Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide · VIA Rail Canada has partnered with Concur Travel to provide a direct connect option that will simplify the booking process

Travel: VIA Rail Direct

Connect

Travel Service Guide

Last Revised: June 23 2016

Applies to Concur Travel:

Professional/Premium edition

TMC Partners

Direct Customers

Standard edition

TMC Partners

Direct Customers

Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide i Last Revised: June 23 2016 © 2004 - 2020 SAP Concur All rights reserved.

Contents

VIA Rail Direct Connect ................................................................................................ 1

Section 1: IMPORTANT – About this Guide ................................................................... 1

Section 2: Overview ...................................................................................................... 1

Benefits and Features ............................................................................................. 1

Section 3: What the User Sees ...................................................................................... 2

Ticketing ............................................................................................................... 8

Trip Cancellation .................................................................................................... 9

Customer Support .................................................................................................. 9

Section 4: Configuration ............................................................................................... 9

Part 1: Professional and Standard Editions – Client Agreement ................................... 10

Part 2: Professional Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel ...................................... 10

Part 2: Standard Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel.......................................... 11

Section 5: FAQ ............................................................................................................ 12

The Basics ........................................................................................................... 12

Questions ............................................................................................................ 12

ii Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide Last Revised: June 23 2016 © 2004 - 2020 SAP Concur All rights reserved.

Revision History Date Revision Notes/Comments

February 14, 2020 Updated the copyright; no other changes; cover date not updated

June 20, 2019 Removed "Concur" from the cover; no other changes; cover date not updated

March 10, 2019 Updated the copyright; no other changes; cover date not updated

January 3, 2018 Updated the copyright; no other changes; cover date not updated

June 23, 2016 General updates; initial publication in the new format

Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide 1 Last Revised: June 23 2016 © 2004 - 2020 SAP Concur All rights reserved.

VIA Rail Direct Connect

Section 1: IMPORTANT – About this Guide

Be aware that certain scenarios have an infinite number of variables or extremely

unusual circumstances, like rare cancellation or refund situations. So, not all

scenarios can be presented in this guide. Also, certain processes may be influenced

by third- or fourth-party participants. In some cases, you must contact the

vendor/provider directly.

Section 2: Overview

VIA Rail Canada has partnered with Concur Travel to provide a direct connect option

that will simplify the booking process and assist corporate buyers in booking rail

through Canada. This direct connect brings your company premier access to VIA Rail

Canada services and integrates rail bookings with the corporate reporting and

account process. VIA Rail Canada and Concur believe this direct connect will provide

a superior experience over current GDS booking and improve agency productivity.

NOTE: Though the actual rail line is named VIA Rail Canada, the Concur direct

connect is simply named VIA Rail.

Benefits and Features

Travelers and Travel managers will realize these benefits, which highlight the VIA

Rail Direct Connect option:

• Full availability to VIA Rail Canada fares (including Web fares and corporate

discounts)

• Expanded VIA Rail Canada booking capabilities and benefits not available in

the GDS

• Corporate customer access to detailed reporting and accounting

• Integration with existing corporate workflow and agency support processes

• Available at your existing Concur Travel GDS air transaction fee

• Instant purchase as VIA Rail Canada charges the credit card or corporate

ghost card for the rail charge

• Frequent departures and, in most cases, downtown-to-downtown service

provides flexible scheduling

• A site-wide ghost (BTA) card can be used for a VIA Rail Reservation, when the

Concur Travel site is set up accordingly.

2 Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide Last Revised: June 23 2016 © 2004 - 2020 SAP Concur All rights reserved.

• Access to VIA 1 and Comfort class fares:

VIA 1 class is naturally your first choice as a business traveler, since it

offers everything you expect from a first-class trip - except the high price.

Enjoy a wireless Internet connection when you travel in VIA 1 class

between Montréal and Toronto on certain trains. Sit back, relax, and keep

in touch with your world.

If you are traveling in Comfort class, your corporate discount is applied to

the Comfort-Liberty fare.

No service charges for cancellations of VIA 1 or Comfort-Liberty class

fares booked through Concur.

Section 3: What the User Sees

On the Train Search tab, if a corporate card is the only option available, the user

has no choices. If an individual card is allowed, the user selects the applicable

payment method. Then, the user clicks Search on VIA Rail.

Using a corporate card:

Using an individual card:

All of the necessary corporate account information is passed along to VIA Rail so the

user needs to only make a train selection within VIA Rail.

NOTE: In an effort to facilitate current and future PCI compliance, prior to the user

leaving the Concur site and entering the VIA Rail site, Concur will request a

Temporary Token from Moneris (a payment provider) that is being passed

along with the masked credit card details to VIA Rail.


