Kombo continues to develop its rail-related services by enabling the booking of SNCF train tickets for groups of 10 to 60 people. The booking platform for train, bus, or plane travel has set up the address kombo.co/fr/groups for this purpose, providing access to the national rail company's inventory and fares. Kombo targets associations, local authorities, sports teams, individuals for weddings or holidays, as well as companies for seminars, meetings, or incentives.
The company or business agency making the booking simply needs to log in to its Kombo account to search for routes and timetables, specifying the number of passengers for the desired journey. The system displays preferential group rates based on age groups: children (-60% for 4–11-year-olds), young people (-30% for 12–27-year-olds) and adults (from -10%). Payment can be made on the platform using the credit or debit card(s) registered to the Kombo account.
Kombo promises simple and flexible booking.
With a focus on convenience, the website also highlights the fact that users can lock in ticket prices until the group’s final confirmation, enter just one person’s name to make the booking, change or add travellers’ names at any time, as well as automatically receiving the invoice and cancelling the booking if necessary. Cancellation is therefore possible up to 46 days before the trip, with a 50% retention fee between 45 and 12 days prior to departure; tickets become non-changeable from 11 days before departure.
" Where the old method multiplied steps and intermediaries, Kombo's tool makes the organiser independent, from quote to tickets. Organising a group train journey should be as simple as booking for yourself. It was one of the last major pain points for train travel, and we wanted to fix it our way.”, explains Matthieu Marquenet, co-founder of Kombo, in a statement.
SNCF retains control above 60 passengers
With its new group booking tool, Kombo highlights the lack of ergonomics and ease of use of the SNCF's. The rail company still has the advantage in managing large group travel, allowing for the privatisation of one or more first or second-class carriages. Or even an entire TGV if the group exceeds 250 people and depending on the client's budget. The company or agency will then have to make its booking between 3 and 8 months before the journey to allow for the train to be slotted into daily traffic.
Additionally, the SNCF enables the addition of specific services such as meal service on board (from 3 hours of TGV travel), decorating the platform with the event or company's colours, the presence of dedicated onboard staff, baggage handling, and even the provision of one or more coaches at the destination to ensure passenger transfers. In response to companies' ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) requirements, the SNCF also highlights the highly advantageous carbon footprint of undertaking MICE travel by train, particularly when compared to other modes of transport such as air travel.
