The hidden ticket clerk behind your international train journey
Anyone who has ever booked a ticket online from Brussels to Vienna or from Amsterdam to Copenhagen has, without realizing it, relied on Benerail.
What looks like a simple ordering process to the traveller is, behind the scenes, an intricate series of calculations and reservations between different railway companies.
Behind that simple click on “Book now” lies a whole world of logic which Benerail handles. Like an invisible ticket clerk that compares prices, calculates routes and reserves seats, the company makes international train travel possible without the traveller even noticing.
Who is Benerail?
Benerail, founded in 2003, is a partnership between NMBS and the Dutch Railways (NS), with one clear mission: to let travellers journey seamlessly between European countries.
For more than twenty years, the company has been making international train travel possible digitally.
What began as a partnership between Belgium and the Netherlands grew into a European network that today connects 15 countries and 17 railway companies. Thanks to Benerail, train journeys that used to require multiple tickets can now be booked easily as a single trip, with just one ticket for the entire route.
To make this possible, Benerail offers a powerful B2B platform to railway companies and travel organisations. This platform supports the booking, management and handling of international rail traffic: routes are calculated, fares compared, tickets issued and even refunds processed. And all of this within one integrated system.
With more than two decades of experience, Benerail continues to work on its mission: a European rail network within an 800-kilometre radius around Brussels.
Development Chapter Lead with impact
At Benerail, the Java back-end, the beating heart of the B2B platform, is built and maintained by a team of 23 employees within an IT organisation of around 80 people.
Within that team, Michael, consultant at itenium, takes on the role of Development Chapter Lead.
What characterises Itenium, and what Benerail values
Itenium consultants combine technical expertise, teamwork and clear communication.
At itenium, we believe that strong consultants only truly create value when they are supported by our way of working: improve, innovate and create impact.
And we see this value reflected in the collaboration at Benerail too.
According to Leen Dewicke, Product Manager at Benerail, clear improvements have been noticeable since Michael’s appointment as Chapter Lead:
How an Itenium consultant makes the difference
Thanks to his background as a developer, Michael understands the challenges and needs of developers through and through.
But it is the way he carries the Itenium values into his way of working that makes the difference: if you’re not moving forward, you’re failling behind, community is a verb and having fun.
He brings these values to life by actively focusing on:
It is precisely these qualities that our clients value, and that enable itenium consultants to create lasting added value within their teams and projects.
Thanks to our collaboration with Itenium, we have gained valuable reinforcement in our Chapter Lead Development. He bridges the technical and the human, motivates our developers and creates an environment where learning and working together come naturally. With his open mindset and people-focused approach, he not only makes an important contribution to technical optimisations, but also strengthens our organisation as a whole.
Justine Wauters
HR Manager – Benerail
