Concur Adds Multi-Modal Transport Options From Rome2Rio

Travel managers are realizing that a focus on flights for their employees' travel is often not cost-effective or efficient.

It is in that context Concur, the travel and expense solutions company, plans to give its clients the option of planning trips using door-to-door transportation choices surfaced by travel startup Rome2Rio.

Using the Rome2Rio platform, Concur customers will be able to search for and compare door to door trips, taking into account flights, trains, buses, ferries, mass transit, and driving options, including ride-sharing, and the itinerary will be sent back to Concur as a trip request prior to booking.

“Most travelers focus on air and hotel costs, however in many cases air is simply not the best option," says Rome2Rio CEO Rod Cuthbert. "In other cases, the ‘final leg’ of the trip may have an outsize impact on trip cost. We enable business travelers to look at different travel options, compare costs, and then seek approval for the overall cost rather than only certain elements.”

The integration of Rome2Rio trip-planning options into the Concur platform won't be live until the first quarter of 2015, the companies say.

The leaders of Concur, which is slated to be acquired by SAP, pending regulatory approvals, are among the most forward-looking thinkers in business travel. The Rome2Rio integration follows Concur's recent announcement that it plans to integrate Uber rides into its clients' travel and expense reports.