Airlines Pioneering Strategic Rail Partnerships to Expand European Networks
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Speaking at SXSW London, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave revealed how major airline alliances are strategically partnering with European railway operators, creating integrated booking systems that optimize network efficiency while expanding passenger options.
During the debut European edition of the event, Cazenave detailed how airlines are pioneering sophisticated intermodal partnerships that allow carriers to deploy aircraft on routes where aviation excels while offering rail connections through existing booking platforms.
“We are the first railways company to sign an MOU with SkyTeam,” Cazenave told the audience during the “Connected Mobility Fireside Chat,” speaking alongside Jean Pierre Cresci, partner and Global Rail Practice leader at Oliver Wyman, in the session “Innovating At Speed—A CEO’s Vision For The Rail-Driven Future.”
However, Deutsche Bahn had previously become the first railway to partner with an airline alliance when it joined Star Alliance in August 2022, extending Lufthansa’s existing Express Rail program to all 25 member airlines. Austria’s ÖBB followed in March 2025.
Strategic Network Optimization
Following its merger with Thalys, Eurostar now operates the largest international high-speed rail network in Western Europe, serving 28 destinations across the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Airlines are strategically leveraging these connections while focusing their aircraft on longer routes where aviation provides unmatched speed and global connectivity.
The partnerships typically allow passengers to book combined journeys through airline websites, check in for both segments simultaneously, and earn frequent flyer miles on rail portions, demonstrating how airlines are expanding their service portfolios without additional aircraft investment.
KLM exemplifies this strategic approach, coordinating directly with Eurostar management to optimize schedules and capacity allocation on routes between Amsterdam and Brussels, freeing up aircraft for routes where rail alternatives don’t exist.
This builds on the airline’s broader intermodal strategy, with KLM’s CEO Marjan Rintel previously noting the carrier is “more than willing” to optimize short-haul routes through rail partnerships while “moving customers from plane to train” where it provides operational advantages.
Growing Passenger Demand
The SXSW London panel also addressed how airlines are responding to evolving passenger preferences, particularly from long-haul travelers seeking integrated European journeys.
American travelers represent a significant opportunity, with airlines facilitating seamless connections between transatlantic flights and European rail networks.
Eurostar reported 40% growth in American passengers during peak summer months, Cazenave revealed at SXSW, as long-haul carriers increasingly offer these integrated travel options to passengers arriving at major European hubs.
Industry Investment and Expansion
The financial commitment behind these partnerships demonstrates their strategic importance. Cazenave said that Eurostar plans to invest nearly 2 billion euros in up to 50 new trainsets, targeting growth from approximately 20 million passengers to 30 million by the 2030s, creating substantial expansion opportunities for airline partners.
This trend extends globally, with Air Canada launching intermodal booking options across France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in late 2023, while Malaysia Airlines introduced similar services connecting passengers to rail networks in South Korea and the United Kingdom.
Aviation Leadership in Network Innovation
The strategic logic is clear: airlines gain access to expanded European networks without additional aircraft deployment, while rail operators benefit from airlines’ sophisticated booking systems and global passenger bases. This represents aviation’s evolution into comprehensive mobility solutions providers, leveraging each transport mode’s strengths while positioning airlines as orchestrators of integrated travel experiences.