EUROPEAN online rail ticketing retailer Rail Europe and Fairlyne, a French developer of a resale-as-a-service platform for the travel industry, have announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which the parties will explore opportunities to develop a ticket resale platform for Rail Europe’s customers.
Rail Europe says Fairlyne’s resale-as-a-service platform, which is designed to compensate resellers in vouchers, aligns with its vision “of creating a convenient and sustainable rail travel ecosystem.”
“Every year, hundreds of millions of euros worth of train tickets remain unused,” says Mr Björn Bender, executive chairman and CEO of Rail Europe. “This partnership with Fairlyne marks a pivotal stride in our mission to establish a more sustainable travel landscape. It underlines our ambition to continuously improve the mobility ecosystem for our customers, together with innovative partners, and to think outside the box in terms of new solutions.”
The move is significant as rail tickets are not typically sold between third parties with the ticket issuer usually responsible for any exchange or refunds. The companies say that they will “soon” announce details of first steps, products and improvements designed to “enhance the European rail travel experience.”
