Rail Europe

Large attendance and unveiling of major news made Rail Europe's "RIDE 2012" a great success

RIDE 2012 (Rail Europe's International Distribution Event) took place in Paris last 20th & 21st March and brought together the key experts and decision-makers within international distribution of railways products. With an attendance of more than 150 people, insightful presentations and unveiling of major news, the second edition of RIDE was another great success for Rail Europe.

 "RIDE 2012 went extremely well, and we are happy to have offered such a memorable event to our partners", declared Pierre-Stéphane Austi, CEO of Rail Europe. "In a context of growing competition, sharing expertise and insights can only prove beneficial to raise the profile of international rail distribution".

 Overall, more than 45 General Sales Agents were present, illustrating the vitality, professionalism and high commitment of the Rail Europe’s network. The large attendance from rail operators*, at the eve of major changes -among others in the European rail landscape-, also evidenced the importance of international markets for them and their care for these clienteles (more than 2 million travellers bought their tickets from Rail Europe in 2011).

 During two days, presentations and networking sessions created the ideal environment for all participants to broaden their horizons and share their ideas, in an open and pragmatic way.

 Various presentations covered a wide range of subjects such as sales developments and market trends while case studies helped to share best practices. A specific focus was also made on "how to add value in the distribution chain" thanks to on-line distribution tools and innovative marketing such as the "Rail Europe Connexion" campaign. The Rail Europe Awards ceremony and the open discussion on the future of international distribution, with high level representatives from SBB, SNCF, Deutsche Bahn & and Trenitalia, closed the event.

 RIDE was also an open forum for rail carriers. Changes in the domestic regulations of their countries were presented, as well as new services and products. Among others,

- the "German Rail Pass Extension", Deutsche Bahn's new product, which allows German Rail Pass holders to travel outside of Germany on DB international trains and buses

- Italo, the new high speed rail service in Italy operated by NTV

- Trenitalia's new classes of service on the "FrecciaRossa" high speed trains, offering ultimate choice and comfort

 

Complementing product launches, the announcement of the imminent signature of direct agreements with Trenitalia and Deutsche Bahn was the highlight of the event and acclimated by all Rail Europe GSAs. Thanks to these agreements, allowing direct connections between distribution systems, Rail Europe will indeed enjoy complete access to the whole fare range of the two rail leaders, in real time. After the signature of direct agreements/connexions with Renfe, ATOC, Amtrak or VIA Rail, Rail Europe completes its portfolio of products with access to 2 major inventories.

 

Marc Giesen, Director of International Sales for Deutsche Bahn indicated: "RIDE 2012 was for Deutsche Bahn a very productive event. Content was insightful and  interactions were highly qualitative. We were happy to reaffirm the strength of our strong partnership with Rail Europe, which our direct agreement and the direct connexion between our systems will only further reinforce in the coming months".

 

"After such a successful event, where both rail carriers and GSAs reaffirmed their commitment towards growing our common business… let's already stop the date to meet again, in 2014, for the next edition of RIDE!" added Pierre-Stéphane Austi.

 

 

Rail Europe is the #1 distributor of rail tickets and passes in the world, selling directly to web users through localized websites (local currency, local language, local service) and through appointed General Sales Agents.

 

* The main railways from Europe and North America were represented at RIDE, including national railways such as SNCF (France), SBB (Switzerland), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), Trenitalia (Italy), Renfe (Spain), NS (Netherlands), SJ (Sweden), Amtrak (USA) and Via Rail (Canada) as well as international carriers like Eurostar, Thalys, TGV Lyria, Società Viaggiatori Italia, City Night Line or Elipsos. Representatives of STS -Swiss Travel System-, the Eurail Group, NTV (Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori - Italy) and ATOC (for Train Operating Companies in the UK) were also present at RIDE 2012.

 

A cultural tour: Italy, France, The Netherlands and Germany.

 For travellers looking for Europe’s cultural treasures, travelling by train with Rail Europe brings incredible cities and their sights within easy reach, and there is no better country to start in than Italy; and no better city to start in than Rome.

The Eternal city has some of Europe’s most popular historic sights, including the Vatican Museum and its incredible masterpieces, the Colosseum and the Forum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art, with its broad range of neoclassical and Romantic paintings and sculptures, which will bring all this culture into context.

From Rome take the train three and a half hours north to Venice and continue on the cultural tour of Italy at the Guggenheim museum on the Grand Canal.

Nearby is the Accademia gallery where visitors will find paintings from Venice’s past, depicting its wealth and importance as a merchant city over the years.

From Venice train travellers are just two and a half hours from Milan, where visitors can enjoy the works of Picasso, Matisse and Grassi in the Ambrosiana and Brera Art Galleries.

After soaking up Italy’s culture, head out of the country and explore further afield in Europe’s cultural playground.

