Eurostar and SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create integrated intermodal journeys combining air and rail travel for millions of passengers. With Eurostar becoming SkyTeam’s first non-airline partner, customers will soon be able to book long- and medium-haul flights alongside sustainable rail journeys in a single reservation, while benefiting from SkyTeam’s alliance-wide perks.
Eurostar’s expanding rail network, which connects the U.K., France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, offers extensive opportunities for multi-city travel across Europe. This collaboration will allow passengers to fly into SkyTeam’s major hubs, such as Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, and London Heathrow, and seamlessly continue their journey by train. This partnership aims to promote more sustainable travel options, with around 13% of current Eurostar passengers being long-haul air travelers arriving at SkyTeam hubs and connecting to Eurostar destinations.
Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO of Eurostar, highlighted the significance of this collaboration: “Offering travelers the choice to see Europe in the most sustainable and convenient way by rail is a key component of Eurostar’s vision for growth. We are creating a future where travelers can connect between Eurostar trains, domestic railways, and long-haul flights, opening up our services to new markets across the globe. Today is a major step forward towards this mission, and we look forward to working with SkyTeam to develop the customer proposition so more travelers can experience Eurostar’s unique service.”
Patrick Roux, CEO of SkyTeam, expressed enthusiasm about Eurostar’s addition to the alliance: “Working with Eurostar as our first non-airline partner underscores SkyTeam’s commitment to delivering a more integrated and responsible travel experience by incorporating intermodal travel. One of the world’s most-loved train operators, with a reputation for customer service, Eurostar is a natural fit for SkyTeam. I look forward to developing our partnership and offering customers greater choice in how they travel across SkyTeam’s global network.”
Over the coming months, both companies will collaborate to integrate air-to-rail travel more seamlessly, ensuring that customers can take full advantage of both modes of transportation. The partnership is slated to launch in the first half of 2025.
Eurostar and KLM are also continuing to develop their air-rail product for customers traveling between Amsterdam and Brussels, which has already led to a reduction in flights between these two cities.
