Business Travel

Rail Is the Next Big Thing for Asia’s Online Travel Platforms

Raini Hamdi

Photo Credit: The JR pass for JR Kansai Airport Station, Japan. Rail journeys are growing in popularity among Asians.  Klook

Skift Take

After low cost carriers, the next big thing that will change the way Asians travel could be rail. A rail-volution is in the air and online travel platforms want in. But it’s not that easy. Here’s why.

A race among online travel platforms in Asia to be the dominant one-stop shop for consumers to book rail is starting, thanks to a "rail-naissance" among travelers to explore another country or multi-destinations on tracks.

Klook has been bumping up its rail offering in the past year, enabling customers to buy point-to-point tickets and passes on its platform for trains in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China,  and last week Europe through a tie-up with Rail Europe.

Bookings have been multiplying thrice each month since last May, when Klook launched a designated rail vertical page, Chief Revenue Officer Anita Ngai told Skift. The company even expects rail sales to be as big as its mainstay current tours and activities volume currently by the end of the year.

Ctrip’s international online travel agency Trip.com has also enabled bookings for trains in China, South Korea, Germany and the UK.

With sophisticated rail net