Travellers flying to Europe on Air Canada can now seamlessly book trains to their onward destinations, thanks to the airline’s new air-to-rail programme.
The airline has partnered with four major European rail systems to offer intermodal rail connections with Austria’s ÖBB, France’s SNCF Voyageurs, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and Switzerland’s Schweizerische Bundesbahnen.
“By 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 in major cities and popular destinations in these countries,” said Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president of revenue and network planning, in a statement. “In addition, by facilitating the use of rail for the short-haul segments of our customers’ journeys, we are able to offer sustainable travel options when travelling in Europe.”
When booking a flight on Air Canada’s website, travellers now have the option to purchase train tickets to their final destination. Thanks to this new air-rail partnership, it’s now possible to travel on Air Canada from major international gateways in Paris, Frankfurt, Geneva, Munich, Vienna and Zurich to hundreds of smaller and mid-sized European cities.
For example, a passenger flying into Paris-Charles de Gaulle can connect to cities such as Bordeaux or Marseille via high-speed rail with a single booking. Travellers can also check in for both their flight and their train before departure – and if they encounter travel difficulties that result in delayed or cancelled flights, they can easily rebook their train tickets.
“All customers will benefit from the optimal coordination of train and plane, a smooth transit experience conveniently purchased on a single ticket for the entire trip, and a transfer and connection guarantee in the event of delays and disruptions.”
This new air-to-rail programme builds on an existing partnership between Star Alliance and Deutsche Bahn, the German railway company, which became the first intermodal travel partner in August 2022. The most recent development of the partnership saw United Airlines team up with Deutsche Bahn.
With this latest announcement, Air Canada will also launch a codeshare on Deutsche Bahn’s Lufthansa Express Rail in 2024, with the potential for additional benefits in the future.
With summer travel to Europe more popular than ever, the airline’s new air-to-rail programme will be in full swing. Air Canada has filed its peak summer 2024 schedule, listing its Toronto and Montreal hubs as its third and fifth largest transatlantic hubs, respectively.