Eurostar and SkyTeam have announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that allows customers to access integrated intermodal journeys via air and rail.
Under the MoU, customers will be able to travel on itineraries that combine long- and medium-haul flights with sustainable rail journeys in a single reservation.
The two companies endeavor to provide its customers more choices for European city center-to-city center journeys that can easily be accommodated by rail. Eurostar’s increased network offers many possibilities to enjoy multi-city travel between the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Travelers will be able to fly into SkyTeam’s main hubs in France, the Netherlands and the UK and other major European airports across Eurostar’s network and enjoy multi-city travel. According to the two companies, around 13% of Eurostar passengers flying long-haul into one of SkyTeam’s main European hubs connect to another Eurostar destination by rail.
“Offering travelers the choice to see Europe in the most sustainable and convenient way by rail is a key component of Eurostar’s vision for growth,” Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar said in a statement.
Cazenave added: “We are creating a future where travelers 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 travelers can experience Eurostar’s unique service.”
Although Eurail is SkyTeam’s first non-airline partnership, the rail company already has a long-standing relationship with KLM, one of SkyTeam’s airline members, developing air-rail products for customers between Amsterdam and Brussels.