Eurostar online bookings reach 30%

Eurostar has revealed around a third of bookings are now made via its website, as it looks to expand its partnership with Expedia. The high speed train service provider said fares bought via its dot-com site had increased from just 10% in 2003 to around 30% so far this year. The number of customers using…

Eurostar has revealed around a third of bookings are now made via its website, as it looks to expand its partnership with Expedia.

The high speed train service provider said fares bought via its dot-com site had increased from just 10% in 2003 to around 30% so far this year.

The number of customers using its dynamic packaging trip tool on the site has also seen a massive increase in popularity in 2006.

Bookings using the tool increased by around 50% between June and July this year, Eurostar said this week.

Expedia and Eurostar this week shook hands on a deal to incorporate package breaks on the online travel agent’s UK site.

The system will allow users to create holidays using Eurostar services and Expedia’s hotels to Paris, Brussels, Disneyland Paris, Avignon and ski destinations during the winter.

Expedia UK marketing director Elyas Chowdhury said: “The partnership with Eurostar sees us strengthening our relationship with the high-speed passenger service and providing customers with more choice for travel to the continent.”