Corporates on board with rail travel

RAIL travel has become much more popular among corporates in recent years due to the smaller carbon footprint it generates per traveller and its comfort and convenience compared with flights, where delays at airports and long queues have become common. New rail options and routes are opening up all over Europe and Rail Travel Operator, Travel by Train, always has news to share with the trade. Payment link Travel by Train has introduced a payment link to streamline credit card payments for travel agents booking rail travel for corporate clients. Transfers Corné Kotze, Senior Rail Specialist and Product Manager for Travel by Train, says the company has expanded its transfer offering facilitating transport between hotels, airports and stations, making it available on many of its routes. The transfers are by private cars, minibuses or buses according to the number of passengers and the amount of luggage. European rail European rail journeys are particularly attractive to corporate travellers, who generally prioritise the best, fastest and most convenient rail travel. Kotze said flexible fares were available on many European services, allowing passengers to change or cancel bookings before travel. What makes European train journeys even more attractive is that some rail companies offer onboard conference facilities, including in Executive class on the Frecciarossa 1000 trains in Italy, operated by Trenitalia. Another convenience offered by rail travel in Europe is that most major European rail stations are centrally located, making onward connections by taxi or car hire easy. One of the newest routes on offer is the direct Eurostar service between London and Amsterdam, which eliminates the need for passengers to change trains in Brussels. Asia Travel by Train now offers point-to-point rail tickets in Asia, including trains in Japan, China and South Korea, with high-speed rail journeys proving particularly popular. Japan Rail Passes are available for certain routes, although the Japan Rail Pass itself remains a paper ticket that can only be purchased at train stations in Japan. Travel by Train issues all rail tickets as mobile or e-tickets, allowing tickets to be sent and resent to travellers if necessary. The company heartily recommends rail travel for corporate trips. “Rail travel is convenient, fast and a greener way to travel. Passengers can use their laptops and phones during the journey, with Wi-Fi available on most trains. First-class travellers also have access to charging ports at their seats,” said Kotze. “We are still THE one-stop rail, bus, ferry and transfer shop.”