BlaBlaCar is diversifying by launching into the sale of train tickets. The company announced this new direction of development in a press release published Thursday. It has just started with the Spanish market and plans to attack France in 2025 or 2026.
She says she wants to “allow passengers to compare and reserve a place in a carpool, bus or train, simplifying access to shared and sustainable mobility to reduce solo driving”. In Spain, travelers can purchase journeys from Renfe and Iryo. BlaBlaCar is therefore just responsible for offering tickets for already known operators.
No cut prices
Small disappointment for users: the prices will be the same as those displayed on the railway company websites. BlaBlaCar will not offer any promotions. “It’s impossible because the margins are too low,” argued the director and co-founder of the application Nicolas Brusson at Figaro.
BlaBlaCar will allow customers to compare offers on a single site before making the purchase. If users will not be able to save a few euros, they should still save time. No more need to go from one site to another to find a good deal suited to their needs and budget.
Combined offers
This new development does not mean that BlaBlacar is turning its back on carpooling, it is even the opposite. “After a first test carried out this summer on certain routes with the operator Iryo, BlaBlaCar noted that the addition of train reservations had also stimulated demand for carpooling,” the company underlined in its press release. Internet users will now be able to buy a train ticket and complete their journey with carpooling to reach cities far from stations.
“This launch is just the first step in an ambitious strategy: to create an all-in-one platform that can meet the needs of all travelers, whether short local trips or long distances,” claimed Nicolas Brusson, co-founder and general manager of BlaBlaCar.
France
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