Virgin Trains have announced that passengers can now book their Advance Single train tickets using their Amazon Alexa smart assistant using the Amazon Pay service.

In this global first, passengers will be able to book their tickets using Alexa-enabled devices, including Amazon Echo.

Virgin Trains is the first travel company in the world to use Amazon Alexa functionality to sell tickets.

Virgin Trains West Coast is offering FREE first class upgrades to anyone named Alexa. People who are named Alexa need to be travelling between 3rd May 2018 and 15th June 2018.

Facebook users who ‘like’ Virgin Trains West Coast can be in with a chance to bag themselves an Amazon Echo device. From 3rd to 5th May, the train operating company will be sending Alexa to a range of destinations along the West Coast route. Facebook users will then have the challenge of naming the destination.

Both East Coast and West Coast customers who book train travel via the Virgin Trains skill for Amazon Echo between 3rd May and 23rd May will also be entered into a prize draw to win an all-inclusive Virgin Holiday for four in Antigua.

Customers can book East and West Coast Advance Single tickets on the Virgin Trains skill for Amazon Alexa. Examples fares include:

• London – Edinburgh £42
• London – York £29
• London-Birmingham £11
• London-Manchester £27

What did the officials say?

John Sullivan, Virgin Trains CIO said:

“We’re very excited to be the first travel company in the world to sell tickets for both Virgin Trains on the East Coast and West Coast through Amazon Alexa; it’s just another example of Virgin Trains leading the way in digital innovation within the rail industry. From finding train times online, to arriving at your destination, we want to make every journey with Virgin Trains amazing, and our collaboration with Amazon is a great example of this commitment to putting the customer first.”

Giulio Montemagno, Director, Amazon Pay EU, said:

“We’re thrilled to work with Virgin Trains to offer customers a completely new way to buy train tickets. With Alexa and Amazon Pay, Virgin Trains customers can now search, select and buy train tickets entirely through voice. This is a first-of-a-kind service that will make it easier than ever to find and book the ticket you want, even when you’re busy doing something else—all you need to do is ask Alexa.”

Don’t forget, you can get all the latest railway news using the RailAdvent Alexa Skill. Click here to find out more.

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