Raileasy Ltd is marking its 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of innovation in the travel technology space. From its beginnings as Ferries Trains Planes Ltd in 1995 to becoming one of the UK’s leading railtech platforms, Raileasy has championed smarter, fairer ways to travel.
Founded by Giorgio Sikking and Mike Richardson after a chance meeting in a Covent Garden pub, the company began with an idea: to build an all-in-one platform for booking ferries, trains and flights, years before smartphones, apps, or Google revolutionised travel. What started with a sketch on the back of a cigarette packet has grown into a company that has transformed the UK rail industry.
Key Milestones Over 30 Years:
- 1995 – FTPL launches, along with France Holiday Store, the UK’s first France-focused travel directory
- 1996 – Launch of Ferryoffers, the first cross-Channel ferry & Eurotunnel comparison site
- 2003 – Eurostar + hotel dynamic packages introduced
- 2007 – Raileasy becomes the UK’s first independent online rail retailer
- 2009 – Launch of the first UK rail app (BlackBerry)
- 2010 – Launch of the UK rail API, opening the market to innovation
- 2014 – Launch of TrainSplit, introducing split-ticketing and saving UK travellers over £68 million
- 2017 – Launch of TrainSplit iOS and Android apps
- 2023 – Introduction of Digital Railcards
- 2024 – Relaunch of TrainSplit apps with a new search experience
Raileasy has delivered tools and technology that improve journeys and reduce travel costs. With a team that includes a new generation, the company continues to build on the founding vision, developing fairer fares, smarter travel tools, and new ways to improve passenger experience.
“We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone”, said Joe Sikking, Managing Director of Raileasy Ltd. “We thank our founders, our dedicated team, our partners and users who have been part of this journey. As we look to the future, we’re just getting started.”
Read the full story of Raileasy’s 30-year journey here.
