Deutsche Bahn joins Star Alliance as first non-airline partner

German practice operator Deutsche Bahn is to develop into the primary non-airline accomplice of the Star Alliance group of carriers.

The rail firm will develop into the primary “intermodal” accomplice of the alliance from 1 August, as a part of a transfer designed to spice up sustainable journey choices.

The brand new association will see each DB clients and passengers of Star Alliance member airways, which embody Lufthansa, combining worldwide flights with practice journey in Germany.

The alliance stated this initiative would “intelligently join air, rail and different modes of transport” and it deliberate to forge extra intermodal partnerships with different floor transport suppliers around the globe.

Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance, stated it was “opening the doorways of Star Alliance past the airline world” by DB’s membership.

“Our new mannequin for intermodal partnerships creates the situations for co-ordinated co-operation between completely different modes of transport in all Star Alliance markets,” added Goh. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Deutsche Bahn as our first Star Alliance intermodal accomplice.”

DB already works on intermodal partnerships with particular person airways, such because the Lufthansa Categorical Rail service, which was extended to more German cities last year and has seen bookings double since 2010.

Michael Peterson, DB’s board member for long-distance passenger transport, stated: “From Freiburg to Singapore, you solely want one ticket for that. With enticing inner-German connections and simultaneous hyperlinks to worldwide journey chains, Deutsche Bahn and Star Alliance make a major contribution to lowering CO2 emissions within the transport sector.” 

“That is how we get extra folks off the airplane and onto the environmentally pleasant rail. In shut co-operation with the airways, we are actually tackling the mobility turnaround. We are able to community our presents in such a manner that we will optimally use the respective strengths of our modes of transport.”