GetThere announced today that it is working with rail booking company TheTrainline to integrate rail reservations into GetThereå‘s comprehensive online corporate travel reservation system. The alliance combines technology from two leaders in the UK travel industry, and is the first of its kind in the corporate travel market.
CAPTION:
Shaking on the deal at London`s Waterloo Station are (from left) Mark
Furlong, commercial director at TheTrainline, Dan Hart, head of sales at The
Trainline, Richard Adams, GetThere vice president and general manager for
Europe, and Johnny Thorsen, director of product marketing, GetThere EMEA.

GetThere’s vice president for Europe, Richard Adams, said competitor initiatives to offer similar functionality had run into problems recently, leaving some corporations “literally stranded on the platform.”

“We have been working with the TheTrainline to bring rail content into our system, offering integrated UK rail bookings to corporations and their employees. TheTrainline is a proven online rail provider and has a powerful solution for the corporate market,” Adams said.

Through the integration, companies using GetThere’s online travel reservation system will be able to offer employees a comprehensive range of bookable UK rail travel. GetThere’s powerful capabilities for showing negotiated rates will allow travellers to see their companies’ negotiated discounts when searching for options. And, using the unique GetThere Multi-Source Engine, which combines bookable travel content from global distribution systems, the Internet and other sources, GetThere will provide travellers with a fully integrated view of rail and flight alternatives, as well as car and hotel options if desired.

Companies and their staff can use TheTrainline to ticket all rail bookings, or can arrange to have ticketing handled by a travel agency of choice. GetThere is completing development work to make rail a highly integrated option in its booking process, and expects to make content from TheTrainline available before the end of the year.

Dan Hart, head of sales of TheTrainline, said the deal supported his company’s strategy of developing a strong presence in the corporate market place.

“GetThere has demonstrated that its solutions give businesses a compelling self-booking option, so there is an obvious natural synergy with TheTrainline corporate strategy,” Hart said.

GetThere
is in discussions with a number of European rail companies to make continental rail content available to its customers.

“Rail is frequently overlooked by business travellers and corporate travel managers alike, as a viable alternative to air,” Adams said. “We are working to incorporate the widest possible range of travel options for European business travellers, and we are likely to be announcing further initiatives shortly.”

Related stories on ITN:

(20/03/2003) Online Corporation Travel Expert Joins GetThere in Germany

(13/03/2003) GetThere Receives WebTrust Seal of Approval

(11/03/2003) GetThere Delivers Dynamic Fare Integration Solution

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