High-speed journeys and the station of the future, according to passengers (Via Libre) 2nd December 2011

“The High Speed Rail Station Project” is a study carried out by Amadeus that reveals what customers expect from high-speed train journeys and what services they would like rail stations to offer by 2014.

(02/12/2011) Amadeus, the Spain-based provider of technological solutions and transaction processing services for the travel and tourism industry, and You Gov, a leading market research and consulting firm, have presented a study about high-speed journeys and the future of railway stations. Based on a survey of more than 7,000 train passengers from six European countries -France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom-, the study analyses the expectations and preferences of passengers on international and long distance high-speed journeys at a time when liberalization and new infrastructures look set to boost the popularity of international high-speed rail travel Between 1st and 9th July 2011, You Gov conducted online surveys with representative national samples of high-speed train users over the age of 18 in the United Kingdom (2,050), Germany (1,082), Spain (1,005), France (1,014), Italy (1,008) and Sweden (1,000). Questions and results The first question asked the survey participants what they would like to reserve beforehand when booking a long distance high-speed rail journey. The responses indicated they would like to organize a “seamless” journey. Nearly 60% said they would like to be able to reserve “connecting rail travel and other modes of transport before starting their journey”, i.e. one ticket for every transport mode taken on one journey. Respondents from Sweden (71%), Germany (64%) and Spain (63%) chose this option ahead of any of the other services suggested. The respondents also indicated they would like to pre-book “on-board entertainment or Wi-Fi” (46%), “fast track check-in and security procedures” (38%) and “hotels, transfers and travel insurance” (37%). The top five priorities for Spaniards are, besides the above-mentioned possibility of having a single ticket for intermodal journeys, pre-booking on-board entertainment or Wi-Fi (60%), hotels, transfers and travel insurance (56%), fast track check-in and security procedures (52%) and comfort or relaxation accessories (46%), such as a blanket or a pillow. This list of preferences continues with the possibility of reserving a meal or snack (31%); services at the destination, such as guided tours or tickets to a show (30%); or a passenger car suited to their needs, with, for example, an area for children, meetings, relaxation or business (29%). Information When respondents were asked what information they would like the railway company to know about them in order to improve their travel experience, over half (52%) indicated that rail providers should know their “preferred seat position and location”. Respondents from Sweden (62%), Germany (54%) and United Kingdom (53%) chose this option ahead of any of the others listed. Other key pieces of information are the complete travel itinerary including connecting flights, accommodation and car rental (42%), and technology preferences, such as Wi-Fi, headrest monitor with travel information, etc. (39%). Spanish respondents attached importance to the rail provider knowing the complete travel itinerary (62%), seat position and location (53%), their entertainment preferences, such as films or multimedia games (50%), their technology preferences (47%) and, to a lesser extent, their health-related requirements (42%) or dietary needs (37%). Services at the station When those surveyed were asked what they expect to find at an international railway station in three years’ time, over 70% of respondents said that an international train station in 2014 should have relaxation areas and more comfortable seating. This was the most commonly chosen option in all the countries. The second most popular service was mobile payments (40%), to avoid having to pay in cash or by credit card, the third being a concierge service and personalized attention, which was particularly popular among Italians (41). In Spain, the availability of relaxation areas and more comfortable seating was the answer given by 74% of respondents, followed by automated customer services, such as virtual hostesses (38%), and the possibility of making payments by mobile phone (37%). A third of Spanish respondents think that the station should incorporate hotel, spa and gymnasium, concierge services and personalized attention, and a gaming and entertainment suite. The latter-mentioned aspect is especially popular among Spaniards, in comparison with a minority of Germans (7%) and Swedish and UK adults (15%). A quarter of Spanish respondents also expect there to be shops and luxury boutiques. Competition with other modes When survey participants were asked what would make them choose a long distance high-speed international train journey rather than flying or driving to their destination, 77% of respondents said that a competitive price would be the most decisive factor. The respondents would also choose the train if it were a “more enjoyable and comfortable experience” (52%), if it had a “lower risk of disruption or cancellation” (51%) and if there were “seamless connections to other services to take you to your final destination”, for example, to car rental or flights (46%). For Spaniards, the four main criteria mentioned coincide with those selected by the other nationalities, although competitive pricing and a more enjoyable and comfortable experience have greater relative importance in Spain in comparison with the total sample (81% and 58%, respectively). Who would you like to travel with? The survey participants were also asked which celebrity they would most like to sit next to on an international train journey. The most popular choice among UK respondents was Stephen Fry; George Clooney came top among French and Spanish respondents, while Raoul Bova was the clear favourite among Italians. In Sweden and Germany, celebrities made way for politicians as the majority declared their preferred travelling companion to be Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, respectively. Other celebrities chosen by Spanish respondents included Eduard Punset, Antonio Banderas, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Rafa Nadal and Shakira. Amadeus Amadeus provides transaction processing services and advanced technological solutions for the global travel and tourism industry, from providers (airlines, hotels, railway companies, car rental firms, ferry lines, etc.) to distributors of tourist products (travel agencies and travel portals) and travel users (companies and individuals). Amadeus, which has its headquarters in Madrid as well as offices in Nice (development) and Erding (operations, data processing centre) and regional branches in Miami, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Dubai, processed 850 million billable travel transactions in 2010. The company, which is quoted on the Spanish stock exchange, maintains relations with clients through 73 commercial organisations (Amadeus Commercial Organisations) across 195 countries. In financial year 2010, the company recorded an income of 2.683 billion Euros and a profit of 1.015 billion Euros. The Amadeus Group has around 10,000 employees worldwide and 123 nationalities are represented at its headquarters. Original Source here..