Airlines use high-speed rail to offer passengers faster connections

Air travelers in Canada, France, Germany and Spain may increasingly find that they are doing part of their journey on the ground, as airlines work with rail companies to sell tickets for combined trips.

William Agius, a lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and a frequent traveler, said he had booked tickets on Air France, Lufthansa and Swiss that included legs by rail.

“During the booking process, you notice no difference, and at the end of the process you have a message alerting you to the fact that that particular service is operated by train and not by plane,” he said.