Take the Thello overnight train to Paris for the world-famous Louvre and Centre Pompidou before checking out some of the smaller galleries; L'Espace Dali and Musée Gustave Moreau.

From Paris the high-speed red Thalys train takes just over three hours to reach Amsterdam.

Visit the Torch gallery for the latest take on modern thinking, and De Beeldenwinkel to marvel at the intricate sculptures on display.

For a more traditional cultural tour of Amsterdam don’t miss the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum.

From Amsterdam, Germany’s fascinating second city, Berlin is just six hours away by train.

Travellers will find the open air museum of the Berlin Wall, with its colourful political murals, the Pergamon, the Altes, the National Gallery and the Bode Museum, and will soon realise Europe’s cultural tour could go on and on...

 

Train Times:

Rome – Venice 3h30

Venice – Milan 2h30

Milan – Paris 9h50

Paris – Amsterdam 3h20

Amsterdam – Berlin 6h

 

Eurail Pass benefits explained

Train travellers to Europe who have opted for the popular Eurail Passes will be pleased to note the benefits these rail passes offer.

Passengers travelling with a Eurail Pass can visit up to 23 European countries with the Eurail Global Pass or five bordering European countries among 24 with the Eurail Select Pass, or individual or groups of countries with passes such as the Eurail Italy Pass or the Eurail France-Germany Pass.

Eurail Pass holders experience greater flexibility on their travels in Europe and one of the most popular benefits of having the Eurail Pass is the discounted and free travel on various European ferry crossings.

For example, travellers often take a free ferry between Greece and Italy, and some make a stop at the stunning island of Corfu.

Other benefits include discounts on hotels, museums and additional transport.

To take full advantage of the benefits, which come with the Eurail Pass, passengers should contact the individual companies involved in advance or at the time of booking and note that some offers may require an advance reservation to benefit from any discount.

 

Flexi and Continuous Passes

Train travellers exploring Europe with a Eurail pass should note that there is a difference between the Flexi pass and the Continuous pass when using free and discounted benefits.

Travellers with the Eurail Flexi pass who use a free benefit, such as a ferry crossing from Italy’s Bari to Croatia’s Dubrovnik, will use up one travel day, even if they are not using a train on that day.

However, travellers holding a Eurail Continuous pass can use free and discounted benefits such as a ferry journey or bus ride, on any day their pass is valid.

Travellers with a Eurail Flexi pass using the benefit of free ferry travel on international shipping routes, must make sure their pass is valid in the country of departure and the country of arrival (for discounted ferry travel the pass only needs to be valid for either the country of departure or the country of arrival).

 

The Eurail passes consist of a ticket and a pass cover and travellers should make a note in the Travel Report on their pass before they board a train, bus or boat.

Popular routes for Eurail pass holders include: Florence-Rome, Amsterdam-Brussels, Prague-Vienna, Munich-Fussen and Lucerne-Interlaken.

For more ideas on where to travel and which countries to visit with the Eurail Global pass, the Eurail Select pass and the individual and group country Eurail train passes, as well as tips and popular itineraries, check out Raileurope’s website.

Travellers who make full use of the Eurail Pass benefits can explore and enjoy even more of what Europe has to offer. 

 

All aboard for Rail Europe’s castles

Train travellers to Europe cannot miss the incredible heritage the continent has to offer and nothing shows this off more than its historic castles.

Rail Europe can offer the best way to explore Europe and all its treasures with the Eurail Select Pass or Eurail Global pass.

Rail Europe’s rail passes give travellers the freedom to travel in and around five bordering countries (Eurail Select Pass) or to all the 23 countries on the Rail Europe European network (the Eurail Global pass).

But for now, let’s just concentrate on the castles…

Imagine you start in Germany and visit the incredible castles of King Ludwig II. Take the train to Fussen and join Schwangau by bus thanks to Public transportation from train station Füssen to Hohenschwangau in about 15 Minutes to visit the Neuschwanstein castle, the most famous castle imagined by Louis II. You will then see the Hohenschwangau mansion that probably then inspired the King.

 

Perhaps the most famous castles in Europe are those of France’s Loire Valley. Train travellers can jump on the high speed TGV for a memorable tour of the Loire Valley. From Paris by train, stop at Blois or Orleans and then take a bus or a daily shuttle that link Chambord or Sully. All are close together. It would be easy to spend many days in the Loire Valley but Rail Europe has many more treats in store.

From the Chateaux of France take the TGV up to Paris and hop on the Eurostar to London. From London you can catch the First Great Western train to Windsor Castle, the largest castle in Europe or take the train up to Scotland – to Edinburgh and its Royal Mile with the castle overlooking the city.

Once you are in Scotland almost everywhere you look there is a castle and you can take a train tour of the beautiful majestic country taking in Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness on the way.

