WorldTicket, the world's leading provider of passenger service systems and technologies for airlines, has partnered with Deutsche Bahn, Europe's largest rail operator, to make it easier for travelers to seamlessly book rail and air travel on the same route. Thus, it became possible to supplement the segment by rail to its air route. More than 50 of the world's largest airlines participate in the program, including Cathay Pacific China Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, LATAM, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines and more.

Through the integration of different modes of transport, passengers will be able to combine tickets for international flights with a train ride to and from the airport. These multimodal itineraries can be booked directly on the websites of participating airlines or through traditional and online travel agencies such as Expedia, Opodo and Etraveli. Another option is travel aggregators like Skyscanner.

Deutsche Bahn's Rail&Fly product allows flexible travel from all German train stations to all major German and other European airports, including Basel, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Brussels and Zurich. In addition, regular high-speed rail links provide a sustainable alternative to domestic short flights on busy routes such as Stuttgart-Frankfurt Airport, Düsseldorf-Frankfurt Airport, and more.

Travel agents have the opportunity to use all major global distribution systems such as Amadeus, Saber and Travelport, to offer multimodal itineraries sold exclusively in GDS under W2 flight numbers operated by Deutsche Bahn AG.

The partnership opens up the Deutsche Bahn network to the more than 78.6 million travelers who take off and land at German airports every year, as well as the airlines and travel companies that serve them.

“We are thrilled to expand our WorldTicket offering to airlines, travel agents and their passengers to support multimodal travel options, including rail,” said Per Winter, WorldTicket's vice president of commercial business development. “We are proud of our partnership with Deutsche Bahn as a key link in their extensive multi-modal network of 5,600 train stations across Germany, improving passenger experience and minimizing the risk of disruption for airlines.”

“Our partnership with WorldTicket gives our partners and passengers unprecedented access to Europe's largest economy, which serves as a global travel destination and gateway to the world,” says Sebastian Rickesmann, Head of Intermodal Cooperation at Deutsche Bahn. “Thanks to combined transportation, our passengers can reach any airport within Germany efficiently, making it easier to choose rail over domestic flights and avoid traffic congestion.”

With 100% brand recognition across Germany and 80 index points satisfaction with long-distance travel, Deutsche Bahn is the ideal partner for airlines wishing to establish themselves in the German and European markets and provide their passengers with a safe and convenient way to complete the first or last leg of their journey.