For those of us here at Frugal Flyer, we’re all about getting the most out of our redemptions—and that drive for maximization can take on many forms. Sometimes it’s about the numbers, like getting the highest cents-per-point value. Other times, it’s about the experience itself and the unique value it brings.
If you’ve ever traveled around Europe by train, you know it can be a much more enjoyable experience than flying. There’s no need to arrive hours in advance or deal with long security lines and crowded gates. Instead, you can simply relax on a high-speed train and take in the scenic views from your window. Many European countries have mastered rail travel, offering fast, clean, and efficient service that connects not only major cities but also the charming small towns scattered across the continent that may not have an airport.
If you haven’t explored Europe by train yet, a combined air-rail itinerary might be the ideal way to start. In this article, we’ll explore the airlines that let you book both air and rail travel on a single, seamless ticket.
What Are Combined Air-Rail Tickets?
Combined air-rail tickets (sometimes called “Rail & Fly” or “intermodal” tickets) are travel tickets that include both a flight and a train segment under a single booking. These are offered in partnership between airlines and railway companies, allowing passengers to connect between an airport and a city or region where direct flights may not be practical or available.
Most of the details of this article will primarily focus on rail travel in Europe, as this is where the majority of air-rail agreements exist. This is the ideal scenario for an air-rail itinerary, as Europe contains some of the most concentrated and efficient rail networks in the world, making a train ride often faster or comparable to a short-haul flight.
When you book a combined air and rail itinerary, you’ll receive a ticket or a voucher for both your flight and train segments. As most major European hub airports are very well connected via rail, continuing on to the train segment of your journey is oftentimes seamless.

There are plenty of benefits to booking an air-rail itinerary, so let’s go over those now.
Convenience plays a significant role in any travel decision. Trains in Europe run much more frequently and experience fewer delays, leading to shorter layovers and reduced overall travel time. In contrast, connecting flights often have fewer options and are more prone to delays.
Additionally, booking an air-rail itinerary is often more affordable and flexible than purchasing a separate connecting flight or rail ticket.
There’s also the added advantage of protection from the operator if one leg of your trip is delayed. Should you miss a segment, the airline or rail operator will take responsibility for rebooking you, ensuring you’re not marked as a “no show” for the missed leg.
When booking an air-rail itinerary, members of an airline’s frequent flyer program can earn airline miles and qualifying spend on the rail segment, just like they would for a flight. This is a fantastic opportunity to boost your points balance and earn frequent flyer miles on travel that typically doesn’t accrue points or miles.
However, while most airlines and programs allow members to earn points and miles on these itineraries, only a select few airlines and programs permit members to redeem points for combined air-rail travel.
How to Book Combined Air-Rail Tickets
If an airline supports air and rail itineraries, you’ll have the option to select a railway station as your origin or destination instead of an airport. This can be done by simply entering the city’s name, which will show you results for both flights and trains, if available.
For example, if you wanted to fly on Air Canada from Montreal to Bern, Switzerland, you would enter Montreal (YUL) as your origin and Bern as your destination. Since Bern is an eligible destination for a rail segment, you can choose Bern Railway Station (ZDJ) as your destination.
Similar to airports, train stations also have their own unique three-character code. If you know the code, you can enter it directly to specify the exact station you want. In the example below, Bern Railway Station is identified by the code ZDJ.

On the search results page, you’ll see it’s clearly noted that part of the itinerary includes a rail segment. You can then proceed through the booking process just as you would for any other flight and you’ll receive details for both your flight and rail segments as part of a single booking.

When booking in business class, you might receive an upgraded level of service on the rail segment as well, though this varies depending on the airline and program. It’s important to check with the specific airline to verify how their air-rail partnership accommodates business class passengers for the train portion of the journey.
Airlines That Offer Combined Air-Rail Tickets Explained
There are countless airlines that include Rail & Fly services as part of their core offerings, making it impractical to cover each one in detail here. Instead, I’ll focus on highlighting the most relevant options for travelers based in North America.
Air Canada
Air Canada has one of the most extensive networks of rail partners among the major airlines, having agreements with the major national rail operators of Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, and South Korea.

This air-rail partnership in Germany extends beyond just Air Canada. Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German national rail operator, was added as Star Alliance’s first intermodal partner in 2022. As a result, all Star Alliance member airlines can now offer combined air and rail tickets, allowing passengers to connect from German airports to destinations across the country by train.
Outside of Europe, Air Canada also partners with Korail to make travel across South Korea easier for passengers arriving at Seoul-Incheon International Airport (ICN). Just like with other similar agreements, travelers can enter an eligible train station, such as Busan (XMB), and the search results will display routes that include the rail portion.

