India climbs to second spot as source market for Rail Europe

Records 16% growth from India in 2024, with strong momentum carrying into 2025. 

At a time when global geopolitical tensions cast a shadow over travel sentiment, Europe remains a resilient draw for Indian outbound travellers. T3 caught up with Srijit Nair, General Manager – India, Middle East & Africa, Rail Europe, to understand the latest travel trends and how the Indian market is embracing rail travel. 

“The first half of the year has been quite positive,” Nair shared. “Despite a little dip due to global challenges, we made a quick recovery in the first three months. With fingers crossed, we are targeting double-digit growth, over 20% this year, after 18% last year. Compared to pre-Covid levels, we are growing more than 30%. 

India powers Rail Europe’s global surge 

India continues to solidify its standing as a key source market for Rail Europe. “We have surpassed pre-COVID numbers two years ago,” said Nair. “Year-on-year, we are growing close to around 22% considering India market. Last year, Rail Europe saw a 16% growth from India, and the momentum has carried into 2025, with first six months showing an encouraging 18–20% growth.” Once ranked fifth or sixth before the pandemic, India has now climbed to the number two spot, trailing only the United States. It is followed by Greater China, including regions like Hong Kong, Taiwan, followed by Australia, and New Zealand, and also Japan. 

According to Nair, technology has been a game changer, enabling seamless ticket issuance at any hour. “Whether it is 10 in the morning or 3 at night, travellers or agents can issue tickets instantly and plan their European rail journeys with ease,” he added.

Indian travellers embrace slow journeys 

Travel behaviour from India to Europe is evolving, with slow travel and deeper experiences gaining popularity. “Earlier, families would try to cover five countries in 10 days. Now, they prefer exploring just one or two countries at a more relaxed pace,” shared Nair. He estimates that 7 out of 10 Indian travellers to Europe now opt for train travel, aligning perfectly with this growing preference for immersive, sustainable journeys. 

There is also a noticeable rise in interest for destinations like Croatia, Slovakia, and Austria, which are steadily climbing the charts for Indian outbound travellers. Meanwhile, Switzerland continues to remain a top draw, largely driven by the all-inclusive Swiss travel pass. Nair also noted strong demand for Eurostar services, that connects destinations like as London, Paris, Amsterdam, reflecting the Indian traveller’s interest in high-speed intra-Europe connectivity. 

Strengthening regional connectivity 

Rail Europe continues to deepen its network by expanding both its train connections and pass offerings. “We are currently integrated with over 200 train operators, covering everything from high-speed to regional trains,” said Nair. “We offer around 20 -25 different rail passes and are actively working on adding more routes and passes to meet growing demand.” 

Sharing from the Indian market’s perspective, Nair added, “We have added connections to the Swiss mountains. One of the recent additions is the Berne Oberland Pass, ideal for travellers focusing on the Bernese Highlands region of Switzerland,” Nair noted. Additionally, Rail Europe is trying to tap the Trenitalia Pass, enabling exploration of Italy by rail. 

Expanding trade connections 

Rail Europe is actively strengthening its trade presence across India through trainings. By June this year, the company had already conducted training sessions across six cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata, followed by Noida, Gurgaon, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Chandigarh. There has been a notable increase in traction from Tier 2 and 3 cities, with Rail Europe covering around 9 to 10 cities annually, in collaboration with Switzerland Tourism. 

The company also invests through its consolidator partners such as TBO and Ottila, conducting additional training sessions across 6 to 7 cities. Nair also shared, “We participate in most major trade fairs via our partners and also run monthly webinars, each dedicated to a specific country and rail operator, attracting 100 to 120 travel agents.”