The dramatic eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull last April gave rail operators in Europe a unique opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of rail to passengers who, in many cases, rarely travel by train. With flights grounded for six days, many air passengers switched to international rail services to complete their journeys. Operators across Europe reacted swiftly, running additional trains to meet the surge in demand. While this was undoubtedly a public relations success, many regular air passengers were reminded how difficult it can be to obtain information about international train journeys and the challenges of booking tickets involving multiple operators. Mr Philip Martin, head of marketing for Amadeus Rail, argues that an integrated journey planner would have been invaluable in this situation. "The Icelandic volcano illustrated how inadequate the current system is in terms of international journey planning," he says.
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