Indian travel technology company Ixigo has marked its entry into the European market with a significant acquisition deal. The company is taking a majority stake in Trenes, a Spanish train booking platform, as it ventures beyond its home territory for the first time.
Major Investment in Spanish Market
Ixigo is investing Rs 125 crore to secure a 60% ownership position in Trenes, one of Spain’s leading train ticketing services. This deal represents the company’s first international expansion and demonstrates confidence in the European travel technology sector.
Leveraging Indian Success for European Growth
As the leading travel platform in India, Ixigo has developed substantial expertise in managing operations at scale. The company plans to apply these learnings to the European market, where it sees significant potential for growth and innovation.
The Trenes platform has already established itself as Spain’s second-largest player in the train booking space, achieving this position with a lean team of fewer than 10 people. This efficient operational model caught Ixigo’s attention as an ideal foundation for European expansion.
The acquisition brings Marc and Pere, the founders who built Trenes into a successful business, into the Ixigo family. Their local market knowledge and entrepreneurial track record will be valuable assets as the combined entity pursues growth across Europe.
AI-Powered Future Vision
CEO Dinesh Kumar Kotha expressed enthusiasm about the timing of this expansion, noting that artificial intelligence is creating new possibilities in the travel industry. Ixigo aims to reinvent its approach for the global market, combining its proven Indian playbook with cutting-edge AI capabilities to deliver enhanced experiences for European travelers.
The company views this as an opportunity to establish itself as a truly international travel technology player, moving beyond its traditional boundaries and competing on the global stage.
