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Search & book VIA Rail tickets

Official VIA Rail partner

Wanderu is an official partner of VIA Rail

Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel in North America and Europe. We partner with more than 300 bus & train companies around the world to help you search, compare, and find the best travel deals all in one place.

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About VIA Rail

VIA Rail is Canada’s national passenger rail with service to 196 cities. Founded in 1977, its 12,500 kilometers of railroads serve millions of passengers per year. With 9 distinct routes and nationwide coverage, VIA Rail is a fantastic way to travel around Canada, whether for a quick and convenient commute from Toronto to Ottawa, or for an incredible adventure across the country from Halifax to Vancouver. VIA Rail is known for its modern trains, which don a recognizable (and snazzy) black and yellow paint scheme.

Contact VIA Rail

Phone number: US: 1 (888) 842-7245Email: [email protected]

VIA Rail Amenities

Air conditioningAir conditioning
ToiletToilet
Extra legroomExtra legroom
Green certifiedGreen certified
Loyalty rewardsLoyalty rewards
FilmsFilms
Power pointPower point
SnacksSnacks
WiFiWiFi

Quickview

VIA Rail train coverage

Daily Trips4,419
stations234
cities196
countries1

What travelers are saying about VIA Rail

Here’s what Wanderu users who have booked trips with VIA Rail had to say about their travel experience.

Traveling During COVID-19

"Appreciated the social distancing in the station and on the train."
based on 146 reviews

Onboard Experience

"Had free, working WiFi on board so the trip flew by."
based on 503 reviews
"The train crew was super friendly and very professional."
based on 615 reviews
"Safe, friendly and economical way to travel."
based on 582 reviews
"The bus was on time."
based on 594 reviews
“Seats were really comfy and spacious”
based on 602 reviews
"It was much cleaner than I thought it would have been."
based on 652 reviews

VIA Rail reviews from Wanderu customers

Overall review score for VIA Rail

(Based on 720 reviews)

4.5
Ratings (Out of 5)
Comfort

4.2

Timeliness

4.5

Staff

4.5

Value

3.6

Condition

4.5

VIA Rail passenger reviews

4.0

Noémie

21 November 2021- Visiting friends

Toronto to Montreal

Pros: Staff was incredible, so so nice! Cons: I could not recline my seat.

Pros: Staff was incredible, so so nice! Cons: I could not recline my seat.

4.0

Godbless

16 November 2021- Visiting friends

Toronto to Ottawa

Pros: Was my first time to travel to Toronto so was nice trip for me. Cons: Customer care , I was having the coffee then I just forgot to keep on and off the mask while I had my coffee.Then one of the gentlemen came and he rebuked me very badly. I real felt so bad .I ...

Pros: Was my first time to travel to Toronto so was nice trip for me. Cons: Customer care , I was having the coffee then I just forgot to keep on and off the mask while I had my coffee.Then one of the gentlemen came and he rebuked me very badly. I real felt so bad .I believe he could have a way to speak nice which I would understand and corrected the situation. Tips: Good.

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5.0

Mingwei

8 November 2021- Visiting family

Montreal to Toronto

Pros: on schedule, clean facilities, safe. Cons: it's all good~.

Pros: on schedule, clean facilities, safe. Cons: it's all good~.

5.0

Tara

7 November 2021- Visiting friends

Ottawa to Toronto

Pros: The view wasn't to bad. Cons: I was on the older train so it was crowded and uncomfortable. Tips: The wifi didn't work.

Pros: The view wasn't to bad. Cons: I was on the older train so it was crowded and uncomfortable. Tips: The wifi didn't work.

5.0

Caleb

7 November 2021- Vacation

Montreal to Toronto

Pros: Nice train. Cons: Nothing. Tips: No.

Pros: Nice train. Cons: Nothing. Tips: No.

VIA Rail Routes & Network

VIA Rail’s train network features 4191 train routes that connect 196 cities serving 234 stations. On average, VIA Rail performs about 4419 train trips every day. The top cities to which VIA Rail offers the highest number of daily train service include Québec City and Montreal.

