Trainline Makes Sense of Travel Chaos in 'The Way To Train'
Trainline has launched of its new brand and product vision, 'The way to train', created in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam. The launch is underpinned by Trainline's biggest-ever product release to date, and arrives just as the UK heads into an anticipated peak in rail disruption. The suite of AI and data-driven features - including Travel Forecast, Delay Repay Notifications, Travel Assistant and Train Swap - is specifically designed to support customers throughout their journey.
“This is a landmark moment for Trainline in our mission to be the indispensable partner that customers can rely on for every part of their journey. What's so exciting is that this project is the direct result of a real business transformation and a true marriage of our product, brand and marketing functions partnering with the team at W+K Amsterdam and our other agency partners. By aligning our innovative features with our brand, we’re able to solve that common pain point of disruptions for our customers,” commented Jo McClintock, VP of brand and marketing at Trainline.
Trainline are a mission to offer exceptional value to travellers and support them during their rail journey, with smart, real time travel information on the go. However, in 2024, Trainline’s marketing and product teams together with W+K Amsterdam saw a transformational opportunity. With rail disruption a major pain point for train travellers, the new strategic goal became framing Trainline as the destination for passengers to seek help and support during disruptions. This direction signalled Trainline’s new identity, from being a train ticket company to a train journey company, dedicated to managing the entire travel experience, driving acquisition and retention in a rapidly commoditising category.
The team ran qualitative focus groups with customers to get to the heart of the issue. The results revealed that 66% of travellers anticipate or fear disruption when booking tickets, and they primarily lack control and information during rail disruption. This pushed the team to develop a new brand and product vision that was one and the same—'The Way To Train.' Trainline’s product teams also used this new thinking as the springboard to build innovative disruption-smashing features for customers.
Nick Docherty, chief strategy officer at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam said, “We’re excited to partner with Trainline on such a pivotal moment. “The Way To Train” isn’t just a brand refresh, it’s a platform for business transformation. It takes Trainline beyond a rail booking service to open up a future where the brand can serve customers at every single point of their journey.”
Ramona Todoca and Edouard Olhagaray, creative directors at W+K Amsterdam said, “We wanted to showcase the absurdity that train commuters experience on a daily basis. It can sometimes feel like they are stuck in a loop, with no solution in sight. All they want is a way out. The new set of features gives them just that, proving Trainline is “The Way To Train”
Finally, the campaign was created to introduce the new Trainline brand and features to the world. It immediately captures the emotional heart of rail disruptions, showing travellers that Trainline understands the frustration and helplessness they feel. The brand film uses a pan-and-scan fresco style that zooms into different characters caught in the looping chaos of delays—bringing to life the various feelings of travellers, from lost to confused, before they are released with 'The Way To Train.' By placing the new features into these real-life, disruptive situations, the campaign is designed to drive both awareness and retention, positioning Trainline as an invaluable tool for every journey and every traveller, and serving as the bold introduction to the company's new brand world.
The full funnel marketing campaign has launched in the UK with a coordinated roll out across digital, marketing, brand and comms.
