Rail Europe, in association with both Rail Plus & CIT Holidays, has announced that effective in coming weeks, agents will have access to the complete range of fares across Trenitalia’s lines, including Trenitalia’s lead in fares, which offer discounts of up to 70% off the normal fares.

Manager Australasia of Rail Europe, Richard Leonard, says this is an important and long-awaited move especially for this market because Trenitalia services are some of the more popular lines used by Aussie travellers.

International Rail has expanded its product range by recently launching a new dedicated booking service under the brand “International Ferry” that is available for travel agents to book their clients ferry crossings around the world.

International Ferry provides expert advice and a reliable booking service with access to over 70 European ferry operators, covering over 100 journeys. Agents can earn commission on all bookings.

A recent poll of global travellers has shown that 79 per cent of them would choose train over plane for travel in Europe where high speed rail options existed, according to International Rail chief Jonathan Hume.

L-R: Rudi Fischer, head of DB sales in Aisa, Susann Schwachenwald, German National Tourism Office, Jonathan Hume, managing director International Rail

Confirming that perception yesterday at a Sydney media gathering, the head of Deutsche Bahn Sales Asia, Mr Rudi Fischer, said travel by rail was fast becoming the preferred mode of travel around Europe for both business people and tourists and that his company carried more than two billion people on 27,000 services in a year.

Mr Fischer said that Deutsche Bahn had been a little surprised by the soaring demand by Australian travellers for rail services in Europe and had made his current five-day visit to push the availability and suitability of German rail journeys through DB’s exclusive partnership with Melbourne-based International Rail.

He said that consumer response indicated that Australians love to travel by rail in Europe and appreciated the high levels of comfort, frequent schedules and rail’s capacity to take visitors right to the centre of town.

Australian travellers are taking to rail travel in Europe like ducks to water, which has prompted leading German railway Deutsche Bahn (DB) to send Rudi Fischer, international head of the Asia-Australia region, downunder.

Next week Fischer will meet travel agents, trade media and other tourism bodies in Sydney and Melbourne to promote the availability and suitability of German rail journeys through DB’s exclusive partnership with International Rail.

Spring has sprung in Europe and BritRail is celebrating it with their “Free Day” Promotion. Agents can now pass on to their clients a free travel day in England, Wales and Scotland when they book one of the BritRail passes including the Consecutive Pass, Flexipass, England Consecutive and England Flexipass.

Agents can speak to their preferred distributors – Rail Plus, Rail Tickets, CIT Holidays for more information. Bookings must be made by 15 April 2013 and tickets validated within six months from the date of issue. For contact details for any of the distributors, visit the Australasia section of www.raileurope.fr/wheretobuy.

Rail Tickets has announced that due to the fall in the Australian Dollar versus the Euro, adjustments must be made to pricing accordingly. Prices will increase effective immediately however agents will have until 5pm (AEDST) on Monday 29th October 2012 to finalise payment for all existing bookings to avoid the price increase.