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The Changing Face of Rail Travel

This report is a first for Amadeus and we believe a first for the industry as well. The aim was to take an in-depth look at the changes taking place within the rail industry at this point in time, and the challenges that go with them, focusing on the European and North American markets.
Findings clearly show that deregulation and increased competition will create many new challenges for rail in the future.

• Rail companies can see increased demand from both leisure and business travellers, with business travellers turning more and more away from short-haul air travel to railways.
• Deregulation provides opportunities for expansion – but new entrants to the market could pose challenges for established carriers.
• High-speed rail is increasingly recognised as an alternative to air travel, and there is significant investment in the development of high-speed networks worldwide.

Main issues and challenges
Deregulation will increase competition between rail companies and on routes – and new entrants to market might adopt previously-unseen business models. Rail companies need to move from a nationalistic distribution model to an industry-wide solution. They also have to make the customer their priority – and improve the overall travel experience.

Rail industry actors: In their words…
“The report reads like a “State of the Union” on the rail travel industry providing a broad perspective on the challenges facing the rail industry and identifying key areas of opportunity for rail companies to pursue.” Via Rail Canada
“Amadeus has hit the nail on the head with its report. The conclusions are 100% correct, particularly the suggestions on industry-wide solutions, standardisation and the future requirements of e-ticketing.” Dutch Rail