Trainline delivers strong recovery as passenger numbers go up – CityAM : CityAM

Rail and coach technology platform Trainline has recovered strongly in the first six months of FY22, with revenue going up 151 per cent to £78m.

The group’s net ticket sales have grown 179 per cent to £1bn, recovering 79 per cent of pre-pandemic times, the highest level since Covid-19 began.

Trainline performed well also in terms of adjusted EBITDA – where it saw a profit of £15m compared with last year’s £16m loss – and a net debt down from £241m to £169m.

Domestic and international markets returning to growth and an accelerated shift to online and digital tickets were the main drivers behind such growth, Trainline said.

“Our consumer business returned to growth in August versus pre-Covid levels, with train travellers increasingly opting for digital tickets,” said Trainline’s chief executive Jody Ford.

“Encouragingly our customers are now using Trainline even more frequently, drawn to new features such as our new 2-click commuter experience and digital railcards”

In the UK, online penetration increased to 50 per cent, while e-tickets went up to 40 per cent, as 29 per cent more customers using the website two or more times a month.

Foreign markets such as Italy and Spain have registered a remarkable growth, as Italy’s net ticket sales have upped 95 per cent, while in Spain the transactions for the Madrid-Barcelona route have tripled compared with the same period two years ago.

“Beyond the UK, we see significant growth opportunity in Europe,” he added. “With new entrant train companies driving more journey options and lower prices in our key markets, customers are increasingly turning to Trainline to help them easily find the best fares and support them as they travel.

This was particularly evident in Italy in the first half, where our second quarter’s net ticket sales doubled compared to pre-Covid times.”

Also Read:

Trainline ticket sales top £1bn as rail recovery gathers steam