Rail Europe in talks with Indian Rly for ticket booking access

MUMBAI: European railway major Rail Europe plans to soon offer customers the option of booking tickets aboard luxury trains being operated by Indian Railways through their website.

Rail Europe is in talks with authorities at Indian Railways to allow each other access to ticket booking systems so that passengers booking for trains in Europe can book tickets for trains in India and vice versa.

"Markets like Australia, Japan, South America and New Zealand are interested in Indian Railways and have been seeking information about luxury trains here," Rail Europe, sales director for Asia, Florence Pasquier said.

"We would like links to maximum luxury trains like the Deccan Odyssey and Palace on Wheels," she said.

Rail Europe is in talks to allow booking on Indian trains through their website by January 2010 and is open to allowing Indian passengers to book European trips through their existing website, Rail Europe India Executive Director Gopi Iengar said.

The railway service which covers almost all of Europe also announced the creation of a special website for Indian commuters, where travelers can book their tickets or rail passes in rupees using credit cards.