For information on European destinations, itinerary ideas and fantastic deals on train fares, travellers can find everything they need to plan and book the perfect train tour around Europe with Rail Europe.

 

 

 

Slovakia added as new destination for Eurail pass holders

Train passengers travelling with one of Rail Europe’s Eurail Global Passes will be pleased to learn that a new country, Slovakia, has been added to the list of European countries they can visit with the pass.

The Eurail Global Pass gives visitors unlimited train travel on the rail networks of 23 European countries, and can be booked on the Rail Europe website, where travellers can find tips and advice on different European countries, as well as routes and maps to help plan their journey.

Slovakia is bordered by Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary and its capital, Bratislava, sits on the banks of the river Danube, a short train ride from Austria’s capital Vienna.

Bratislava is one of the youngest capitals in Europe and has a buzzing atmosphere with a fascinating history. The city offers a rich cultural mix; there’s a castle, winding cobbled streets, large bustling piazzas and squares with terraces and cafes, as well as markets, opera and churches.

For those wanting to explore further afield of the pretty capital city, Rail Europe has also just introduced the Eurail Slovakia Pass, so visitors can see a bit more of the stunning countryside Slovakia has to offer.

With the Eurail Slovakia Pass travellers are free to travel by train on the Slovakian ZSSK rail network and take in the beautiful wine regions, delve deeper into the Little Carpathians, part of the largest mountain range in Europe, visit the cliff top castles Spis Castle and Devin Castle and experience Slovakian traditions, such as goose liver and cabbage pancakes at the annual Goose liver festival.

The Eastern European country has some fascinating towns and cities too. Rail Europe can help train travellers book tickets with Intercity services, which link Bratislava to other large cities, such as Zilina and Kosice, as well as the high altitude  train station, Strbske Pleso, 1320 metres above sea level in the High Tatras mountains on the border of Poland.

The Eurail Slovakia Pass allows travellers to take trains all over the Slovakian rail network but also internationally. The ZSSK has regular connections to Austria, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, and for those who hold the Eurail Global Pass, Europe is at their feet.

Eurail Global Pass holders have unlimited train travel across the networks of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Don’t miss out on this exciting new destination. Add Slovakia to your itinerary now and get online to explore Rail Europe’s tips, routes and best tickets, to help make your journey easier.

 

Rail Europe records historical results for 2011

The financial results of Rail Europe for 2011 confirm its dynamism and leadership as the #1 distributor of European rail products in the world. After an outstanding performance in 2010, Rail Europe is, once again, delighted to announce record figures for 2011. Indeed, compared to last year, its sales are up by 28%! As for its turnover, it stands at a very meritorious 175 million euros. Yet there is more reason to be thrilled: over 2 million passengers have chosen to ride with Rail Europe in 2011.

Rail Europe’s main markets continue to progress with a net increase recorded in most countries. With a 24% increase, Australia confirms its market leadership, followed by South Korea and Japan. The dazzling progression of China (+53%), Brazil (+41%) and Argentina (+47%) reinforces their position as Rail Europe’s top markets.

“Our financial results are more than excellent given the global economic context and of course we are thrilled that over 2 million passengers have chosen to ride with us”, says Pierre-Stephane Austi, CEO of Rail Europe. “2011 has been an intense year for us, with unexpected events in some markets, strong competition and new challenges. The consideration granted to the markets’ needs, the boom in web services, the development of strategic partnerships and a strong marketing push, were again instrumental in this success”.

2011 – The year in review

-       Signature of a direct distribution agreement with the national Railways of Spain - Renfe Operadora - resulting in a connection between both of our distribution systems and thus enabling Rail Europe to offer extremely competitive fares.

 

-       Launch of ‘Print @ home’ tickets, a new convenient ticketing method which enables customers to purchase, until the last minute, online tickets for several products including TGV, Eurostar and Thalys.

 

-       Opening of a fulfilment centre in South America improving the service offered to online customers.

 

-       Numerous promotional initiatives which have boosted the sales, particularly the "Rail Europe’s 16^th birthday campaign that ran during the European spring.

 

-       The take-off of non-European trains sales including USA’s Amtrak and Japan Rail (sales multiplied by 4) as a result of successful marketing campaigns.

 

In 2012, Rail Europe will of course aim to pursue this trend and keep on developing its distribution channels. A strong focus on web services, qualitative marketing activities, tactical promotions and new products will, without doubt, help Rail Europe reach its ambitious goals.

Rail Europe is the #1 distributor of train tickets and rail passes in the world, selling through appointed General Sales Agents and directly on the web through localised websites (local currency, local language and local service).

For more information about Rail Europe products, to purchase a Pass or a ticket, please consult your Rail Europe accredited travel agent. Contact details to be found on www.raileurope.fr

 

For any media inquiry, please contact Emilie PARFONDRY: eparfondry@raileurope.fr or +33.1.58.22.15.22