Kombo acquires KelBillet to consolidate ground transportation in Europe

Acquisition is expected to expand its offerings and improve service for travellers in Europe

Kombo, an independent train, bus and plane ticket booking platform founded in 2016, is acquiring KelBillet, a comparison metasearch engine created in Rennes in 2005. 

Following this transaction, KelBillet will retain its brand and users will be able to book directly through Kombo, access more European operators and benefit from enhanced customer service.

Kombo plans to gradually integrate its technology with KelBillet to unify the search and purchase experience. The goal is to align inventories and optimize journeys, particularly for combined itineraries or when direct routes are unavailable. 

As the integration progresses, KelBillet users should regain access to Kombo's network (more than 400 partner companies) while retaining features specific to the original brand, such as peer-to-peer ticket resale. This integration will be seamless and will prioritise price transparency.

The motivations are primarily industrial and commercial. Both companies explain that European land transport is entering a new phase characterized by increased competition, a proliferation of operators, and greater demands from travelers for transparency. 

In this context, where critical mass is becoming essential, Kombo sees a stage of maturity conducive to external growth in order to gain scale and geographic coverage, while Kelbillet views it as a way to expand the depth of its services. 

The stated ambition is to build an independent European player capable of covering more modes of transport and operators with a consistent user experience.