Beginning this fall, Expedia will, for the first time, offer rail bookings to customers in the United Kingdom. Supported by the Association of Operating Companies and the Rail Delivery Group, the new rail offerings will be available on Expedia.co.uk. This move marks the first time a global, full-service online travel agency has added a rail component alongside its existing products.
Expedia highlights rail as one of the fastest-growing sectors in travel, representing a market valued at approximately $130 billion. Despite that growth, the company identified a major opportunity: roughly 64 percent of rail bookings are still completed offline. Expedia sees rail as a strategic area to attract new customers, increase site visit frequency, and present travelers with additional transportation options to complement their other travel purchases.
“Rail presents an extraordinary opportunity for the business in attracting new customers, growing the frequency of site visits, and offering a new transportation option with existing travel purchases,” said Greg Schulze, senior vice president of commercial strategy and services at Expedia Group. “Adding rail will allow travelers to create new types of package holidays, such as combining train travel with a hotel stay, a car hire, or other activities at their destination.”
Schulze also acknowledged the technical and commercial differences involved in building a rail product. “We’ve learned quickly that adding rail to our business is not as easy as copy-pasting our existing booking models,” he said. “Rail is a unique platform and our partners have been great in ensuring a seamless entrance into the market and delivering high customer value as well.”
Expedia confirmed plans to expand rail booking functionality to other regions worldwide in the future as part of its growth strategy. The company intends to continue working with industry partners to integrate rail inventory, fares, and ticketing into bundled travel options while maintaining ease of use for consumers.
