Omio Acquires Rail Europe, Secures $10 Million Investment

Berlin-based travel platform Omio announced on July 16 its acquisition of Rail Europe, a nearly century-old rail ticketing company, and a separate $10 million investment from Granite-Integral, an Asia-focused venture firm. This strategic move aims to significantly expand Omio's presence in the Asian tourism market. The acquisition of Rail Europe provides Omio with access to 22,000 travel agencies that distribute European rail content, many of which are located in Asia, according to CEO Naren Shaam. Omio plans to leverage these agencies to offer Asian rail content, recognizing that travelers often visit both Europe and various Asian destinations.

Omio's expansion into Asia follows its entry into Southeast Asia last year and Japan earlier this year, after a pandemic-induced delay in its global growth plans. Shaam believes that travel patterns are shifting to "new corridors," which benefits Omio as less-traveled destinations are often better served by rail and bus networks than by air travel. He highlighted the potential to direct tourists beyond the popular "Golden Triangle" of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, encouraging exploration of regions like Hokkaido and Kyushu.

Visitor arrivals across Asia are projected to reach 710 million this year, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association, with pre-COVID levels having been surpassed last year. The $10 million investment comes from Granite-Integral, a joint venture established in 2025 by Singapore's Granite Asia and Japan's Integral Corporation, with $100 million in committed capital to support technology companies entering the Japanese market. CK Ch, representing Granite-Integral, stated that Japan and Southeast Asia present significant long-term opportunities in global travel due to increasing demand for integrated journeys across the region.