VIA 1 (business) and Comfort Class (economy) fares are available to be booked.

Passenger types supported are adult and senior:

Once the user selects the appropriate class and fare, an itinerary will be displayed.




The user clicks Book Now to continue with the instant buy and update the Contact &

Passenger Information:


VIA Rail Canada will ask the user to confirm certain information and select a ticket

delivery method:


When the ticket is purchased, Concur Travel will place the confirmation in the user's

travel itinerary:

Ticketing

Concur Travel, powered by RESERVIA, will send an e-booking confirmation to the

user. The user exchanges the e-Booking Confirmation for a paper ticket at a VIA

Station, prior to boarding. Self-service ticketing kiosks are available at major

stations. The user can scan the bar code on the e-Booking Confirmation to obtain the

ticket(s). A copy of the confirmation code will be included in Concur Travel and the

user will be e-mailed a confirmation directly from VIA Rail Canada.

VIA Rail Canada does not issue boarding passes – they issue tickets with the

appropriate number of coupons, which are lifted by the service manager on board the

train. When the user picks up the ticket at the station, the credit card used for the

purchase will be required for verification purposes. If the user paid with a VISA card,

the user or the person buying the tickets can simply show a photo ID.


Trip Cancellation

Should travel plans change before the issuance of paper tickets, the user should

cancel the trip online through Concur Travel by clicking the Cancel Trip link in the

Action column on the Upcoming Trips tab of the Travel home page:

Remember that discounted fare plans are subject to cancellation penalties. The net

refund amount will be credited to the credit card account. However, after the

issuance of paper tickets, the user should contact VIA Rail Canada to cancel the

ticket and the user may obtain the refund at a VIA Rail station.

The agency should not refund a VIA paper ticket. A commission recall will be done by

VIA through the ITSS for all paper ticket refunds done at VIA Stations.

Customer Support

VIA Rail Canada provides email support for Concur Travel bookings powered by

RESERVIA. The user can click the Contact VIA link to report any problems

encountered during the booking process to VIA Rail Canada or submit a special

request.

For any request involving a VIA Rail Canada ticket purchased through the Concur

Travel direct connect, your travelers may contact VIA Rail Canada at

[email protected] or speak with a station service manager. Travel Agents may

contact VIA Rail Canada at [email protected] or call 1 (800) 361-8010.

Section 4: Configuration

Follow the appropriate steps for your edition of travel:

• Part 1: Professional and Standard Editions – Client Agreement

• Part 2: Professional Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel

– or –

Part 2: Standard Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel

• Part 3: Professional and Standard Editions – Additional Information

mailto:[email protected]



Part 1: Professional and Standard Editions – Client Agreement

A corporate agreement is not needed in order to have VIA Rail available via Concur.

If a client choses to set a relationship with VIA Rail directly, they can contact VIA

Rail's Corporate Sales team. Please work with your travel agency or Concur Travel

implementation manager.

Part 2: Professional Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel

Concur and VIA Rail Canada have delivered a streamlined setup process. Please work

with your travel agency or Concur Travel implementation manager on these steps to

implement the VIA Rail Direct Connect.

Provide the Agency IATA number (and the VIA Rail Canada Corporate Account

Number (when applicable) to be used for direct connect bookings. This will register

your company and your travelers will be provided with all published rates and

benefits of the Concur Travel direct connect program. Corporate discounts will be

applied automatically at the time of booking.

The IATA number for VIA Rail is taken from the ARC/IATA Agency Number on the

Agency Details page, when present:

If that number is absent or deemed invalid by VIA Rail, a blank Agency Number will

be used for the VIA Rail request.

The ARC/IATA Agency Number enables VIA Rail to recognize a Travel Agency for

payment of commission.

The Corporate Discount Code enables VIA Rail to recognize a corporate client and

offer discounts and coupons, as well as manage upgrades and promotions.

To configure:

1. Click Administration > Travel (on the sub-menu) > Travel System Admin

and access the desired client travel configuration.

NOTE: Depending on your permissions, the page may appear immediately

after you click Administration or Travel.


2. In the Rail Connectors section of the travel configuration page, locate VIA

Rail.

3. To enable:

Field Description / Action

Enable Select to enable.

Corporate Discount Code Enter the code.

When making a VIA Rail booking

and a Ghost Card is in effect, allow the use of other credit cards as well

Select (enable) this check box, if desired.

Part 2: Standard Edition – Configuration in Concur Travel

To configure:

1. In the Travel Setup Wizard, click the Discounts and Travel Content setup

step.

2. Select the desired configuration.

3. Click the Direct Connect tab.

4. Locate VIA Rail.

5. To enable:

Field Description/Action

Enable Select to enable.

Corporate Discount Code Enter the code.

