As airlines continue to work out that they are a part of the multi-modal travel method that people use to get from A to B, Delta Air Lines has expanded travel options to Europe using its Air+Rail programme.
The expanded programme will provide train connections to 20 more destinations, including 12 new cities for Delta customers in The Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
Initially launched in August 2021, for travel between Amsterdam and the Belgian cities of Brussels and Antwerp, this expansion enables connectivity directly from Brussels, Manchester, Rome Fiumicino and Zurich airports with one Delta ticket booking for the whole journey.
Delta will also add the service from Geneva when its nonstop flights from New York-JFK begin in April 2023. The airline is working with leading rail operators in each country to provide onward train journeys via stations located at the airports.
Customers can use the train to travel from:
- Brussels Airport to Breda and Rotterdam in the Netherlands with operator SCNB.
- Manchester Airport to seven cities in the U.K. with operator TransPennine Express.
- Rome Airport to four Italian cities including Bologna and Florence with operator Trenitalia.
- Zurich/Geneva Airport to seven cities in Switzerland, including Bern and Lausanne with operator SBB.
How it works
Using Delta’s Air+Rail service is easy as bookings include both segments, with those flying in Delta One receiving First Class rail travel as standard. Customers need to collect their bags from the airport before arriving at the train station where tickets can either be printed in advance or collected from the station ticket office.
Customers also have peace of mind that should disruptions occur, they will be able to travel on the next available train or flight.
In Quotes
Alain Bellemare, Delta’s President – International said
“Building more Air+Rail connections into our schedule provides a greater choice of destinations for our customers, including a number of these cities not currently served by Delta or our European partners, such as Bern, Rotterdam and York,”
“Expanding our footprint in Europe also makes it more convenient for customers to get to popular city centre locations whether traveling for business or pleasure to make the most of their time away.”
Building connections beyond the airport
The multi-modal mix is important – as I’ve highlighted before (and even did a trip report with as many modes of transit as possible). Trains however remain a key mass transit from getting people between an airport and another city, removing cars off the road and providing airport to city centre travel.
The partnerships are mostly with national operators – except the UK connection, which is a regional operator.
For travellers, it will provide some certainty, as well as an almost guaranteed travel option – unless delays get in the way..
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