At the end of January, the failed launch of the SNCF Connect application clearly did the business of its challenger, Trainline. In the three weeks following this laborious switchover, the independent booking platform recorded a strong growth in customer numbers and 50% in sales of Inoui and Ouigo TGV tickets. Now present in 45 countries, the former start-up Captain Train, acquired in 2016 by its British counterpart, has come a long way since then, offering the sale of 80 rail companies and 190 bus routesall in 14 languages. This should enable it to achieve annual sales of €3 billion - €2.5 billion of which was generated in the UK - in its last financial year, which ended at the end of February.
Still impacted by the ups and downs of the Covid pandemic in its various markets, this result represents a return to 90 % of pre-pandemic activity for leisure, but of only 30 % for the "pro" market. " However, the business segment has been recovering since the beginning of 2022, driven by the fact that companies are looking for efficient and operational solutions to book the train, a mode of transport that has become popular throughout Europe in the wake of the health crisis." says Christopher Michau, Trainline's Director of Carrier and Supply Europe.
Multiplying functionalities to enhance the travel experience
Since 2015, the distributor has been offering its Trainline for Business to its corporate customers, from major accounts to small businesses, independent firms, public authorities and associations... However, no precise figures have been released for the French market. " The tool is deployed directly by our teams or via TMCs and travel agencies to serve their customers." he confides. In the latter cases, Trainline uses an API (or Application Programming Interface) to integrate the intermediary's booking portal offer.
The tool is designed to be customisable, incorporating various elements such as travel policy, validation levels, centralised payment, the sending of information during the journey, etc. Christopher Michau adds: "It's a tool that can be adapted to suit your needs. The aim is to make the travel experience as pleasant as possible" . Among the latest functionalities developedIn addition to Seat Map, which lets you choose your seat on most TGVs, there is also ID Search, where you can find out everything about your train by typing its number into the application, and Departure Board, where you can optimise your connections at the same station. Not forgetting a new version of Delay recovery in order to receive an automatic refund if the ticket allows it.
Revealing the ecological advantages of trains over planes
Trainline is also playing the "green" travel card, which is now very popular with companies, through thedisplay of the carbon footprint for each journey searched on the site. " This service is going to be improved, because companies want to have the total annual carbon emissions corresponding to all the train journeys made by their employees." says Christopher Michau. A dedicated marketing campaign and a stronger corporate sales force are also expected this year to support the growing interest in business customers. In 2021, Trainline published a study confirming that the ecological advantage of trains over planes. It stated that "Depending on the journey, the carbon footprint can be 124 to 151 times lower when made by train than by plane." .
Book a journey involving several rail companies
In addition to the user-friendliness of its application, Trainline's strength lies in its comprehensive, "unbiased" offer of train operators to compare timetables, availability and fares. The booking platform benefits from opening up the rail sector to competition in France and Europe, distributing SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Trenitalia, Italo and Renfe, as well as Renfe's Avlo low-cost trains and SNCF's Ouigo Spain TGVs. " Trainline finds the best fare available on a common route. And creates tailor-made itineraries, or even a mix of several carriers. On a Lille-Lyon journey with a station change in Paris, SNCF could be offered on the first leg and Trenitalia on the second. Or, on a Paris-Lyon return journey, it is possible to book an outward journey with one and a return journey with the other, depending on the prices quoted." says the manager.
The arrival of Trenitalia in France has already tripled Trainline's overall sales on the Paris-Milan route. And the rise of the Italian company, which will start operating on 1 June 5 return trips a day between Paris and Lyonwill further boost sales in France. " Italy and Spain have opened up their markets, we have seen the benefits of this competitionThis means lower ticket prices and increased traffic. A win-win situation for the consumer" Christopher Michau is delighted. And he concludes: " We hope to see the creation of other players in France, even if several projects have been delayed, such as Railcoop and Le Train on the Atlantic axis, which have been postponed until 2023. Spain's Renfe, which has opened an office in the capital, could also compete with Eurostar on the Paris-London route." . A keen interest in the railways is a guarantee of future sales on Thetrainline.com.