When making a VIA Rail booking

and a Ghost Card is in effect, allow the use of other credit cards as well

Select, if desired.


Section 5: FAQ

The Basics

Topic Comment

Integrated display with air: No

CT Policy controlled: No

Trips on Hold via Concur: No

Trip Changes via Concur: No

Trip Cancels via Concur: Yes, before the issuance of paper tickets

Refunds processed by: VIA Rail

Delivery Options: e-boarding pass ( selected routes) and

paper ticket

Pre-Assigned Seating: Yes

Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Multi-Segment Bookings: No

Guest Booking Capability: No

Loyalty Program generated via CT profile: Yes

Ghost/BTA/Lodge Cards Accepted: Yes

GDS Supported for passive segment: Sabre, Apollo, Galileo, Worldspan,

Amadeus

Must write GDS passive segment: Yes

* Select Access Fee: No

** Sabre Convenience Fee:

* Refer to Support Portal for fees

** Applicable to Sabre fulfillment only when passive segments are written

Questions

Q. How will the VIA Rail Direct Connect fare look different in Concur?

A. Once a train reservation has been made on the VIA Rail website, the

confirmation will be displayed in the Concur Travel itinerary and reported as a

rail segment.


Q. How are tickets issued?

A. VIA Rail Canada issues a booking confirmation, which is sent to you by

email. This email contains a confirmation number and barcode confirming

your reservation. You can simply scan the bar code at the self-service

ticketing kiosk to obtain your paper ticket. Alternatively, you can present your

booking confirmation email to a VIA ticket agent.

Q. Can I cancel a rail trip?

A. If a paper ticket has not been issued from the confirmation, you can cancel

a VIA Rail trip purchased through the VIA Rail Direct Connect. To cancel, click

the Cancel Trip link in the Action column on the Upcoming Trips tab of the

Travel home page.

If your booking a VIA 1 or Comfort-Liberty fare, there are no service charges

for cancellation.

Q. How do I select a seat?

A. At the time of booking, you can indicate your seat preference of window or

aisle on the passenger information screen.

Q. What form of payment is used on the VIA Rail bookings?

A. All major cards are supported. Travelers provide the form of payment

during the booking process.

Q. How do I change a rail ticket?

A. You can email your request to [email protected] or call 1-888-VIARAIL

(842-7245) to change your booking. Then, go to a VIA station with your

ticket and the credit card used to purchase your ticket, to obtain your new

ticket.

Q. Can I still call my travel agent to book VIA Rail Canada?

A. Because the VIA Rail Direct Connect booking includes the IATA number

used by your company and agency, you will receive a full account of tickets

issued both by the agency and directly by VIA Rail Canada.

Q. How will VIA Rail bookings be reported?

A. Reporting for your VIA Rail Direct Connect bookings will available through

Concur Travel reports as usual.



Q. What is required to take advantage of VIA Rail Direct Connect?

A. Simply enter the agency IATA number and the VIA Rail Canada Corporate

Account Number to be used for direct connect bookings into your system

administrator's travel configuration. This will register your company and your

travelers will be provided with all published rates and benefits of the VIA Rail

Direct Connect program. Corporate discounts will be applied automatically at

the time of booking.

Q. Can our travel agency still support ticket with customers using VIA Rail Direct

Connect?

A. Yes. It is Concur and VIA Rail Canada's goal to fully support for VIA Rail

Direct Connect tickets. Any ticket purchased though this interface will be

documented in a manual segment. See Segment type indicators below. To

service these tickets, your agents may email [email protected] or call

(800) 361-8010.

Q. What manual segment will be used with my system?

A. The following are used in various GDS systems:

GDS Passive Segment Type

Sabre YK

Apollo/Galileo GK

Worldspan TVL segments of type AIR

Amadeus GK

Q. What are the benefits of VIA 1 class of service?

A. Available on most trains in the Québec to Windsor corridor, VIA 1 class

gives you the space, comfort, and atmosphere you need to sit back and relax

or turn your travel time into a productive working session. Also, included in

the price of your ticket is a delicious three-course meal.

Q. What should I do to enable VIA 1 class of service?

A. As VIA Rail is not policy controlled, users will be able to book this class of

service without any additional setup.

Q. Should I still check the VIA Rail Canada website?

A. If you use VIA Rail Direct Connect, you have access to the same

availability and fares with the exception of sleeper class; however, if you use

the GDS, you have limited access to availability and fares.



Q. What does our travel agency or implementation manager need to do to set up VIA

Rail Direct Connect?

A. Complete instructions are provide in the Configuration section in this

guide.

Documents

Travel: VIA Rail Direct Connect Travel Service Guide · VIA Rail Canada has partnered with Concur Travel to provide a direct connect option that will simplify the booking process