Deutsche Bahn
(DB), leading European provider of transportation, and KDS announce their
agreement to provide online train booking capabilities to German corporate
travelers using KDS Corporate, KDS`s online business travel management
solution. Users of KDS

Corporate will be able to book Deutsche Bahn railway
services while planning their business trips.

This joint solution includes full access to DB corporate rates as well as
the use of the innovative DB OnlineTicket, which enables travelers to print
their tickets themselves up until 1 hour before train departure.

At Deutsche Bahn, about 25% of global long distance trips are for business
purposes. As European corporations rely heavily on trains for business
travel, the partnership with Deutsche Bahn brings added services to KDS`s
corporate customers. In Germany and Switzerland, KDS counts Henkel, AirPlus,
Novartis, CSC among its clients.

This strategic partnership enables business travelers connected to KDS
Solutions to access train schedules, availabilities and fares and to book
their train tickets on Deutsche Bahn`s online reservation system. Thus, KDS
empowers KDS Corporate users with a real opportunity to optimize their time
when planning business trips.

With this agreement, KDS continues to carry out its mission to provide its
international customers greater freedom of choice in suppliers (travel
agencies, service providers). With this Direct Link policy, KDS supports
SNCF, the French railways company, as well as byrail/Eurostar, for Eurostar
trains and National UK Rail trains, and now, the German railway services
with Deutsche Bahn. KDS Direct Link is a complementary option of KDS
Corporate that provides direct access to non-GDS databases such as these
train reservation systems and enables direct bookings.

KDS Corporate is an international solution providing global companies with a
solution suited to their local needs, such as travel services and habits,
and multilingual capabilities, while still answering their global
requirements: reporting, negotiation with suppliers, and travel policy
enforcement, etc.

“KDS, as the leading European player for online business travel management
solutions, permanently enhances its solutions in order to fit best with the
needs of each major regional market. Large corporations with a strong
presence in Germany expect their online booking solution to support train
service. Our partnership with Deutsche Bahn demonstrates the strong KDS
commitment in developing its presence and position on the German market,”
said Jean-François Vergnangeal, Vice President Marketing & Strategic
Alliances at KDS.

This partnership includes a close technological and business relationship
between the two companies for joint deployments for large European &
German-based corporations.

 

 

The first version of the direct link between Deutsche Bahn and KDS will be
available in Spring, 2003.

Related stories on ITN:

(21/02/2003) Byrail Partnership with KDS Enables Business Travellers to Book Rail Online

 

(21/02/2003) KDS Forms New Partnership with JetBlue
(04/02/2003) New KDS Corporate Empowers Corporations with Freedom
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