What destinations are trending with rail expert Railbookers? And what are some of the biggest misconceptions about booking rail travel? We get the lowdown from Railbookers’ VP Global Sales, Cris David, in this edition of Take 5.

1. The company held its first Global Summit in Phoenix earlier this year. Why do you think it was important to have this kind of event, and what feedback did you get from members about it?

“For us the Global Summit that took place in Phoenix in February was particularly significant.

“During COVID we took the decision to close our physical offices in Boston, Laguna Hills, London and Sydney, and embrace a 100% virtual model.

“Today our entire workforce, more than 270 strong, is home-based with team members located in 35 U.S. states and five countries around the world. Many of the staff currently working with us had not met any of their colleagues face to face before the conference in Phoenix and even those who had been on board when the offices were open had only interacted virtually with co-workers for several years.

“So the Global Summit was all about connection and reconnection – experiencing the magic of being together and sharing an intense few days of learning, strategizing and socialising. Everyone who attended the conference came away feeling inspired by the atmosphere of collaboration, energy and genuine excitement that characterised the meeting – celebrating the company’s incredible growth and working together to set a path for our collective future.”

Switzerland’s Bernina Express

2. What’s especially popular for Railbookers, in terms of destinations and/or itineraries, as we head towards 2025?

“Here are a few …

“Scenic Switzerland from Zurich, 9 days (https://www.railbookers.ca/trips/scenic-switzerland-from-zurich): This all-encompassing eight-night rail odyssey of Switzerland takes in the best this wonderful country has to offer. Start with a two-night stay in grand St Moritz from where you take a ride onboard the stunning Bernina Express train. Take the spectacular Glacier Express train to historical Zermatt for two nights, and enjoy the iconic Matterhorn Mountain via the Gornergrat Cog Railway. Travel to lakeside Montreux for a relaxing night before continuing your journey along the GoldenPass line to the traditional Swiss town of Lucerne. Enjoy three nights here with day trips on the world’s steepest cogwheel train line on Mount Pilatus, and also to the highest railway station in Europe on the Jungfrau Railway.

“Grand Rome, Florence and Venice (https://www.railbookers.ca/trips/grand-rome-florence-and-venice): So, why visit Italy? The reasons are endless. On this Ultimate Grand Rome, Florence and Venice rail journey, you’ll discover all the beauty and allure of three of Europe’s most legendary cities. Throw coins into the Trevi Fountain, explore the Forum and Renaissance architecture, ancient ruins, and world-class museums. Stroll through Florence’s piazzas and meandering alleyways. Adventure into Tuscan wine country on a day trip, and learn how to make pasta in a cooking class. Wrap up your trip with the picture-postcard perfect Venice, with its iconic canals and gondolas, stunning basilicas, and cozy seaside restaurants serving cicchetti (the Venetian take on tapas). This Grand Rome, Florence and Venice rail journey truly offers something for every traveller.

“The Best of Ireland, 10 days (https://www.railbookers.ca/trips/the-best-of-ireland): Experience the myriad charms of Ireland! Discover rolling countryside, sparkling coastline, ancient landmarks and traditional customs of the Emerald Isle, breezing from city to city by train and enjoying handpicked daytrips, sightseeing tours and tickets to help you get the most out of your stay.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

“Italy is the country we are seeing the most demand for next year, especially the three most popular tourism destinations of Rome, Florence and Venice. The Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast and Italian Lakes also rank near the top of our list of most frequently requested destinations, all easily and conveniently accessible on Trenitalia’s high speed trains and ideally suited for independent exploration with all hotels, transfers, sightseeing tours and excursions included in the Railbookers package.

Venice, Italy

“Switzerland is the number two destination for us, with a wonderful network of rail routes connecting all the cities, towns and charming alpine villages throughout the country. Switzerland is also famous for the iconic scenic trains that traverse the Alps, like the Glacier Express, Bernina Express and Golden Pass as well as the specially designed cogwheel trains that transport passengers to the summits of iconic alpine peaks like Mount Pilatus, Jungfrau and the Gornergrat. Aside from the beauty of its historic towns and lakeside resorts and the spectacular mountain scenery the trains themselves are a highlight of the journey, which accounts for the huge popularity of our Switzerland packages.

“Ireland has become extremely sought after for independent travel by train, as the rail network connects the popular tourism destinations of Dublin, Killarney and Galway and provides convenient access to Belfast. Getting around Ireland by train is easy and comfortable, and Railbookers Best of Ireland package leaves no stone unturned in terms of sightseeing inclusions: Day trip to Cork and Blarney Castle, full day Ring of Kerry tour, Giants Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, the Titanic Museum and more!”

3. What are some of the misconceptions about rail travel that you want to clear up for travel agents? 

“That it is difficult to book and doesn’t pay much commission. At Railbookers we partner directly with rail operators in Europe and globally and we have proprietary technology that enables us to access rail inventory and book any and all rail segments seamlessly, even with multi-destination itineraries including multiple different train companies.

