Business travellers choosing rail over air

Continued budgetary constraints by employers have left many business travellers increasingly choosing to make their journeys by rail rather than road or air, as the purse strings that have been so steadfastly tightened during the recession show little signs of being loosened.

Statistics released by the Guild of Travel Management companies show that travel agent bookings for train travel rose by 13 percent in 2009, which they argue accounts for 80 percent of all business travel expenditure throughout the UK for the period.

Bookings for rental cars correspondingly fell by 13 percent, with air travel bookings down by 15 percent said the guild. The declines came despite numerous moves by airlines, budget carriers in particular, to slash prices and offer a range of cost-saving promotions.

The resurgent rail industry is eagerly anticipating the continuation of the trend and sees business travel as a key market to future industry success. Also welcomed by rail operators will be the latest publication of data relating to planned high-speed rail networks across Britain, which are rapidly taking shape as the Labour government continues its promotion of more environmentally friendly transport options.

Virgin Trains, who in conjunction with Stagecoach run the western survives, has said that bookings for the London – Glasgow line had doubled in the past 12 months. CEO Tony Collins has already stated that the goal of his organisation is to have replaced all business air travel within the decade.