Lightning OBT enhances the corporate rail booking experience

In EMEA, rail is a critical part of business travel, with large volumes of tickets being booked each week through Corporate Travel Management’s (CTM’s) Lightning online booking tool.

Recognising the importance of efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings for our customers, the CTM product team recently delivered a new user experience (UX) for booking train tickets in Lightning.

What enhancements have been made to Lightning?

Following a comprehensive review of the rail booking journey, the team implemented a series of four enhancements designed to simplify the process and improve outcomes for customers.

1. Rail fare display improvements

Enhanced colour contrast and a compact, table-style view make it easier for travel bookers to scan information from left to right without endless scrolling. Clear headers now highlight key details such as journey information, timings, carbon emissions, and more, allowing users to make quick, informed choices.

2. Streamlined layout

By reducing blank space and unnecessary steps, the number of clicks required to complete a booking has been cut down significantly. Users can now identify combinable tickets at a glance and reach checkout faster.

3. Carbon visibility

A new carbon icon and a ‘carbon efficient’ quick-link option help travel bookers identify and prioritise the most environmentally responsible journeys.

4. Cheapest rail fare finder

For return journeys, a new grid view highlights the lowest combinable fares across different timing options. This allows users to compare dual singles or return tickets side by side, select fares with a single click, and easily adjust by earlier/later or next/previous day options.

Spotlight on rail split ticketing

A standout feature in Lightning’s rail booking is split ticketing guidance, a differentiator among TMCs. Split ticketing allows travellers to purchase multiple tickets for different segments of the same journey, often without changing trains, unlocking significant savings versus a direct single ticket.

Savings vary by route and train operating company (TOC), but for UK and European companies travelling domestically regularly, the average savings of £13* per trip quickly mount up.

For example, a journey from London to Manchester may be cheaper when split into two tickets (London–Birmingham and Birmingham–Manchester). Under UK Rail Delivery Group (RDG) rules, this practice is permitted and can deliver meaningful cost reductions while the traveller still enjoys the same train and route.

What results have been achieved from enhancing the Lightning rail UX?

The impact of these changes was immediate and measurable:

Conversion rates surged: Train booking conversions in July, the first full month post-launch, rose to 55.93%, up from the previous average of 52.56–52.7%. This 2%+ increase represents thousands more successful bookings, a direct reflection of improved usability.

Faster bookings: Median booking time dropped by around 10 seconds compared to the Mar–Jun period, proving how thoughtful UX design translates into tangible productivity gains for customers.

Why does product innovation matter?

These enhancements underscore the importance of product innovation in driving customer success. By making Lightning’s rail booking experience faster, simpler, and smarter, CTM is helping companies save money, reduce emissions, and deliver a seamless booking process to their travellers.

 

*Savings estimate based on Trainline data