VIA Rail

VIA 6411 in Winnipeg

VIA Rail operates a coast-to-coast passenger rail network. Canada’s national passenger rail operator focuses on three areas:

  • The Quebec City-Windsor Corridor
  • Transcontinental railway services
  • Remote railway services

VIA Rail’s Corridor Service

VIA Rail train in downtown Toronto
A VIA Rail train in downtown Toronto, Ontario

VIA Rail runs numerous trains in the corridor between Windsor and Quebec City, through Toronto, Montreal and other cities along the way. The corridor carries thousands of people every day.

These services generally operate daily along several overlapping routes:

  • Toronto – Kingston – Montreal
  • Toronto – Kingston – Ottawa
  • Quebec City – Montreal – Ottawa
  • Toronto – London – Windsor
  • Toronto – Niagara Falls
  • Toronto – London – Sarnia

Transcontinental Services

VIA Rail's Canadian in Jasper, BC
VIA Rail’s Canadian in Jasper, BC

Transcontinental railway services focus on the world-famous transcontinental Canadian as well as the eastern Ocean, the longest-running named passenger train in North America.

The Canadian operates from Montreal to Vancouver and back. The Ocean runs between Montreal and Halifax. Both are Canadian trains with sleeper cars.

Remote Services

The VIA Rail Skeena in Prince George, BC with a taxi cab
The VIA Rail Skeena in Prince George, BC

Remote railway services are part of VIA Rail’s mandate. These provide rail service to remote areas that are difficult or impossible to get to by road.

  • Winnipeg-Churchill (formerly known as the Hudson Bay)
  • Sudbury-White River (RDC service)
  • Jasper – Prince George – Prince Rupert (formerly known as the Skeena)
  • Montreal – Senneterre and Montreal – Jonquiere

Former VIA Rail Services

Trains previously operated by VIA Rail that were cancelled over the years include:

  • The Vancouver Island Malahat
  • The Chaleur serving Quebec’s Gaspe peninsula
  • The Atlantic between Montreal and Halifax via Saint John, NB

For More Information

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