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Short haul: rail travel in Europe
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Rail packages
Agents can play a major part in switching the public on to rail holidays, according to specialist Great Rail Journeys, which has started selling through the trade for the first time. Other operators are also increasing their focus, with Explore! launching its first dedicated Rail Journeys brochure for 2009-10. Although many long-haul operators offer itineraries by train, Great Rail Journeys has by far the biggest range in Europe, as well as a worldwide programme. For 25 years, the operator sold direct only, but managing director Steve Kimber – well known to agents as former boss of Cresta Holidays – has now diversified. This follows a major increase in capacity, with sales up from 19,000 passengers in 2005 to 34,000 last year. The operator has launched a Treyn Holidays brochure, which features standard-class travel and tourist-class hotels, and a Rail Select programme for independent travellers. Kimber says the operator’s target audience is the same as that of many agents. “They are comfortable retirees and – though their investments may be under pressure – they are not worrying about losing their jobs,” he explains. “Some agents have totally switched on to the opportunities, selling to people who might otherwise buy a cruise or upmarket coach tour. “It’s a convivial experience, but so much more civilised than a coach tour. You can stroll around the train while you travel, read a book in comfort and, of course, enjoy the views.” The operator’s commission rates are 10% for Treyn Holidays and Rail Select, and 7.5% for the premium core brand, in which most tours cost more than £1,000. Best-sellers include the Swiss and Austrian Alps, and the Italian lakes. The first leg of most European itineraries is on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels. Among the exceptions are tours of Scandinavia, such as the Arctic Circle Express. Another long-established operator is Ffestiniog Travel, an offshoot of a Welsh heritage railway. The operator’s See the World by Rail brochure includes 17 holidays throughout Europe, from France to Romania. It works closely with Aito Specialist Agents, which it offers 10% commission rather than its standard 7%.
Explore’s first rail brochure features 25 tours. Eight are in Europe, with other options including the Trans-Siberian Railway and itineraries from London to Marrakech, in Morocco, and Aqaba, in Jordan. Product manager Karl Bolton claims: “Explore! is the only UK operator offering a rail journeys programme which provides travel on local trains combined with a good mix of activities on each tour.” Top of the range is still Orient Express, whose Journeys of Distinction programme includes luxury holidays to France, Italy, parts of central Europe and Istanbul. Many operators feature a few rail holidays in more general programmes. These include Switzerland Travel Centre, Cosmos Tourama, Germany specialist Dertour and Keycamp. Switzerland Travel Centre pays 10% commission on all packages, from a three-night Swiss Mountain Peaks itinerary to a seven-night Mountain Railways of Switzerland trip. Dertour’s tailor-made, multi-centre trips include Cologne-Rudesheim-Wurzburg, which uses Eurostar as far as Brussels. French self-catering operator Keycamp’s more unusual programme offers “green-aware” families the option of rail travel and bike hire when they arrive at their destination. Increased opportunities for agents are welcomed by Colin O’Neill, marketing director of Advantage, which has signed a commercial agreement with Great Rail Journeys. “Agents often build a rail journey into a longer trip, when they are putting their own itineraries together,” he says. “Escorted tour sales are down in some areas, but rail holidays are up. In a difficult trading year, it is good to have this option.” Independent rail Having the expertise to book independent rail travel in Europe is too big an ask for many agents, but several rail booking specialists now work with the trade. Demand is increasing rapidly, particularly among environmentally aware young people and over 50s with time on their hands. Eurostar has made rail trips easier, with faster journey times from London St Pancras and more trains since the disruption caused last year by a fire in the Channel Tunnel. The fastest non-stop journey times are two hours and 15 minutes to Paris (up to 19 services a day), and an hour and 51 minutes to Brussels (up to 10). Eurostar carried more than nine million passengers last year, up 10% on 2007.
The service opens up rail travel across Europe, but booking agencies can also Vic Allen, managing director of Trainseurope, says: “We get 68% of our business through agents or operators, and the percentage is going up. Our partners include Thomas Cook, TTA, Global and a large new customer, which has told us it needs to act because so many consumers are now pro-rail.
“Trainseurope has reservations and ticketing systems covering all of Europe, and I am often amazed at agents’ requests. “These range from simple airport rail links to the original Orient-Express sleeper from Bucharest to Istanbul, which most other companies would find impossible to book.” Rail Europe can book trains in many countries, as well as French motorail trains and InterRail passes, which are no longer restricted to young people. A new website for the trade is due to go live this month, which will allow agents to book online for the first time. “Sales in 2009 have been good and Rail Europe is regularly signing agreements with new trade partners,” says a spokeswoman. “Consumers are much more confident about booking rail travel through their local agent, much closer to departure date.” Other specialists working with agents include International Rail (also trading as Rail-Choice), Erail Travel and The Travel Bureau. Useful contacts
For the latest travel advice for Austria and other short haul destinations, check out the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's Know Before You Go campaign here
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ravel, and to respond to growing demand to “go green”. Dave Richardson reports
General manager Gina Warren says: “Tailor-made Swiss holidays and escorted tours in France, Romania and eastern Germany are selling well. “Ffestiniog tends to help the trade with more difficult, specialist rail itineraries that you can’t find on the internet.” 
arrange onward rail travel for air and sea arrivals. 
