Trainline Q1 ticket sales rise 20% in first update since IPO

In its first trading update since its IPO last month, Trainline posted a 20% increase in first-quarter ticket sales on Tuesday, underpinned by the rollout of eTickets.

In the three months to the end of May, the ticketing company said group net sales rose to £906m from £754m in the same period a year ago, with total UK ticket sales up 17% to £788m. UK consumer ticket sales pushed up 27% to £481m, while international sales were 51% higher at £117m.

The company, which is backed by private equity firm KKR, said Trainline for Business - which provides rail and coach booking solutions for small and medium enterprises in the UK - saw 4% growth in ticket sales to £307m.

Chief executive officer Clare Gilmartin said: "We are pleased with our first quarter performance, which demonstrates that Trainline continues to consolidate its position as the leading independent rail and coach travel platform.

"The Q1 performance of the UK consumer business further demonstrates that the rollout of eTickets supported by a great app experience is shifting customers online and to mobile, with strong app performance also driving International growth.

"We are also pleased to have successfully completed the IPO of the business in June of this year. With the majority of rail and coach tickets currently still sold offline in the UK and globally, there is a huge opportunity ahead of us to continue to grow and innovate for the benefit of all our stakeholders."