Expedia has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in SilverRail Technologies, the train ticket booking platform.
The deal, which is aimed at advancing the online travel company’s presence in the rail sales sector, builds on the partnership the two companies entered into in 2010 when Egencia, Expedia’s corporate travel brand, began using SilverRail to offer rail inventory in the US.
The partnership then expanded in 2016 when Expedia.com announced that it would use SilverRail’s platform to sell rail tickets via its UK-based website.
“We think SilverRail has a very bright future and we are thrilled to welcome its talented team to the Expedia family,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia. “Our primary goal in investing in the online rail revolution is to bring rail supply online, creating an even more diverse and robust product portfolio for our travellers around the world. SilverRail has been a strong partner of ours for years and we look forward to achieving this goal together.”
The acquisition expands Expedia’s inventory of travel products, which now includes flights, hotels, car rental, cruises, tour packages and rail tickets.
Founded in 2009, SilverRail operates the SilverCore rail distribution platform and sells tickets for more than 35 rail providers, processing more than 25 million bookings per year.
“We are excited at the possibility of leveraging the strategic, financial and operational strength of Expedia, which will be critical to our success,” said Aaron Gowell, SilverRail’s CEO.