Air France
Air France offers a robust air-rail program that goes beyond what most airlines provide. While many carriers limit train connections to routes within their home country, Air France partners with rail networks in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, allowing seamless travel to and from select airports in these regions.
What distinguishes Air France apart from other airlines is it allows AF KLM FlyingBlue members to redeem miles for combined air-rail itineraries. This means you can travel by train within any of the regions mentioned above on an award ticket and often without requiring any extra miles.
For example, you could book an economy award ticket from Montreal (YUL) to Brussels via Paris (CDG), with the second leg being a high-speed rail trip from Paris to Brussels (ZYR) at the lowest fare of 25,000 Flying Blue miles. Not only do you save on the cost of a separate train ticket, but your entire journey is booked as one streamlined itinerary.

As noted below, the itinerary clearly indicates that a portion of the journey involves train travel. If you miss a connection due to a delay with your flight or train, the airline will rebook you on the next available train or flight.

Air Transat
Canadian leisure airline Air Transat provides a smooth and convenient travel experience by pairing flights from Toronto (YYZ), Montreal (YUL), and Quebec City (YQB) to Paris (CDG) with high-speed TGV train service to 18 destinations throughout France and Belgium. This all-in-one booking ensures guaranteed connections, even in the event of delays, and provides flexibility with connection times ranging from 2 to 24 hours.

Upon arrival at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, travelers can easily transfer to the TGV station within the airport to continue their journey without the need to travel into central Paris. Additionally, Air Transat Club Class passengers enjoy First Class seating on the TGV, while Economy passengers are accommodated in Second Class.
Adding a train segment to an Air Transat booking typically costs about the same as buying a separate train ticket, but the added benefit of guaranteed connections makes this type of booking well worth it.
Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines’ AIRail program offers a convenient and seamless travel experience by combining train and flight services to destinations across Austria. Passengers can travel from Linz, Salzburg, Graz, or Innsbruck to Vienna Airport using ÖBB Railjet trains, with the entire journey booked under a single Austrian Airlines ticket. This integration ensures guaranteed connections, and in case of delays, passengers are rebooked at no additional cost.
Here’s a potential itinerary from Montreal (YUL) to Innsbruck Railway Station (IOB) with a connection in Vienna.

The AIRail service provides frequent departures, with trains from Linz and Salzburg to Vienna Airport running every 30 minutes, and multiple daily connections from Graz and Innsbruck. Passengers benefit from amenities such as free Wi-Fi, snack vouchers, and the ability to earn Miles & More points on their train journeys. Business Class travelers and frequent flyer status holders enjoy additional perks, including first-class train seating and access to ÖBB lounges at departure stations.
Condor
German leisure airline Condor offers a convenient and budget-friendly Rail&Fly program, allowing passengers to travel by train to or from any German airport when flying with Condor. This service is available throughout Germany, with fares starting at US$34 per person for Second Class and US$68 for First Class, per direction.
Condor Rail&Fly tickets can be booked up to three hours before departure. You can add this service during your initial flight booking, afterwards via the “My Booking” section on Condor’s website, or through their Service Center.

The Rail&Fly ticket is valid on the day of the flight, as well as one day before departure and one day after arrival, on all regular Deutsche Bahn trains. It’s important to note that passengers who are departing Germany and book a rail segment prior to their flight are responsible for arriving at the airport on time. Condor does not assume responsibility for missed flights resulting from train delays.
Although the Condor Rail&Fly website states that train travel is valid only in Germany, I was able to find a Condor itinerary from Vancouver (YVR) to Frankfurt (FRA) and a subsequent Deutsche Bahn train segment to Brussels, Belgium.
Pricing for itineraries that include rail segments don’t seem to follow any consistent pattern. Adding the train segment to Brussels increases the total trip cost by CA$140 in economy class, while the additional cost is only CA$70 for premium and CA$60 for business class.


If we consider the lowest-priced standalone train ticket on the same day from Frankfurt Airport to Brussels Central, it comes in at €60, which is just under $100 CAD. While a combined air-rail itinerary might not make financial sense for economy travelers, it can offer worthwhile savings for those flying in premium or business class.

Either way, this highlights the importance of weighing the cost and benefits associated with air-rail tickets before proceeding with any bookings.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines Air + Rail program offers travelers a convenient way to combine air and rail travel within Europe under a single booking. To find an eligible train station, simply enter the city name in the search box. If a train station is available for that city, it will appear as an option for you to select, allowing you to continue your search.
For example, when you enter Lucerne, Switzerland in the destination field, Lucerne Train Station will appear and be available to select. The resulting itinerary routes you from New York (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) by air, followed by a train to Lucerne (QLJ).

