sales and booking process, he said, “we are supporting Europe as a destination.”

Selling Tips

—Customers for European rail travel are diversified and range from individual travelers and university students to family groups. They appreciate the comfort and convenience of train travel.

—Groups comprise 16 percent of travelers and Rail Europe’s group travel consultants help agents secure space months in advance along with providing individualized booking services. Group travel consultants also organize train charters, exclusive carriages, luggage handling and more.

—Rail Europe sells rail passes such as Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail or Japan Pass, and luxury train journeys such as Rocky Mountaineer, Orient-Express and Trans-Siberian. It also sells sightseeing tours, city passes and museum passes. Visit raileurope.com.