Transport Action Canada

@transportaction.ca

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Advocacy for better public transport across Canada. Bringing people together by bus, train, ferry, and bicycle.

Report cover with a picture of curving railroad tracks that says UIC Passenger Department financial modles for high-speed rail infrastructure
Shinkansen trains at Tokyo station, JR East Tohuku line in the foreground.
Harry Gow, Terence Johnson, Xavier Barsalou-Duval - député du Bloc Québécois dans Pierre-Boucher--Les Patriotes--Verchères, et David Jeanes
Northlander trainset 1981 heads south through the Don River valley on its last lap into Toronto Union Station on January 29, 1978. —Carl V. Ehrke photo; Kevin J. Holland collection
Ottawa Trillium Line train - Stadler Flirt - stopping at Dow’s Lake station on a snowy afternoon.
We are just at the beginning of a process that will reshape the way Canadians move around their country. With this project, VIA Rail hopes to provide its passengers with an unparalleled level of comfort and help a new generation of Canadians discover the joy of rail travel, while providing essential services to communities that would otherwise be isolated from the rest of the country.
A Model of Accessibility and Sustainability An innovative design, with barrier-free and fully accessible zones, will enable us to offer the same travel experience to all our passengers. Consultations were already held with persons living with a disability to gather feedback about the preliminary design of the fleet. This new fleet will offer environmental performance that exceeds the best standards in the industry (EPA Tier 4). It will be designed with a view to transitioning to zero-emission technologies in the future.
Dining Car The Dining Car will have a full kitchen, allowing our chefs to prepare tasty meals using fresh ingredients, with an emphasis on local produce. Canada’s pristine landscapes are an integral part of train travel, and panoramic windows will allow our passengers to discover Canadian wildlife and flora from the comfort of their seats. Passengers will be able to enjoy the comfort of a seated restaurant during their journey, combining a fine dining experience with a spectacular view.
Panorama Car Comfortable seats and couches allow you to work or spend quality time with your loved ones while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Wide aisles for easy circulation and large accessible washrooms are some of the features that ensure a new level of accessibility.
A Historic Project Most of the cars currently used on long-distance and regional routes are 70 years old. Their useful life has long since expired. In its 2024 budget, the Government of Canada announced new funding for VIA Rail to replace all the locomotives and cars on routes outside the Québec City–Windsor corridor. It is the largest project in VIA Rail’s history. More than 40 locomotives and 300 cars will be built specifically to provide unparalleled accessibility and comfort to our passengers while being able to withstand Canada’s world-renowned winters and scorching summers and covering exceptional distances year after year.
VIA Rail’s Pan-Canadian Network 10,000 km / 8 provinces. VIA Rail network across Canada, with stops in many communities without any other public transportation option. 2,600 jobs across Canada associated with the operations of the long-distance and regional routes, not including 2,000 indirect jobs from tourism. 40% of trips taken by people identifying as Indigenous are for essential travel.
Pan-Canadian Fleet VIA Rail: A Long History of Services Across Canada VIA Rail Canada was established by the Government of Canada in 1977 to take over responsibility for intercity passenger rail services previously operated by the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). From its inception, long-distance, regional and remote travel has been part of VIA Rail’s DNA. Passenger rail continues to play an important role in the mobility of Canadians, with some 5 million passengers transported this year.
Video showing concept exterior and interiors of dining car and panoramic lounge car for future VIA Rail Pan-Canadian train fleet.
Folding bike rack provided by Calgary Transit for passengers to practice using bike racks mounted on the front of buses.
Motorcoach with “IntercityBus” branding
Train destination board showing Glencoe - London - Brantford.