ISLAMABAD: PIA passengers travelling to London and Manchester will now be able to connect to more than 50 destinations across the UK by train, following a new partnership between Pakistan International Airlines and AccesRail.
The airline has introduced an “air-to-rail” arrangement with rail networks in the UK and Canada, allowing travelers to purchase train tickets at the same time as their flight booking. The move is aimed at making onward travel simpler by removing the need to arrange rail journeys separately.
Under the new setup, passengers can add rail segments to their itinerary through PIA booking offices, registered travel agents, as well as the airline’s website and mobile app.
PIA said the same facility will also benefit travelers arriving in Toronto, who can connect onward by rail to eight major Canadian cities through the airline’s partner service.
AccesRail works as a rail distribution provider that enables participating railway operators to sell tickets through the same systems used by airlines, including global distribution platforms.
It supports schedule and fare integration and facilitates payment handling through industry settlement processes. AccesRail currently distributes rail products for several operators, including BritRail and multiple European rail networks, and offers e-ticketing across its services.
