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Byway

9 known investors

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London-based travel platform selling flight-free holiday packages by train, bus and ferry across Europe.

Also known as Byway Travel

Founders & leadership

CJCat Jones
Cat JonesFounderFounder of Byway, a London-based travel platform offering holiday packages across Europe using train, bus, and ferry transportation.

Investors · 9

Also in the syndicate · 3

HERMESA angel syndicateJulia DaviesSusan Hooper

Funding

SEC filings, press & company announcements

Source: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.

Company profile

researched Aug 2026

Byway is a London-based travel technology company that builds and sells entirely flight-free holidays. Its platform assembles customisable travel and accommodation packages using trains, buses and ferries, and provides travellers with on-demand support during their trip via WhatsApp. Itineraries cover more than 26 European countries.

The company was founded in 2020 by Cat Jones. Following a Series A round announced in July 2024, Byway stated it would invest in its flight-free booking technology, expand its team and broaden its regional itinerary coverage.

Founding story

Byway was founded in 2020 by Cat Jones, with the stated aim of making flight-free travel a mainstream option.

Business model

Byway packages multi-modal, flight-free trips — combining rail, coach and ferry legs with accommodation — into customisable holiday packages sold to travellers, with human support delivered on demand through WhatsApp during the journey.

Traction

Byway reported year-on-year growth, describing itself as tripling in size each year since inception. It states that customers save an average of 718 kg of carbon per trip compared with flying, and that cumulative customer savings reached 3,045 metric tons of carbon.

Latest developments

In July 2024, Byway announced a €5.9 million Series A round led by Heartcore Capital, with participation from Eka Ventures and angel investors including the HERMESA syndicate, Julia Davies and former SAGA chief executive Susan Hooper. Proceeds were earmarked for technology development, hiring and expanded regional offerings.

▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography

Market position

Byway positions itself in European travel technology as a provider of 100% flight-free holidays; its lead investor's travel portfolio includes GetYourGuide, TravelPerk and Fora.

Technology

A booking platform that constructs and customises multi-leg itineraries across trains, buses and ferries together with accommodation, paired with a WhatsApp-based traveller support channel.

Go-to-market

Leisure travellers in Europe, particularly those seeking lower-carbon holidays that avoid air travel.

Geography

Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with itineraries spanning more than 26 European countries.

Compiled by commissioned research from 5 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.

Key figures

latest reported
Average carbon saved per trip vs flyingJul 2024718 kg CO2
Cumulative customer carbon savingsJul 20243,045 metric tons CO2
European countries coveredJul 202426

Company-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.

Timeline · 1

launches, deals, and filings
Jul 2024
Byway raises €5.9M Series A led by Heartcore Capital

Byway announced a €5.9 million Series A round led by Heartcore Capital, with participation from Eka Ventures and angel investors including the HERMESA syndicate, impact investor Julia Davies and former SAGA CEO Susan Hooper. Funds were designated for expanding its flight-free technology, growing the team and enhancing regional offerings.

source ↗

Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.

In the news

▸Research sources · 5

primary sources listed

5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

What does Byway do?
London-based travel platform selling flight-free holiday packages by train, bus and ferry across Europe.
Who founded Byway?
Byway was founded by Cat Jones.
Who are Byway's investors?
Byway's investors include Eka Ventures, Founders Factory, Founders Factory NY, GMG Ventures, Heartcore Capital, Mercuri.vc.