Air Canada is revolutionizing travel between North America and Europe with its innovative air-to-rail program, forging partnerships with major European rail systems. The collaboration includes Austria’s ÖBB, France’s SNCF Voyageurs, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, and Swiss Federal Railways in Switzerland.

This groundbreaking initiative allows travelers flying with Air Canada to effortlessly book train connections to various European destinations. The intermodal rail connections span major European countries, enhancing the convenience and sustainability of travel within the continent.

Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning for Air Canada, emphasized the creation of intermodal hubs and the convenience of reaching major cities and popular destinations in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. By integrating rail options for short-haul segments of travelers’ journeys, Air Canada is prioritizing sustainable travel alternatives for touring Europe.

Booking a flight on Air Canada’s website now offers the added feature of seamlessly purchasing train tickets to reach the final destination. This air-to-rail partnership enables travelers to explore smaller and mid-sized European cities from key international gateways, including Paris, Frankfurt, Geneva, Munich, Vienna, and Zurich.

For instance, passengers arriving at Paris-Charles de Gaulle can seamlessly continue their journey to cities like Bordeaux or Marseille via high-speed rail—all within a single booking. Travelers can check in for both their flight and train, and in case of flight disruptions, reschedule train tickets hassle-free.

The program ensures optimal coordination between train and plane, offering a frictionless transit experience with a single ticket for the entire journey and a transfer and connection guarantee in case of delays and disruptions.

This initiative builds on the existing partnership between Star Alliance and German rail Deutsche Bahn, Air Canada’s first intermodal travel partner since August 2022. Notably, United Airlines has also joined forces with Deutsche Bahn.

Air Canada will extend its collaboration by launching a codeshare on Deutsche Bahn’s Lufthansa Express Rail in 2024, providing additional benefits for travelers. As the demand for summer travel to Europe continues to surge, Air Canada’s air-to-rail program will play a pivotal role, aligning with the carrier’s peak summer 2024 flying schedule and reinforcing Toronto and Montreal as major transatlantic hubs.