The ability for travelers to fly to Europe, connect to a train, and return on the same ticket is a service that Delta Air Lines is significantly increasing.
Following the launch of the option for travel between Amsterdam and two train destinations in Belgium just over a year ago, the Atlanta-based carrier this week announced an expansion of its Air + Rail service.
The air/rail program is now expanding by 20 new locations thanks to Delta.
It comes as more airlines expand their list of European rail partners.
If you're planning a vacation to Europe in the near future, you might want to think about combining your train and flight tickets for convenience's sake, but make sure to shop around to ensure you're getting the greatest value on both the train and the flight parts of your journey.
There have been instances where it was less expensive to schedule the flight and train trip together than to do it separately.
With still more instances where you could have been better off financially booking air and rail separately, there were other times when the price of the air/rail combo was relatively equal to the price of purchasing each ticket independently.
In order to get the best deal on your tickets, you should constantly weigh the cost, how straightforward the trip will be, and any additional preferences you may have.
Delta Air + Rail
In August 2021, Delta initially introduced its Air + Rail option.
Since then, passengers have had the option of booking a flight to Amsterdam with a rail link to either Brussels or Antwerp in Belgium.
The airline is currently working to significantly increase the number of locations it serves as part of a number of similar collaborations.
Additional possibilities by air and rail include:
• Fly to Brussels, then use SNBC's rail service to connect on a train to Breda or Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
• Fly to Manchester, England, then take the TransPennine Express train to one of seven cities in the United Kingdom.
• Fly to Rome, then take a train with Trenitalia to one of four Italian cities, such as Bologna or Florence.
• Fly to Zurich or Geneva, then use SBB to connect to one of seven Swiss locations.
How it operates
Booking your train and flight together through an airline is advantageous since it, first and foremost, makes things simpler.
You will have a single confirmation number for both your train and aircraft tickets, and you will travel under a single reservation.
Due to relationships with other companies, if you have a delay on your trip, whether it be at the airport or train station, you'll be instantly re-booked on a later train or aircraft.
This is undoubtedly simpler than having to rebook if you decide to take separate rail and flight itineraries for your trip.
When you land in Europe, you'll go through customs, get your luggage (it won't be transported to the train automatically), and then make your way to the station.
From there, you board the train you have already reserved to travel farther to your destination.
Although Delta will sell you the train ticket, you will manage the aspects of your reservation that are particular to the train through the independent web platform AccesRail.
Using your Delta confirmation number, you can check in for your train travel there 72 hours before it departs.
On the railway leg of the trip, the majority of Delta passengers will ride in coach, but Delta One customers will ride in the "luxury" carriage.
Planned travel
You can really enter a train station found in one of the approved cities as your final destination when you try to book your ticket.
For example, I attempted this using Antwerp, Belgium, one of the places that Delta's Air + Rail cooperation already serves.
When making a reservation, be sure to check for the "includes train" remark.
Looking at April travel dates, a round trip ticket on Delta costs $1,243 from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Antwerp.
Like when you have a stopover, it states there will be a stop at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), but this time you won't board another aircraft.
You should have plenty of time to get through customs once you get at Schiphol at 5:55 a.m. before your 7:34 a.m. flight.
the train to Antwerp.
I then decided to test it by plugging in just a simple round-trip airfare between New York and Amsterdam — with no train connection — in order to discover exactly how much the train ride was increasing the price of my aircraft ticket.
When I did this, the cost increased to $1,324 even though the train ticket was not included.
In this instance, establishing a train connection reduced my costs.
Let's examine one of the new routes: a flight to Rome can take you by plane to Bologna, Italy, where you can board a train.
Between Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) and the rail station in Bologna, you'll have to change trains a few times, costing $1,071 for a round-trip ticket in March.
Just the round-trip airfare to Rome would have cost $955, which is over $100 cheaper.
The price is about equal to booking individually in this situation, however you might be able to locate a more direct train route if you book the rail leg separately, according to Trenitalia, Delta's partner carrier in Italy. Train fares frequently cost $40 to $70 each way.
SkyMiles earning
Can you earn more Delta SkyMiles by booking your air and rail travel at the same time? is one of the important queries that is certain to be raised here.
No, according to Delta.
For the time being, only the flight element of your trip will earn you miles.
The train segment should, however, show up as an airline purchase on your credit card statement because it is part of the overall fee you pay to Delta.
Because of this, you might be able to earn significantly more by purchasing the train tickets through Delta than by paying a third-party rail operator if you have a credit card that gives you extra points or miles on airline purchases or purchases made through Delta.
In conclusion
If you're willing to buy your rail tickets at the same time you buy your airline tickets, Delta's Air + Rail service, which now offers 20 new locations, might be something to think about.
Riding the train won't immediately earn you SkyMiles, but it might simplify your next international trip's travel plans.
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