Trainline: "Spain is our benchmark for growth in other markets."

The company's chief technology officer, Mike Hyde, explains the British firm's commitment to continue taking advantage of the liberalization of the rail market in Spain.

Over the past few months, Trainline, a company specializing in searching, comparing, booking, and managing train and bus tickets, has made clear its goal of accelerating the use of artificial intelligence and other new technologies on its platform. One example of this interest is the appointment of Mike Hyde as its new chief technology officer.

"After my time at Meta and Microsoft, where I learned how to scale digital products for millions of users and make data-driven decisions, I was looking for a project where I could apply that knowledge to make a real impact. I was also interested in joining a technology company with a strong European focus. Trainline appealed to me for that reason: the opportunity to transform a traditional sector like rail through technology," explains Hyde.

Specifically, the British company uses technology to offer users real-time ticket prices from more than 300 operators across Europe.

"We use artificial intelligence models to personalize search results based on user behavior, suggesting optimal combinations in terms of duration, comfort, and price. We also use predictive models to recommend the best time to purchase a ticket or suggest upgrades, such as traveling in first class. One of our most innovative features is TopCombo, an algorithm that combines trips from different operators to offer the lowest possible fare. And another recent development is Guidebook, a generative feature that suggests activities at the destination during the booking process," explains Hyde.

The company is also developing a geolocation-based pay-as-you-go system that calculates the best fare without the need to purchase a ticket in advance, and is working on new artificial intelligence features. "One of the areas we're exploring is more advanced conversational solutions that can assist users throughout their journey. The goal is to develop an intelligent assistant that guides users before, during, and after their trip, providing real-time updates, alternative options, and after-sales assistance."

Behind all this technological commitment is Platform One, the scalable technological infrastructure designed by the company that supports all Trainline services and allows the company to operate without intermediaries.

"It's specifically designed to manage the complexity of the European rail ecosystem and integrate all operators' APIs, taking into account the variety of networks, regulations, fares, and companies. Its evolution is based on making it increasingly intelligent, interoperable, and personalized, incorporating new APIs, artificial intelligence capabilities, and predictive tools to improve the user experience in real time and adapt it to the context and preferences of each traveler," explains Trainline's CTO.

Comparing train tickets from different operators wasn't possible in Spain until relatively recently, in 2020, when the first phase of rail passenger transport liberalization was completed. Taking advantage of this new situation, Trainline has become a relevant player, taking advantage of a new scenario that has led to a 58% drop in prices on routes such as Madrid-Barcelona. "We've been able to take advantage of this transformation with a technological offering that puts the traveler at the center," says Hyde.

In the last year, Trainline has captured a 12% market share on Spain's five main high-speed routes , up from 5% two years ago. The British company has sold more than 11 million tickets and claims that 54% of its Spanish users are regular customers. Trainline currently operates services offered by Spain's three high-speed rail operators (Renfe with AVE and Avlo, Ouigo, and Iryo), as well as the regional Cercanías and Rodalies services.

To expand its presence in Spain, the company also recently announced the acquisition of Trenes.com , which is still pending approval by the National Competition Commission. "The goal is to offer users more options, better prices, and a more seamless experience. Independent distributors like us generated one million incremental trips last year on liberalized corridors, and our goal is to further increase that impact (with the acquisition of Trenes.com)," he explains.

With the second phase of the liberalization of passenger rail transport in Spain approaching in 2026, Hyde assures that it has no further acquisitions planned for now, as its focus will be on continuing to grow its platform and its technological investment.

The executive insists that, having already a presence in more than 40 countries, the intention is now to consolidate the offering and business model in those where it already operates, which in Europe are primarily Spain, France, and Italy. "In fact, the Spanish model is our benchmark for growth in other markets ," says Hyde.