TripAdvisor has launched integration of rail itineraries into its award-winning flight meta-search engine, TripAdvisor Flights. The move makes TripAdvisor the first travel website to integrate rail providers in-line with flight options across a global network.
TripAdvisor has partnered with RailEasy to provide a full complement of UK rail fares, as well as one of the world's largest rail providers, Deutsche Bahn, providing travellers access to a broad range of train choices across continental Europe. Other train networks available to the UK user include IDTGV and French, Italian and Spanish train networks via Rail Europe UK.
"With the integration of rail itineraries into TripAdvisor Flights, we now offer travellers not only a comprehensive flight search on the Web, but also an easy way to compare train options," said Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of New Initiatives at TripAdvisor. "This is especially helpful when planning a trip through Europe, where there are more high-speed rail options now than ever before and hundreds of millions of travellers opt for train travel each year."
When travellers conduct a flight search on TripAdvisor, the site will now display rail itineraries alongside flight choices for relevant routes. In some cases rail is priced even cheaper than air travel, such as London to Paris, or Frankfurt to Brussels. Travellers can then filter the search results according to their travel needs and conveniently click to complete the booking on the air or rail website of their choice.
In addition, travellers can access all of TripAdvisor flights tools, including the innovative Fees Estimator, to easily compare the true cost of their flight and train options.
Train & flight integration availability
Rail itineraries for continental Europe are available starting today through the TripAdvisor Flights meta-search engines in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, German and Spain, with itineraries in additional countries scheduled to launch on future dates.
Travellers can also shop rail itineraries when conducting flight searches through the free TripAdvisor mobile apps for the iPhone, Android, Nokia, Windows Phone 7 and Palm smartphones, the iPad, and through the TripAdvisor mobile website.
Have you tried this new functionality? What do you think of it?
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