When booking through Delta’s website, itineraries that include a train segment are marked with an “Includes Train” badge. Train seat assignments are provided during check-in, with Delta One customers receiving Premium carriage seating, while economy and premium passengers are seated in Standard carriage.
ITA Airways
ITA Airways offers one of the most comprehensive combined plane and train ticketing services, allowing travelers to book both modes of transportation in a single transaction. This initiative is available only for international and intercontinental flights operated by ITA Airways, excluding domestic routes.
Participating railway companies include Trenitalia (Italy), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), SBB Swiss Railways (Switzerland), Renfe (Spain), and several UK rail operators, among others.
For example, you could take a high-speed train from Salerno station on the Amalfi Coast to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), where you can catch a flight to Toronto (YYZ). This is currently the only Canadian route operated by the Italian carrier and is served by their modern Airbus A330-900neo.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM’s Air&Rail service integrates train travel with flights, allowing passengers to include a Eurostar train journey to or from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as part of their ticket. This service is available on specific routes between the Netherlands and Belgium, such as Antwerp or Brussels to Schiphol.
Like most other airlines, a key benefit of booking an air-rail itinerary is if you miss your connection or experience a delay with your flight or train, KLM and Eurostar guarantee you a seat on the next available departure at no additional cost.
KLM also allows FlyingBlue members to redeem points for combined air-rail itineraries, with award pricing available at the lowest fare of 60,000 FlyingBlue miles for a business class redemption.

Below is the pricing for a standalone Eurostar ticket from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Antwerp Central Station. Prices are shown in USD, highlighting the value of having this train segment included at no extra cost when booking with miles.

KLM Air&Rail passengers enjoy priority security screening as an added benefit of their rail journey. Additionally, when flying in economy class with KLM, you’ll travel in Standard Class aboard Eurostar. If you’re flying in KLM business class, you’ll experience the comfort of Eurostar’s Premier Class.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa’s Rail&Fly program, in collaboration with Deutsche Bahn (DB), offers international travelers a convenient and cost-effective way to journey between any of over 5,600 DB train stations in Germany. This service is available on the day of travel, the day before departure, or the day after arrival, providing flexibility for passengers .
Tickets are priced at €33 for a one-way trip in 2nd class and €59 in 1st class, with return fares at €66 and €118 respectively. Children aged 6–11 receive a 50% discount, while those under 6 travel free. The tickets are not tied to specific trains, allowing travelers to choose any InterCity, EuroCity, or InterCity Express train on their selected travel day.

To utilize Rail&Fly, passengers must book it alongside an international flight operated by Lufthansa, with Germany as either the departure or destination country. After booking, travelers receive voucher codes to redeem their train tickets online, selecting preferred train connections while retaining the flexibility to board other trains on the same route and day.
Swiss
SWISS Air Rail is a collaborative service between SWISS International Air Lines and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) that seamlessly integrates train and air travel. Passengers can book a combined ticket for their entire journey, allowing for a single check-in process and a boarding pass that serves as both train and flight ticket. This service ensures guaranteed connections, with provisions for rebooking in case of delays.
The network connects Zurich and Geneva airports to various destinations within Switzerland and neighboring countries, including direct routes to cities like Bregenz in Austria and Munich in Germany. Recent expansions have added destinations such as Lugano, Montreux, St. Moritz, Basil, and more.
Swiss operates a daily flight between Montreal (YUL) and Zurich (ZRH), making this an excellent way to take advantage of the air-rail service provided by Swiss.

I had the chance to travel by train through Northern Italy’s stunning Lake Como region and into Southern Switzerland via Lugano, and I highly recommend this itinerary for anyone planning a visit to this part of the world.
TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal’s Flight and Train service enables travelers to book combined air and rail journeys across Europe on a single ticket. This offering is available in countries such as Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Switzerland, allowing passengers to reach destinations not directly served by airports.

When booking, travelers can add train segments alongside their flights. Train check-in becomes available 72 hours before departure, after which a boarding pass is issued for train travel. This integrated service is facilitated through partnerships with national rail operators, including Deutsche Bahn in Germany, providing a seamless travel experience across multiple European destinations.
TAP Air Portugal’s Flight and Train service isn’t quite as convenient as many other airlines’ air-rail offerings, since it typically requires an extra connection in a hub city within your destination country before you can board a train to your final stop. That said, this type of itinerary can be a great opportunity to take advantage of TAP’s generous stopover program, allowing you to explore an additional city before heading to your final destination.
United Airlines
United Airlines has partnered with Deutsche Bahn to offer seamless travel between Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) and various destinations across Germany via Lufthansa Express Rail. This collaboration allows passengers to book combined flight and train itineraries directly through United’s website or app by entering the three-letter code for their desired rail station.
Travelers can earn and use MileagePlus miles on these journeys. At check-in, a United boarding pass with a seat assignment for the train segment is provided, serving as the train ticket. Additionally, the partnership includes a transfer guarantee, ensuring rebooking on the next available flight or train in case of delays.
For those with access to U.S.-issued credit cards from Chase, this could be a decent use of points in some situations. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to United MileagePlus and earned from Chase co-branded United cards.
The following sample itinerary from Chicago (ORD) to Düsseldorf (QDU) is available on a United MileagePlus award. While the redemption rates for premium economy and business class offer poor value, the economy option provides decent value—particularly since both the flight and train segments are included in a single price.

