NEW YORK -- Rail
Europe Group launched a new point-to-point rail ticket booking
engine featuring live inventory of European and U.K. trains at its
trade-exclusive Web site at http://agent.raileurope.com.
Dispensing with the
timetable-based approach previously used by Rail Europe Group
companies Rail Europe and DER, as well as other North American
distributors, the new booking engine mimics airline booking
engines, showing "available trains at available fares," according
to the company.
"Because we give
agents access to live inventory on the revamped site, this
streamlines the booking process, eliminating the need to go back to
their client when the schedule they requested is not available,"
said Fabrice Morel, President and CEO of Rail Europe Group, in a
statement.
New functionality
includes: incorporation of seat reservations in overall ticket
fares; online, side-by-side comparison of first- and second-class
fares; and immediate confirmation of ticket purchase and seat
reservations.
Agent commission on
point-to-point rail tickets ranges from 4% to 7%.
For more
information on the individual Rail Europe Group companies, call
Rail Europe at (888) 382-7245 or DER at (800) 782-2424.
To contact the
reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Kenneth Kiesnoski
at [email protected].