Effective August 1, 2022, Deutsche Bahn AG will be the first so-called "intermodular partner" to join the Star Alliance. The cooperation is based on the previous cooperation that Lufthansa and DB already practice today. In the long term, passengers of all Star Alliance members should benefit.

The goal of the cooperation between Deutsche Bahn and the Star Alliance is that you can, for example, buy the Freiburg-Singapore route on one ticket. You then travel by train to Frankfurt Airport and then board Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines. The route mentioned is an example.

The aviation alliance and the railway operator want to link the two modes of transport in a meaningful way so that both sides, but especially the passengers, benefit. Connections or feeders from/to German airports should be made easier. Buying a train ticket will no longer be necessary, since flight and train tickets can be purchased in one transaction.

“From Freiburg to Singapore: all you need is a single ticket. With attractive inner-German connections and simultaneous links to international travel chains, Deutsche Bahn and Star Alliance make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector. This complements our successful cooperation with Lufthansa Express Rail, where the number of bookings has more than doubled since 2010. This is how we get more people off the plane and onto the environmentally friendly rail. In close cooperation with the airlines, we are now tackling the mobility turnaround. We network our offers in such a way that we can optimally use the respective strengths of our modes of transport," says Michael Peterson, Member of the Board of Management of DB Passenger Long-Distance.

The new partnership between DB and Star Alliance builds on the Lufthansa Express Rail program. This means that Lufthansa customers have been able to buy a combined train and flight ticket in a single booking step for more than 20 years. In the future, in addition to Lufthansa, all 25 other member airlines of the Star Alliance will be able to include DB's environmentally friendly ICE trains with flight numbers in their booking systems. Customers benefit from many advantages, such as:

• With just one booking process, airline customers receive a combined ticket for the outward or return flight and the respective train journeys including seat reservation. At check-in – which is possible until shortly before the train departs – travelers receive their boarding passes for both the flight and the train journey.
• With the integrated ICE journeys, air travelers will have even more choice in terms of preferred travel time, travel duration and the prices offered.
• Customers can also enjoy accelerated baggage handling and other services in the AiRail check-in area at Frankfurt Airport.
• With all bookings of combined train and flight trips via Lufthansa Express Rail or with the member airlines of the Star Alliance, customers can collect points or miles for the train journeys in the airlines' frequent flyer programs.
• In addition, business and first class customers of Star Alliance member airlines receive additional benefits such as access to the DB lounges with an LH Express Rail ticket.

“This partnership is unique in the world. Once again we are pioneers in Germany for the intelligent linking of transport worlds. We create added value for customers, for Germany as a business location, and for the environment and society. Mobility of the future means mastering challenges together. The successful Lufthansa Express Rail cooperation is an excellent example of this - based on this, we are now taking the next step. Our customers have never benefited more from this partnership,” explains Lufthansa Executive Board member Harry Hohmeister.

Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance adds: “Today joins the forces of two different transport providers, opening the doors of Star Alliance beyond the airline world. Our new model for intermodal partnership creates the conditions for coordinated cooperation between different modes of transport in all Star Alliance markets. We are delighted to welcome Deutsche Bahn as our first Star Alliance intermodal partner.”