As travellers seek a slower pace and more authentic experiences, rail travel is having a renaissance.
The fourth annual Railbookers Group Summit is being held in Vancouver this week, and Open Jaw is among the media in attendance. Railbookers President and CEO Frank Marini told a packed house of travel partners that his company’s revenues jumped 25% last year.
“We really simplify rail travel,” Marini told a crowded ballroom. “From tickets and seat reservations, knowing where to sit, the best time to go, where to go, the hotels, sightseeing and more. We simplify that for our travel partners and make it easy for them. We’re like the travel agent for the travel agent.
“People don’t know what’s possible by rail. Whether it’s alpine peaks, mountain lakes, hilltop villages, you name it. We have more than 5,200 itineraries to 49 countries and almost 1,000 cities on six continents. And once Antarctica has a train station, we’ll be there as well.”
Railbookers has brought back rail journeys in Japan and also added trips in Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Up next year are rail trips in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Hong Kong.
Marini said the company saw a 44% growth rate from travel advisors last year and that Railbookers is setting up a new concierge team to help travel agents.
“We’re really creating our own segment. It’s hard to think that 15 years ago we had 18 people. We are upwards of 400 today in six countries around the world.”
Officials said a redesigned website launching next year will simplify the booking process and help advisors sell rail journeys more effectively.
“We’re doubling down on supporting our travel partners,” the meeting was told.
Marini said Railbookers works closely with advisors around the world and offers standard fams and personalized advisor discounts, allowing any preferred travel buyer to take discounted Railbookers trips at any time.
“We had 52% more agents book discount trips with us last year,” said Marini.
They also had thousands of advisors inquire about organized fam trips they’re offering in 2027, including journeys in Switzerland, Japan, Italy and the Canadian Rockies.
“Even travel advisors don’t always know rail,” Marini told summit attendees. “They know cruise, they know Disney, they know resorts. They may know escorted tours. They don't know rail, and every rail system on Earth, as we know, is different.”
Marini said Railbookers’ luxury sales are up 123%. The company works with rail companies such as La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Rocky Mountaineer, and Golden Eagle Luxury Trains.
Marini entered the meeting room at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver following a tongue-in-cheek video that showed him dancing to a modern, hip-hoppy tune alongside a sort of conga line of Railbookers employees. Dressed in cowboy gear and sunglasses, he announced that a new Railbookers global head office in Nashville will open next year.
The big reveal of the day came when Senior Vice President Andrew Channell announced a new partnership between Railbookers and AmaWaterways.
“It was a natural fit,” said Ann Chamberlin, Senior Director, Key Accounts, AmaWaterways.
"The new partnership with Ama Waterways means travellers can combine an Ama Waterways sailing on Europe's famed rivers with time exploring the continent by rail, all planned on a single Railbookers' itinerary. The partnership extends Railbookers' Cruise and Rail collection, complementing its 51 cruise extension products."
More details on the partnership are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks, she said.
Next year, AmaWaterways will introduce the Ama Rudi, named for its founder Rudi Schreiner, said Chamberlin. The ship will be a double-width affair with a full-size pickleball court and Jimmy’s Wine Bar (you can’t go wrong with a name like that). The Ama Fiora also launches next year on the Rhine River.
While the Danube and the Rhine remain its core journeys, Chamberlin noted that AmaWaterways also sails in other European countries, as well as in Vietnam, Colombia and Egypt.
Marini said four trends stood out over the past year:
- Nothing is slowing down demand
- Luxury travel is on an even higher trajectory
- Boomers and Gen X are leading the way in what he calls the "silver tsunami"
- The need for human service (hello, advisors) is actually growing in an AI world
Those themes echoed in discussions on luxury rail travel, accessibility and the evolving role of travel advisors.
Summit attendees heard from a variety of speakers and panellists, including John Sage, founder and CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions.
Sage said many people don’t realize that 20% of the population has some type of disability.
“Nobody’s really marketing to this demographic. And it’s not a niche market. There’s huge demand out there. And that demographic tends to have some really attractive qualities for anyone selling travel. The first is that they spend 30% more than the general population. The second is that they tend to be very loyal customers.”
Railbookers Group on 10NOV announced a new collaboration with ATS, launching with five itineraries made specifically for travellers with mobility, sensory and other needs.
There were also panel discussions highlighting offerings from VIA Rail, Amtrak, Caledonian Sleeper, Trenitalia and other rail providers.
Tom Dumbrell of Golden Eagle Luxury Trains highlighted rail trips, including a Silk Road journey between Tashkent and Almaty and one between Budapest and Venice.
Alice Duviquet of La Dolce Vita Orient Express said the company has restored forgotten carriages to their original splendour, with meals designed by a Michelin chef.
Following a day of meetings and seminars, Railbookers Group Summit attendees were treated to an evening reception at the Rocky Mountaineer train station in Vancouver. A bagpiper serenaded people as they entered the station, and attendees could sip sparkling wine and nibble on munchies as they toured both the Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail trains brought in for the occasion.
