Travel agents now have the ability to search, book and ticket Amtrak journeys with Rail Online. With all prices in Australian dollars, the move means Rail Online is the only online travel agent (OTA) in Australia offering a 24/7 connection to live Amtrak inventory.
Chief executive James Dunne says that by offering live booking capability in Australian dollars, Rail Online has made it more cost-effective, efficient and convenient for travel agents to book Amtrak journeys.
“Currently Australian travel agents booking Amtrak e-tickets must pay in US dollars, which means that bookings attract foreign transaction fees,” James Dunne said.
“Agents, and their clients, can now avoid those fees altogether. In addition, agents booking through Rail Online have the freedom and flexibility to self-manage all itinerary changes and refunds, saving significant time.”
James Dunne says the addition of Amtrak is timely because Rail Online was seeing strong enquiry levels for North American rail journeys, reflecting current air capacity constraints between Australia and Europe.
Amtrak’s network connects more than 500 destinations in 46 United States and three Canadian provinces. The company’s fleet of more than 300 trains includes 20 Acela high-speed trainsets, which reach speeds of up to 240 km/h, making it the fastest passenger service in the Western Hemisphere.
James Dunne added that the addition of Amtrak’s North American services brings Rail Online one step closer to fulfilling its aim of being “the one-stop-shop for all travel agent rail bookings in Australia and New Zealand”.
Agents can register for Rail Online at www.rail.online/createAgency
