Virgin Trains to sell tickets via Amazon Alexa

Virgin Trains has become the first travel company in the world to sell tickets through Amazon Alexa. Customers with an Amazon Echo can now book Virgin Trains Advance Single tickets via Alexa using the Amazon Pay service. The launch follows … Continue reading →

Virgin Trains has become the first travel company in the world to sell tickets through Amazon Alexa.

Customers with an Amazon Echo can now book Virgin Trains Advance Single tickets via Alexa using the Amazon Pay service.

The launch follows the unveiling of the Virgin Trains skill for Amazon Alexa in November last year, which allows customers to enquire about rail information by asking Alexa.

Virgin Trains says the move is “one of a range of innovations” to increase customer satisfaction in its long-term ambition “to work in a digital railway”.

It has introduced mobile ticketing, automatic compensation, amd on-demand entertainment.

John Sullivan, Virgin Trains CIO said: “We’re very excited to be the first travel company in the world to sell tickets for both Virgin Trains on the East Coast and West Coast through Amazon Alexa; it’s just another example of Virgin Trains leading the way in digital innovation within the rail industry. From finding train times online, to arriving at your destination, we want to make every journey with Virgin Trains amazing, and our collaboration with Amazon is a great example of this commitment to putting the customer first.”

“We’re thrilled to work with Virgin Trains to offer customers a completely new way to buy train tickets,” said Giulio Montemagno, director, Amazon Pay EU. “With Alexa and Amazon Pay, Virgin Trains customers can now search, select and buy train tickets entirely through voice. This is a first-of-a-kind service that will make it easier than ever to find and book the ticket you want, even when you’re busy doing something else—all you need to do is ask Alexa.”

Anyone called Alexa travelling on Virgin Trains West Coast routes between May 3 and June 15 this year will receive a free First Class upgrade as part of the promotion.

Both East Coast and West Coast customers who book train travel via the Virgin Trains skill for Amazon Echo between by May 23 will also be entered into a prize draw to win an all-inclusive Virgin Holiday for four in Antigua.