This innovative partnership, launched on May 15, bringing together two tourism giants in France, offers a new solution for booking accommodation, in line with the train’s sustainable mobility offerings.
Exactly 20 years ago, on 16 June 2004, Accor won the tender announced by the SNCF for the new Train+Hotel service, a collaboration that allowed the accommodation offer to be integrated with rail transport. This partnership offered a practical solution, making life significantly easier for travellers. They were thus able to book their train ticket and hotel room (among 1,200 establishments in more than 250 destinations across Europe), simultaneously through a single platform, while benefiting from attractive offers. But the service is no longer offered for sale on the SNCF website in December 2021. And since then nothing.
Big news this May 15, 2024, ALL, the booking platform and loyalty program of the Accor group, is now available on the SNCF Connect website and application, to offer travelers a seamless accommodation booking experience integrated into their trips. “Since the journey does not stop at the station, I am happy with this partnership with ALL which is now an integral part of the SNCF Connect ecosystem.explains to Figaro Julia Etaix, Sales Director of SNCF Connect & Tech, subsidiary of the leading French railway group. This integration marks a strategic turning point for two important players in the tourism sector in France»
ALL, an all-in-one booking portal and distribution platform, allows its customers and members to benefit from the wide range of Accor brands at the best price: more than 3,000 hotels in Europe, including 1,700 in France. This very diverse offer covers all segments of the market, from budget hotels to luxury properties, including collections such as Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis or Mama Shelter. One in each station. In France there are 3,000 of them, divided into 1,500 “passenger” stations and 1,500 railway stops. “ We had the same visionannounces Mehdi Hemici, Chief Loyalty & E-commerce Officer of Accor: think about the trip as a whole. EVERYTHING was missing one brick, which was the railway. This is why we joined forces»
A service refined over time
In practice, users, following a reservation of the train ticket, just click from the “Much more than train” insert on the application, or from the “Travel” or “Offers” tabs on the site. An experience for the customer”extremely simple» assures Julia Etaix, and personalized. However, it is not yet possible to book your hotel room by paying with your own money miles, called “Reward Points” in ALL. “This service will be perfected over timeadds Mehdi Hemici. The important thing is that ALL member prices will be displayed immediately, just like on our application. This collaboration strengthens ALL’s reputation while enabling us to promote sustainable and responsible practices that meet customer demands. »
As for the hotel group’s booking platform, on May 22 it will launch a test phase to allow its users, after booking a hotel room, to purchase a train ticket. Very practical since ALL members also benefit from personalized services and exclusive benefits such as upgrades or postponed departures, thus enriching their travel experience. A collaboration that also demonstrates the desire to satisfy the growing expectations of travellers, who are looking for more fluid and integrated solutions to manage their trips.
Iconic celebrations and upcoming expansions
«We are committed to enriching and strengthening our service ecosystem, powered by the dynamism of our extraordinary brands. Faced with changing lifestyles, work and travel, Accor is innovating with determination», announced recently Sébastien Bazin, CEO of the Accor group. With 57 years of know-how, the group has patiently built a constellation of more than 45 hotel brands and the year 2024 is marked by great celebrations: Sofitel, ambassador of French elegance in luxury, celebrates its 60th anniversary, while Ibis, an economic point of reference, celebrates its fiftieth anniversary. The group is also preparing to inaugurate its thousandth Mercure hotel, thus enriching a portfolio that favors local authenticity and invites globetrotters to discover the hidden gems of each place. All that remains is to buy the train ticket.