Airline and railway realities have changed a lot over the past few years. On the one hand, airlines have been looking at profitable ways to increase their reach and fill up the hubs from which they operate their most lucrative routes. On the other hand, many railways have seen competition rise in what used to be state-monopoly environments. These realities have unfolded in a context in which political authorities are increasingly imposing environmental and operational constraints on carriers. In this context, airlines and railways see better air-rail integration as a business opportunity.

Until now, air-rail cooperation was quite difficult, as both worlds had their own distribution methods and railways had standards often foreign to the airline world. This is no longer the case.

The many railways that choose AccesRail and operate under the IATA carrier code 9B can now easily interline or seamlessly code share with airlines on the primary screen displays of the global distribution system (GDS), while following IATA rules as well as the various GDS protocols. Moreover, through AccesRail, they can offer a seamless settlement process based on flown segments as per airline protocols. Today, 9B has more than 70 interline and code-share agreements.

Like any airline, AccesRail 9B files schedules through OAG, another Strategic Partner. In addition, it has an e-ticketing facility hooked up to all GDSs worldwide, an airline-type check-in facility, and a departure control system.

If integrating with a railway, checking AccesRail 9B can save time and money and prevent headaches.

Source IATA