Ropes & Gray Advises Duke Street on Great Rail Journeys Acquisition of Vacations By Rail

Ropes & Gray advised private equity firm Duke Street on York-based Great Rail Journeys’ (GRJ) acquisition of Chicago-based Vacation By Rail, a U.S. provider of railway holidays. The transaction showcases the firm’s English and U.S. law capabilities in advising on a U.S. acquisition that is partially funded by English law governed facilities. GRJ offers almost 400 itineraries to more than 50 countries, and the expansion will provide customers with an even broader portfolio of rail itineraries and an increased collection of rail holidays to customers in the U.K. and the U.S.

The announcement comes one year after Ropes & Gray advised Duke Street on its acquisition of GRJ.

The Ropes & Gray team included tax partners David Saltzman (Boston) and Brenda Coleman (London), tax associates Chris Agnoli (London) and Chris Shim (New York), private equity associates Craig Jourdan and Hayley Stokes (both of London), and IP/IT associate Merissa Pico (New York).