Summary
Airline | Air-Rail Service Details | Points Redemption | Key Details |
---|---|---|---|
Air Canada | Partners with national rail operators in Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, UK, Italy, South Korea. | ❌ | • Large global rail network • Partnered with DB & Korail |
Air France | Rail connections in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland. | ✅ | • Redeemable with Flying Blue miles • No extra miles for rail • Protected transfers on delays |
Air Transat | TGV trains from CDG to 18 cities in France & Belgium. | ❌ | • Guaranteed connections • Club Class = TGV 1st Class • Direct from airport TGV station |
Austrian Airlines | AIRail service from Linz, Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck to Vienna Airport via ÖBB. | ❌ | • Earn Miles & More • Free Wi-Fi & snack vouchers • Business Class = 1st Class & lounge access |
Condor | Rail&Fly with DB across Germany and Belgium. | ❌ | • Budget-friendly fares • Flexible booking window • More value in premium/business cabins |
Delta | AccesRail network across Europe | ❌ | • Delta One = premium train seats |
ITA Airways | Partners with Trenitalia, DB, SBB, Renfe, UK rail; only for international/intercontinental flights. | ❌ | • Wide European rail access • One-ticket booking |
KLM | Eurostar from Amsterdam-Schiphol (AMS) to cities throughout the Netherlands and Belgium | ✅ | • Redeemable with Flying Blue • Economy = Standard Class • Business = Eurostar Premier |
Lufthansa | Rail&Fly with DB from 5,600+ German stations. | ❌ | • Fixed prices (€33/59) • Day-before/after flexibility • Voucher system allows flexible train selection |
SWISS | SBB rail from ZRH & GVA to Swiss, Austrian, and German cities. | ❌ | • One check-in & boarding pass • Guaranteed rebooking on delays |
TAP Air Portugal | Rail partners across Europe; requires connection within destination country. | ❌ | • Uses national operators like DB, SBB • Works well with TAP’s stopover program |
United Airlines | Lufthansa Express Rail from FRA to cities in Germany. | ✅ | • Redeem MileagePlus miles • Seat assignment & delay rebooking included |
Conclusion
Combined air and rail tickets come with plenty of advantages, offering a seamless and convenient way to reach some of Europe’s more off-the-beaten-path destinations. These intermodal itineraries help eliminate common travel hassles like figuring out unfamiliar transit systems or stressing over tight connection times.
While redemption options are still somewhat limited, airlines such as Air France and KLM are leading the charge by allowing members to use points for these integrated journeys—often without any additional mileage cost. Even when paying cash, the convenience, guaranteed connections, and ability to earn miles on rail segments make these tickets a savvy choice.
Although the total price may be slightly higher in some cases, the payoff is well worth it: smoother logistics, scenic routes, and peace of mind. For those looking to explore Europe by train, this hybrid model is definitely worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Combined air-rail travel refers to itineraries that integrate both air travel (flights) and rail travel (trains) in a single booking. This allows passengers to use both modes of transportation to reach their destination, often for convenience, speed, or access to areas not directly served by airports.
Combined air-rail itineraries can be booked directly through airlines that offer multimodal transportation options. These airlines partner with rail providers, enabling passengers to book both flight and train segments in a single transaction.
In the search box of an airline’s website, enter an origin or destination city. If eligible, you’ll have the option to select a train station, allowing you to book your itinerary to or from a train station.
Combined air-rail travel offers several benefits, such as greater flexibility in reaching destinations not served directly by airports, the ability to avoid long airport transfer times, and environmental benefits from using more sustainable train travel for part of the journey. Additionally, most airlines and rail operators will rebook passengers on the next available flight or train in the event of delay or missed connection.
The answer depends on the airline and route. In some cases, adding a train segment can save you money and let you travel farther. But often, adding a train segment will cost more.
For most airlines, the additional cost is minimal, as passengers booking an air-rail itinerary may value the convenience of high-speed rail to smaller cities, along with the added benefit of guaranteed connections.
Some programs, such as Air France and KLM allow members to use frequent flyer miles or points for air-rail itineraries. However, the vast majority of airlines do not allow air-rail redemptions.
Europe is the most common region for air-rail itineraries. Other regions, like Asia, and especially South Korea, also offer combined air-rail options.

Jeff Jamieson

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