Berlin’s Omio and Rail Europe Join Forces to Redefine Global Rail Travel

Berlin’s Omio Group is set to reshape the rail travel landscape with its planned acquisition of Rail Europe, a long-standing French rail distribution leader. The deal, awaiting final approvals, will merge Rail Europe’s extensive network with Omio’s multimodal platform, which includes its consumer booking service, B2B distribution, and Rome2Rio.

Jean-Francois Bessiron, Omio’s Chief B2B Officer, sees this as a game-changer for ground transport, stating, “This partnership could unlock a new era of seamless, cost-effective train travel.” The move reflects a growing trend in European TravelTech, with recent investments totaling over €168 million in startups like Nox Mobility and happyhotel.

Rail Europe’s CEO, Björn Bender, notes the strategic fit: “Omio’s tech and scale complement our deep rail expertise and global reach.” The combined entity will serve 28,000 transport operators, selling 22 million tickets yearly, and employ 680 people across global offices, including Berlin and Paris.

The acquisition aligns with a booming rail market, projected to surpass €261 billion by 2032, as Europe invests heavily in rail infrastructure. The transaction remains contingent on consultation with the CSE.