European train ticket firm Rail Europe is being rebranded under the name Voyages-sncf.com.
The UK arm will join the French National Railways tour operating division and take its name by the end of the year.
Services currently dedicated to the UK travel trade will become part of a single Europe-wide offering, Voyages-sncf.eu.
Trade bookings made through any of Rail Europe’s outlets in the UK during the transition period will not be affected, head of traded sales Paul Lacey stressed while attending Abta’s Travel Convention in Dubrovnik.
Existing customers will be informed of the changes to the brand and an automatic re-direct will re-route customers to the new Voyages-sncf.eu site, giving a seamless transition to the company’s new identity.
The dedicated UK trade call centre in West Malling in Kent will continue to operate, while a team of sales managers and executives will be available to answer queries from agents and operators.
By access to the technological expertise and creativity of Voyages-sncf.com, the company will develop an enhanced offering for the UK market, according to Lacey.
Voyages-sncf.com sold 68 million tickets last year with annual sales revenue of €3.6 billion across more than 30 countries and a multi-channel approach.
A specialist in European destinations, it claims to run the top transactional travel website in France. The group has 650 staff, with a third dedicated to European operations outside of France.
Through dedicated trade sales teams, the group works with more than 15,000 authorised travel agencies and tour operators offering rail inclusive packaging options, as well as individual ticket and pass sales.