Business Travel News | BusinessTravelNews.com

Concur said on Thursday that it now is enabling booking tool clients to shop and book Amtrak though an integrated air-rail display, taking advantage of a direct connection to the railway provider's reservations system. Concur follows NuTravel Technology Solutions and Rearden Commerce in offering Amtrak rail content through direct connect technology.

"The direct connection between Amtrak's reservations system and the Concur Connect program will not only provide easier access for Amtrak passengers booking rail travel, it will also provide a side-by-side comparison of a client's rail and air travel options," said Amtrak senior director of travel industry sales Craig White, noting that comparing rail with air options is particularly attractive to corporate clients on the Northwest Corridor.

With this new direct connection to Amtrak's reservations system, Concur clients can book point-to-point or multi-segment trips, cancel or put reservations on hold and complete payment and ticketing through the booking tool.

Concur joins NuTravel, which last year launched an Amtrak direct connection to the NuTravel CTS corporate self-booking tool via an application programming interface, and Rearden, which Amtrak said accesses its direct connect through a third party.