Today, Egencia announces continued investment in rail for its European customers with new capabilities that empower companies with tech-enabled experiences to make responsible, sustainable travel choices.
In recognition of the growing demand for sustainable travel choices, Egencia ramped up investment in its rail product in 2021 and kept innovating for customers. Egencia continues to build on its solid European foundation, with easy-to-use trip planning and booking, and unrivalled inventory choices for travellers and arrangers across Europe.
The partnership with leading rail providers in Europe enables Egencia to offer business travellers and travel arrangers expanded inventory and enhanced online booking capabilities, adding to a strong global inventory already available with Egencia. Recent and upcoming features include:
Rail alternatives to air travel expanded to more countries and routes: In November, Egencia added more routes to its rail display on the air search page enabling travellers to select popular travel routes in Norway, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, and the US. The new lines deliver alternative options to air for more sustainable and efficient travel. This builds on Egencia’s introduction of air vs. rail display earlier this year, providing travellers and travel arrangers with the ability to compare and select rail alternatives for the same air route to reduce the impact of carbon emissions produced by business travel.
Enhanced booking experience for rail in Germany and Norway: The trusted and familiar booking experience of Germany’s leading rail provider, Deutsche Bahn, and Norway’s leading rail provider, were recently integrated into Egencia’s extensible platform. Egencia also activated a revamped rail booking experience, with a newly designed user experience and increased inventory availability and seat map for travellers and travel arrangers.
Seamless self-booking experience: In early Q4, Egencia completed several feature enhancements for travellers and travel arrangers in Spain and Norway. They can book rail online and on the Egencia app with online cancellation capabilities. In addition, travel arrangers in Norway can now book and manage rail trips for up to six travellers at the same time. These updates along with the overall rail experience give travel managers a customisable travel policy, reporting options in Egencia Analytics Studio and travel risk management features.
Rail features coming in 2022: increased self-service capabilities, enhanced seat map features and potential expansion of Egencia’s online rail capabilities to even more countries.
John Sturino, Vice President of Product & Technology at Egencia, said: “Many businesses across the globe, both large and small, are continuing to set higher and more aggressive sustainability targets. In response, we are designing innovative self-service solutions that empower our customers to reduce carbon emissions by offering alternative transport options – allowing them to save time and money while making conscious decisions on how they plan to travel in the future.”
Belén Martínez, General Services and Facility Lead at bioMérieux España, said: “Without a doubt for bioMérieux, online rail booking has been the most awaited and desired launch on the Egencia platform for our travellers in Spain. From now on, the management of train reservations will be more agile and efficient – increasing self-service for our travellers, as well as ensuring greater and better internal control with trip approval.”
Since January 2021, Egencia has launched several rail product enhancements and capabilities for customers, including new student & military fares in Norway and UK rail e-tickets in the Egencia app.
Egencia’s broader suite of sustainability features includes a carbon emissions display for air bookings; electric rental car options and charging point locations at hotels; a CO2 dashboard and reporting for air, hotel, and rail.
