Omio is closing out 2025 with a major move in the multimodal travel ecosystem. The company has officially signed a strategic partnership with Direct Ferries, the world’s largest ferry ticketing platform — and this collaboration is about to reshape the way travellers book ferry journeys across the globe.

Signed in July and set to go live this December, the deal brings more than 2,000 ferry routes from 150 additional carriers straight into Omio’s booking engine. For a platform built on unifying trains, buses, and flights, adding one of the world’s richest ferry inventories is more than a feature upgrade — it’s a structural expansion of the entire Omio travel universe.

Bringing Ferries Into Omio’s Multimodal Mission

Omio’s vision has always been simple: make all modes of transport searchable, comparable, and bookable in one place. Ferries, however, have long been one of the trickier sectors to integrate. Operators range from small island shuttles to large overnight cruise-style ships, schedules vary seasonally, and the sector is deeply fragmented.

That’s exactly where Direct Ferries steps in.

As the leading global ferry GDS through its Direct Ferries Connect API, the company can provide Omio with instant access to a unified global ferry inventory — something that previously would have required dozens (if not hundreds) of individual integrations.

And the result is immediate scale. Northern Europe gets a big boost with new options in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, and Ireland. Omio users planning island-hopping adventures in Southeast Asia — already one of the platform’s fastest-growing markets — will now find popular routes like Phuket–Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui–Koh Tao, or Phuket–Koh Lanta directly in the app. North America expands too, where Omio already aggregates trains, buses, and flights but lacked ferry depth.

Perhaps most interestingly, Omio is stepping into entirely new geographic regions: Australasia, Central America, and the Caribbean. These destinations are heavily ferry-dependent and often underserved by digital platforms, making the partnership a meaningful market-opening moment.

Why Ferries Are Having a Moment

Ferries have been experiencing a quiet renaissance — particularly among younger and more experience-driven travellers. What used to be seen as a niche transport mode has become a flexible, scenic, and surprisingly practical choice.

Travelers love ferries for three core reasons:

1. Flexibility: Many routes allow passengers to bring bikes, motorbikes, or even cars.
2. Comfort options: Overnight trips can include private cabins, lounges, and amenities similar to cruise ships.
3. Experiences: Scenic coastlines, short island hops, and off-the-beaten-path access points make ferries feel like part of the trip rather than just a transfer.

Omio says ferry interest on its platform has consistently grown year over year, especially in leisure-driven markets. By adding more inventory, Omio isn’t just expanding a category — it’s catching a wave of behavioural change among travellers.

Leadership Commentary Underscores the Strategic Shift

Veronica Diquattro, Omio’s President of B2C and Supply, framed the partnership as a milestone:

“We are thrilled to partner with Direct Ferries, instantly elevating our ferry booking options across multiple regions. This collaboration represents a major leap towards our vision of seamless global multimodal travel.”

Direct Ferries CEO Niall Walsh highlighted the technical and sectoral importance of the partnership:

“The ferry sector has traditionally been complex and fragmented… Our Connect API simplifies this through a single agreement and unified integration. We’re excited to support Omio as it brings even greater choice to travellers worldwide.”

It’s rare to hear both sides speak so clearly to operational impact and global reach — a strong sign this isn’t just a catalogue expansion but a cornerstone partnership.

Companies at a Glance

Omio

Founded in 2013, Omio has built itself into the world’s leading multimodal travel search and booking platform. Through Omio and Rome2Rio, the group supports journeys across Europe, the U.S., Canada, Southeast Asia, and Brazil. With over 80,000 tickets sold daily and a global team spread across five continents, Omio has become a default resource for travellers trying to compare trains, buses, flights — and now ferries.

Direct Ferries

Founded in 1999, Direct Ferries runs the world’s largest ferry booking platform, covering 4,000+ routes and partnering with more than 300 ferry companies worldwide. Its Connect API functions as a global ferry GDS, making it easy for travel businesses to plug in and instantly access ferry schedules, fares, and ticket availability.

Their technology-first approach is what makes this Omio integration possible on such a large scale.

What This Means for the Market

This partnership doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it reflects broader industry pressure toward unified mobility platforms. Competitors like Trainline, Rome2Rio (also part of the Omio Group), and even Google Maps have been increasingly focused on multimodal discovery, but true multimodal booking remains challenging.

Ferry aggregation is one of the biggest missing pieces across most platforms. Even Booking.com and Expedia offer only limited ferry content, usually through regional partners. Direct Ferries’ reach — and its GDS-style API — gives Omio something that few players in the market can match.

Industry reports from Skift and Phocuswright have consistently pointed to multimodal travel as one of the fastest-growing sectors in digital mobility, with ferry travel specifically seeing a rise tied to island tourism, sustainability shifts, and the post-pandemic preference for open-air transport. This partnership positions Omio at the centre of that trend.

Conclusion: A Strategic Move That Pushes Multimodal Standards Forward h5

Omio’s integration with Direct Ferries isn’t just about adding more routes. It’s about closing a major multimodal gap and expanding into regions where ferries are essential, not optional. Compared to competitors, Omio is now far closer to delivering a truly global, cross-mode booking experience — something the industry has talked about for years but struggled to achieve.

With airlines, rail operators, mobility platforms, and travel agencies all racing toward unified travel ecosystems, Omio’s move signals where the market is heading: platforms that can seamlessly stitch together every mode of transport, from long-haul flights to local island hops. And with Direct Ferries’ tech-forward API powering this expansion, Omio is positioning itself at the very front of this shift — at a time when travellers are demanding more choice, more flexibility, and more ways to explore the world.