“As we are the rail experts, our res consultants can simplify and demystify the complex aspects of rail for travel agents, making it seamless and easy to book. We are a one-stop-shop for rail, hotels, sightseeing tours and transfers and all components of the package are commissionable, making it not only convenient but very lucrative for agents to work with rail as a product category.

“That European rail can only be booked 2-3 months prior to departure. This is a common pain point for travel agents with European rail bookings – space is only published by rail operators (Trenitalia, Renfe, SNCF) 30-90 days prior to departure, requiring them to leave the rail portion of their clients’ itineraries to be booked later, when the seats become available. At Railbookers, we allow agents to book and confirm the rail and all other components of their client’s trip a full 24 months in advance, with the price guaranteed once deposit is paid.

“That it’s faster to fly than go by train. With most of the rail network throughout Europe serviced by high-speed trains, travel times by rail can be significantly shorter than flying. When traveling by train from a major European city like Paris, Madrid or Rome the stations are in the heart of the city in close proximity to the hotels we normally book and check-in is so quick and easy that it is only necessary to arrive at the station 30 minutes prior to departure. Given that stations are in city centres, the trains can exceed 300 km/h and the time from curb to seat is only 30 minutes, traveling between European cities by rail is undoubtedly the best way for clients to maximise their time in destination, often freeing up half a day for sightseeing that would have been consumed by air travel wait time and airport transfers. Furthermore, the train enables travelers to experience the destination as they traverse the country at ground level seeing the countryside as they move through it.

“That information, advice and support about train travel is scarce and hard to find. Many agents have confided in us that they shy away from rail bookings because they find it difficult to get the advice and support they need to book trains in Europe and worldwide. At Railbookers we have the expertise and in-depth knowledge to advise and assist travel agents with the detailed questions they have about rail bookings – routes, schedules, timetables, seat configurations, classes of service. And once the questions are answered and the itinerary has been determined, we can book all segments two years out.”

4. What do travel agents need to know when booking an itinerary with Railbookers? Can you walk us through the process?

“Customizable itineraries or build from scratch. Agents can select from our extensive portfolio of ready-made itineraries, customize an existing package or create a tailor-made vacation to meet the client’s exact requirements.

“Work with Railbookers Inside Sales consultant one on one to create the itinerary in real time and create an instant quote. The way to book with Railbookers is by phone – call our toll-free res number and our res consultants will work with you to build the itinerary to suit your client, selecting the required rail segments in economy, business or first class, hotels in each destination from our wide selection of 3-5 star options, tours and sightseeing highlights as required and any transfers needed.

“Deposit (usually $250 pp) locks in the price and confirms all services up to 2 years out. Even as far as 24 months prior to travel the deposit confirms all services and locks in the quoted rate.

“Work with your go-to specialist AE. If a travel advisor prefers not to book by phone, they are welcome to send an email to a Railbookers res consultant they have worked with in the past. Many agents love being able to refer their new FIT inquiries to their personal go-to specialist on the Railbookers team.

“Non consecutive days & fill in the gaps. The Railbookers product is extremely flexible, enabling us to connect the dots and fill in the gaps in any itinerary a travel agent may be working on for their client. Our bookings to not have to be for consecutive days and the only requirement is that the itinerary includes one rail segment and one hotel night. We specialize in pre and post cruise land extension packages for clients who wish to spend a few additional days exploring the inland highlights from a river or ocean port.

“Luxury rail packages with other components. Luxury rail is a big part of the Railbookers product portfolio and has been the biggest area of product development for us recently. Because many luxury train journeys are often only 2-3 days in duration we have created a wide selection of packages including luxury trains like the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, Royal Scotsman and Rocky Mountaineer along with other complementary rail experiences and destinations to create unique packages showcasing destination highlights in addition to the luxury train.

“Tour operator, not rail ticketer. Railbookers is not just a rail supplier, but a full-service FIT tour operator specializing in rail. We are truly a one-call solution for FIT bookings handling all aspects of independent travel aside from flights and rental cars.”

5. How has Railbookers enhanced its portfolio for 2024, and what unique experiences have travellers enjoyed this year?

“For 2024 we have introduced several fantastic new destinations into our product portfolio. In fact, we have placed a Railbookers flag in the one continent where we didn’t previously operate: South America.

South America

“21 fantastic new itineraries featuring Ecuador and Peru, including Galapagos Yacht cruising, Belmond luxury trains, the Sacred Valley, Amazon cruising and Lake Titicaca.

New Zealand

“Six incredible trips showcasing New Zealand’s scenic and cultural highlights, and featuring spectacular journeys on the TranzAlpine, Coastal Paacific and Northern Explorer trains.

Southern Africa

“Nine bucket list journeys featuring five countries. Explore Southern Africa in ultimate style on Rovos Rail while taking in all the highlights of the region: Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Kruger National Park Safari and Victoria Falls.”

Lake Como, Italy

For more information check out railbookers.ca. Travel advisors can also log into Railbookers’ Travel Agent Portal here.