Nine airlines now sell combined air and rail tickets in Europe—here’s what to know before you book.
After years of piecing together complicated European itineraries—booking a flight here, a train there, and praying the timing worked out—I’ve discovered what might be the travel industry’s best-kept secret: combined air and rail tickets.
These combo tickets let you book a flight and a connecting train on a single ticket through the airline. The appeal is straightforward: you can reach smaller cities that aren’t served by the airline (or that may not even have an airport), you generally earn rebooking protection if a delay on one leg causes you to miss the other, and in some cases you can earn or even spend airline miles on the train segment. Train travel can also be less stressful than flying—no early arrivals, no long security lines—and it produces fewer emissions, shrinking your trip’s carbon footprint.
Here’s my rundown of nine airlines offering these hybrid tickets, and what I’ve learned about each one.
1. Delta Air Lines
Delta’s Air + Rail program connects to over 20 European cities not served by Delta flights, including Antwerp, Bern, Rotterdam, and York. When I searched for Bern on Delta’s site, the railway station code (ZDJ) popped right up, and the resulting itinerary routed me through Zurich by plane and onward by train—all on one ticket. Delta One passengers ride in the train’s premium carriage; everyone else travels in standard class.
The catch?. You’ll need to check in separately for the train (via AccesRail’s website, starting 72 hours before departure) and schlep your checked bags from customs onto the train yourself. On the bright side, your train ticket stays valid for 72 hours, so if a flight delay throws off your schedule, you can print a new ticket at the station.
2. United Airlines
United partners with rail companies across Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K. When I test-booked a trip from Newark to Bath, England, the search returned an itinerary that included a direct flight to Heathrow, the Heathrow Express into London, and Great Western Railway service to Bath—all on one booking.
The downside: the air and rail option cost several hundred dollars more than booking separately. The Heathrow Express runs about 25 pounds and Bath fares start around 25 pounds on GWR’s own site, so the DIY approach can save you real money.
3. Air France
Air France offers four flavors of air and rail tickets—Train + Air (trains in France), Air & Rail (Brussels connections), Air France Smart Connect (Swiss trains), and Eurostar (via Amsterdam)—each with its own rules about luggage, transfers, and check-in. Some itineraries include a complimentary taxi between station and airport; others leave the transfer to you. In all cases, Air France promises to rebook you if a delay on either leg causes a missed connection.
4. Austrian Airlines
Austrian’s AIRail program connects Vienna Airport with central stations in Linz, Salzburg, Graz, and Innsbruck. There’s a connection guarantee if either leg is delayed. One tasty perk: you get a snack voucher for the train’s restaurant car or trolley service. Note: you must book the train as a package with your flight—you can’t add it later.
5. Iberia
Iberia’s Train & Fly program covers just over a dozen Spanish cities, including Granada, Valencia, and Zaragoza. When I searched online, I had trouble finding actual train connections and mostly saw Bus & Fly routes instead. If you do score a Train & Fly ticket, be aware these trains don’t run directly to airports—you’ll transfer via the Renfe Cercanias commuter train (included in your ticket) and handle your own luggage throughout.
6. ITA Airways
Italy’s national airline sells combined tickets through AccesRail to dozens of locations across Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Belgium. Planning a trip to Padua? You can fly into Rome Fiumicino and hop a Trenitalia train from the airport’s station straight to Padova Centrale—no need to navigate Roman public transit. You’ll check in separately for the plane and train and be responsible for transferring your own luggage between legs.
7. Condor
German leisure carrier Condor partners with Deutsche Bahn for its Rail&Fly service. The standout feature is flexibility: your train ticket is valid on the day of your flight plus one day before departure and one day after arrival. That’s great insurance against delays or if you simply want to arrive a day early to explore. You can book the rail add-on as a package or tack it onto an existing flight up to three hours before departure. One quirk: Condor issues a rail voucher code rather than a ticket, and you’ll need to redeem it on the Deutsche Bahn site to get your actual ticket.
8. Swiss
Swiss’ Air Rail program covers most railway stations in Switzerland plus Munich and Bregenz in Austria. My favorite feature: you only check in once for the entire journey. Swiss promises to rebook you if either leg is delayed.
9. Lufthansa
Germany’s flagship carrier connects to over 5,600 Deutsche Bahn stations throughout Germany. Your rail ticket is valid from the day before to the day after your scheduled arrival, and you have free choice of trains including ICE high-speed service. Prices start around 33 euros one-way in second class.
This can be a real bargain: in a test booking from Chicago to Cologne via Frankfurt, the air and rail ticket was $289 cheaper than the flight to Frankfurt alone. Yes—the combo ticket that takes you farther actually costs less. This is the only airline where I consistently find the combined ticket to be the better deal.
Are Air-Rail tickets worth it?
It depends on the airline, the route, and what matters most to you. Lufthansa can actually save you money. Air France lets you book the train with miles. Swiss and Austrian offer seamless check-in. On the other hand, Delta doesn’t award SkyMiles on the train, United’s combo often costs more than booking separately, and Iberia’s program is still finding its footing.
The real value often isn’t dollars and cents. It’s the simplicity of one booking, the connection guarantee, and the ability to reach charming smaller cities without navigating unfamiliar transit systems while jet-lagged.
And while we’re talking about trains…
The son of my good friend (and terrific thriller writer) Rick Mofina has launched Track Record, a free website that tracks every VIA Rail trip in Canada, every day. VIA Rail isn’t exactly famous for punctuality, and Track Record shows you just what you’re in for: on-time rates, average delays, and stop-by-stop performance for every route across the country. If Canadian rail travel is in your plans, check it out!
Twist’s Take: Air and rail combination tickets can be a clever (and cost-saving) way to extend your European reach.