Sabre
announced that travel agency customers now for the first time can book Deutsche
Bahn tickets outside Germany. The initial phase of international expansion makes
DB bookable through the web-based rail booking solution Sabre Red Rail in
Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Thailand. Agents using Sabre Red Rail in
those countries also can book rail tickets distributed by DB on behalf of
Austrian Rail and Swiss Rail.
Sabre claimed that Sabre Red Rail is an “industry-first” solution. “Our
application is web-based, bypassing the need for installations, and is
supported centrally by our DB Helpdesk,” according to a spokesperson. “It
allows agencies with an Internet connection to immediately book Deutsche Bahn
as soon as their DB license has been granted.”
Italy
is an important market for DB. The German rail operator last year launched
services into the north of the country, making it the first rail company to
take advantage of European Union cross-border deregulation introduced in
January 2010. The U.K. also is strategically important because DB has announced plans to launch a service through the Channel Tunnel to London, currently
scheduled to start in December 2013. Objections from the French government,
however, threaten the viability of the project, leaving DB unclear whether it
can proceed with ordering the necessary rolling stock. “We are waiting for a
green light,” Oliver Schmidt, the German rail operator’s U.K. and Ireland
director of international sales, told BTN.
“We need an indication in the first half of this year.”
Sabre corporate booking tool GetThere last summer introduced a link to DB, but at present GetThere only punches bookers out to the DB Bibe (Bahn
Internet Booking Engine) corporate portal. An improved process is not yet
ready, but the Sabre spokesperson said, “The extended relationship is going to
help.”
Sabre for several years has distributed French rail operator SNCF in the
United Kingdom, Italy, Greece and Benelux.