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Rail Europe teams up with Emerging Travel to deliver seamless rail booking
Paris, 9 October 2024 – Rail Europe, the reference brand for European train booking, is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic partnership with Emerging Travel Group, a global travel company operating brands for individual travellers, B2B travel professionals, and corporate customers. Rail Europe has integrated European rail services into two of Emerging Travel Group’s leading brands: RateHawk, an online booking platform for travel agencies worldwide, and Roundtrip, a travel booking platform for corporate travellers.
Covering 13 countries — including iconic rail destinations such as the UK, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, and more — this partnership provides access to an unparalleled range of train services, from high-speed and intercity connections that make travelling between cities a breeze, to scenic regional routes that showcase Europe’s stunning landscapes, and rail passes offering unlimited travel across Europe or Switzerland.
The partnership is powered by RailAPI, Rail Europe’s state-of-the-art API solution, which seamlessly integrates its rail network into RateHawk and Roundtrip’s platforms. RailAPI offers a robust and scalable solution that allows for real-time booking, instant access to a wide range of European rail services, and easy management of after-sales services such as exchanges and refunds directly via RateHawk and Roundtrip websites, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience.
Additionally, with Rail Europe's API, travellers can now enjoy a streamlined booking experience for multi-carrier journeys, effortlessly exploring and combining routes across different countries. The API's multi-inventory capability also enables users to compare offers and select the best option, making travel planning more efficient and user-friendly.
“This partnership brings us closer to our vision of making European rail travel as simple and accessible as possible. By integrating our network with RateHawk and Roundtrip’s platforms through RailAPI, we’re opening up new ways for travellers to experience Europe — efficiently and sustainably. Notably, for corporate travellers, this means a more flexible and profitable way to manage business travel, while offering a truly memorable experience with the added benefit of reducing their carbon footprint,” said Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe.
Fredrik Bonnalt, Head of Non-Accommodation Supply at Emerging Travel Group, commented: “Rail travel offers great opportunities for our partners' businesses, enabling them to meet customer needs and attract new clients. Rail transportation is widely recognized as the most environmentally friendly option, and with many companies prioritising carbon footprint reduction and incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives into their corporate travel programs, our partners can greatly benefit from this new booking service.”
Travellers using RateHawk and Roundtrip can now enjoy a unified booking experience, seamlessly navigating through extensive and complex train options, filtering by criteria such as price and comfort level. By choosing rail, travellers are opting for a greener way to travel in Europe, be it for leisure or work. Together, Rail Europe and Emerging Travel are making rail journeys more accessible than ever before.
About Rail Europe
Rail Europe is the global reference brand for European train booking. We have been the trusted partner of the travel industry and train operators for 90 years. Our rail expert teams provide technology solutions and customer care services to +25,000 partners in more than 70 countries. International travellers who want to travel by train easily throughout Europe can also book their travel directly through our state-of-the-art train booking website and app. Our catalogue of products focuses on 200 rail providers such as SNCF, SBB, Eurostar, Trenitalia, Italo, DB, Renfe, ÖBB, SNCB, Regiojet, iryo, OUIGO Spain and National Rail, and rail passes including the Swiss Travel Pass and Eurail Passes. We sell around 5 million European train tickets every year. Our offices are around the globe and we are headquartered in Paris.
About Emerging Travel Group
Emerging Travel is a UAE-based online travel group founded in 2010 that operates travel brands for individual travelers, B2B travel professionals, and corporate customers in over 190 source markets.
Our products help clients book all types of travel services: more than 2.6 million hotels from over 100,000 properties contracted directly and 280 wholesalers, flight tickets of 400 airlines, transfers in over 150 countries, car rental, and other travel-related services.
Emerging Travel Group employs more than 3,600 people across the USA, Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, and South Africa in roles ranging from product and business development to specialized multilingual customer support for all our customers, whether they are trade partners, corporate travelers, or individuals simply booking their hotels online.
Press contacts
Trisha Aswani
Press contacts Emerging Travel Incorporated
Anita Gusich,
Head of PR