In a significant move towards sustainable and integrated travel, Eurostar, the high-speed rail operator connecting the UK and mainland Europe, has partnered with SkyTeam, a major airline alliance. This collaboration marks a new era of seamless travel, allowing passengers to book combined air and rail journeys under a unified reservation system. This is the first time SkyTeam has partnered with a non-airline entity, showcasing their commitment to offering a more holistic travel experience.
Eurostar is now a fully integrated member of SkyTeam, opening up its extensive network to a wider audience. Travelers can now seamlessly transition from flights arriving at prominent SkyTeam hubs in France, the Netherlands, and the UK to Eurostar’s high-speed trains, connecting major cities across the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. This partnership provides passengers with a convenient and environmentally friendly option for multi-city tours across Europe.
The collaboration is a response to the growing demand for sustainable travel options. Eurostar already caters to a significant number of passengers who arrive at major hubs like Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris-CDG, and London Heathrow before continuing their journey on Eurostar trains. This partnership allows them to book their entire journey, from long-haul flights to high-speed train connections, through a single platform.
Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar, emphasized the importance of providing travellers with sustainable and convenient travel options: “Offering travellers the choice to see Europe in the most sustainable and convenient way by rail is a key component of Eurostar’s vision for growth. We are creating a future where travellers can connect between Eurostar trains, domestic railways and long-haul flying, opening up our services to new markets across the globe. Today is a major step forward towards this mission and we look forward to working with SkyTeam to develop the customer proposition so more travellers can experience Eurostar’s unique service.”
Patrick Roux, SkyTeam CEO, highlighted the alliance’s commitment to offering a more integrated and responsible travel experience: “Working with Eurostar as our first non-airline partner underscores SkyTeam’s commitment to delivering a more integrated and responsible travel experience by incorporating intermodal travel. One of the world’s most-loved train operators, with a reputation for customer service, Eurostar is a natural fit for SkyTeam. I look forward to developing our partnership and offering customers greater choice in how they travel across SkyTeam’s global network.”
In the coming months, Eurostar and SkyTeam will work together to optimize the integration of air and rail travel, offering a smoother and more convenient travel experience. The full implementation of this enhanced travel experience is expected to be rolled out in the first half of 2025.
This partnership is a positive step towards creating a more sustainable and integrated travel experience for passengers across Europe. With the increasing focus on environmental responsibility, this collaboration between Eurostar and SkyTeam sets a precedent for the future of travel, where air and rail seamlessly work together to offer passengers a wider range of options.
