Air Canada has introduced new air-to-rail booking options for travellers flying to France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria following a series of new railway and distribution partnerships.
The carrier on Tuesday (5 December) launched the intermodal offer via an existing partnership with Lufthansa Express Rail and new collaborations with AccesRail and WorldTicket to create “a streamlined booking process” that connects flight bookings with rail journeys operated by France's TGV-SNCF Voyageurs, Germany's Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways or ÖBB, the national railway of Austria.
The move comes as the carrier looks to increase capacity to European destinations in summer 2024, with plans to operate 100 per cent of its peak summer 2019 transatlantic capacity next year.
Air Canada passengers can now book rail journeys “at the same time” as their flights, according to the carrier, and connect to the four major rail systems at respective airports.
Travellers can also check in for all segments of their trip prior to departure, avoiding the need to obtain a train ticket at the station, while those experiencing flight delays or disruption will also have both air and rail segments rebooked “to provide peace of mind”, the carrier said.
Air Canada executive vice president, revenue and network planning, Mark Galardo, said: “In offering easy onward airport connections with the national rail systems in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, we are creating intermodal hubs and opening the door for customers to reach stations at major cities and popular destinations throughout these countries.”
He added that “intermodal connections can enrich the travel experience through added convenience and by promoting sustainability”.
In France, air-to-rail connections are available under codeshare on SNCF Voyageurs. Travellers can purchase a single ticket that connects Paris Charles De Gaulle airport to up to 22 SNCF Voyageurs high-speed rail destinations across the country, including Nantes, Bordeaux, Marseille and Strasbourg.
In Germany, the Canadian carrier is building on existing intermodal rail connections with Lufthansa Express Rail, which provides access to up to 24 stations on Star Alliance intermodal partner Deutsche Bahn from Frankfurt airports. Following the launch of the intermodal initiative, travellers can also utilise Deutsche Bahn's Rail and Fly products from Frankfurt and Munich airports. Additionally, the carrier plans to launch codeshare options via Lufthansa Express Rail in 2024.
In Switzerland, travellers flying to Zurich or Geneva can connect to Swiss Federal Railways trains and reach up to 11 stations. Meanwhile, in Austria, travellers at Vienna airport can connect up to nine railway stations via ÖBB services.