This week, Rail Europe CEO Frederic Langlois stopped by Travel Agent’s New York offices to share some updates from the company.
Perhaps most significantly, Langlois said that more and more North American travelers are getting around Europe by train instead of by plane, to the tune of an 8 percent increase this quarter over the first quarter of 2012. But this could also, at least in part, be due to an overall increase in visitor to numbers to Europe, he cautioned: “People are willing to travel this year,” he said of the strong 2013 numbers. And Europe is also more welcoming to American visitors than in years past, he added: “They need the money.”
One of the biggest new developments for Rail Europe is the opening of the high-speed rail line between Paris and Barcelona, which will reduce the land-travel time to a little bit more than six hours. Or, Langlois added, the trip can take longer if passengers want to disembark along the way and explore towns like Nimes and Montpellier, and simply catch later trains until they reach their final destination. “This will be a game-changer for Spain,” Langlois said, adding that the country—which has struggled with economic instability and unemployment in recent years—has the most expanded high-speed rail network in Europe in terms of kilometers.
But in a sign of good things to come, Spain is also among the top four European countries that is seeing at least a 15 percent increase in visitation, Langlois said. The United Kingdom, France and Switzerland round out the list—the latter, he said, because the Swiss franc’s exchange rate is currently a good deal for the U.S. dollar.
Promotions
To bring more visitors to Europe’s rail lines, Rail Europe is offering several deals and promotions, including a new agent incentive for Italy’s Trenitalia. For every booking of first class Trenitalia high speed tickets made through Rail Europe through May 7, agents will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card.
Trenitalia “Le Frecce” trains, Frecciarossa (pictured), Frecciargento, and Frecciabianca bring passengers to Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Bologna and Naples, making day trips between cities a breeze. (We once stayed in Milan and caught the Frecciarossa down to Florence for the day, so we can say from experience that it is easy and quite comfortable.)
And for families looking to explore the continent, Rail Europe will offer discounts on their Eurail Pass as of May 1, with $100 off youth passes and $75 off for adults. Other promotions include free Wi-Fi hotspot rentals in Switzerland.
Visit agent.raileurope.com to book trips.