Top Cities Served by VIA Rail

CityRouteEarliest trainLatest train
Toronto108:52 am5:30 am
Montreal1610:52 am2:47 am
Ottawa710:52 am3:43 am
Québec City911:25 am1:28 am
Windsor811:37 am3:59 am
London610:40 am3:59 am
Niagara Falls61:20 pm12:18 am
Kingston610:30 am4:14 am
Oshawa610:30 am4:14 am

Top States Served by VIA Rail

StateCities ServedDaily TripsTop city
Saskatchewan35Saskatoon
Manitoba727Winnipeg
New Brunswick569Moncton
Nova Scotia331Halifax
Alberta555Edmonton
British Columbia21180Vancouver
Quebec16244Québec City
Ontario42484Toronto

Most popular VIA Rail routes

The train from Québec City to Montreal is VIA Rail’s most popular route. Trips from Windsor to Toronto and Québec City to Ottawa are also highly popular.

Top VIA Rail routes

RouteDaily TripsDurationPrice
Québec City to Montreal53h 57m£23
Windsor to Toronto44h 15m£37
Québec City to Ottawa45h 35m£30
Niagara Falls to Toronto11h 56m£17
Toronto to Ottawa364h 17m£37
London to Toronto82h 45m£28
Toronto to Montreal205h 57m£37
Ottawa to Montreal61h 36m£22
Toronto to Kingston323h 54m£34

VIA Rail Cancellation Policy

Important: In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, all VIA Rail tickets can be cancelled for a full refund at any time before departure. This policy applies to all trips through November 15, 2021, but may be extended. Once the policy expires, tickets will be subject to the standard cancellation and change policies outlined below.

All VIA Rail train tickets are fully refundable within the first 24 hours after purchase. Once 24 hours have passed, the cancellation policy and change fee structure for VIA Rail bookings depend on the type of fare you purchased.

Escape Fare tickets: Can be changed for a fee of 50% of the ticket cost, or cancelled for a credit worth 50% of your ticket price.

Economy and Business Fare tickets: Can be changed for a fee of 25% of the ticket price, or refunded for a 25% fee.

Economy Plus and Business Plus Fare tickets: Fully refundable any time before the train departs, and can be exchanged for no fee.

You can easily cancel your VIA Rail ticket from your Wanderu user account or request a cancellation by contacting Wanderu or VIA Rail directly. Depending on when you cancel your ticket and your fare type, you will receive a refund or credit.

To reschedule your ticket, you can contact VIA Rail’s customer service at 1 (888) 842-7245. Be sure to request any necessary changes as soon as possible because tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable after the train has departed.

Wanderu also offers an affordable trip protection option by Allianz Global Assistance that you can purchase when booking your tickets. In addition to 24-hour assistance during your trip and coverage for lost or damaged baggage, trip protection can help you get your money back in case you need to cancel or change your trip. You can file a claim to have any VIA Rail change or cancellation fees reimbursed if you cannot travel due to covered reasons such as illness, extreme weather, or required work shifts.

VIA Rail Train Guide & FAQs

Do VIA Rail trains have WiFi?

Yes, VIA Rail offers WiFi on their trains. Although most trips with VIA Rail will have WiFi as advertised, some trains might not come equipped with WiFi and onboard WiFi can lose its connection in rural areas. We recommend you bring a book or download a movie just to play it safe. VIA Rail WiFi is generally best used for surfing the web, checking emails and chatting with friends; you shouldn’t count on the WiFi to binge watch your favorite show.

How much luggage can you take on the VIA Rail train?

VIA Rail has quite an extensive baggage policy intended to best service all passengers while maintaining standard regulation.

Each passenger is allowed to carry on 2-3 pieces of luggage, depending on the fare class. Economy class passengers are allowed one personal item and one large bag, or one personal item and two small bags. Business class and youth (age 12-25) passengers are allowed one personal item and two large bags as carry on.

For all of these fare classes, one additional carry-on item is allowed for a fee of $40 for each direction. Sleeper and prestige class tickets have a carry-on allowance of one personal item per person and two small bags per cabin; all additional items must be checked.

Each passenger may check up to 2 bags for free. The maximum allowed weight for each baggage item is 23 kilograms, equivalent to 50 pounds. Each bag’s dimensions (length, width, height) must not exceed a sum of 158 cm, or 62 inches. Overweight baggage, oversized baggage, and extra baggage all incur a fee of $40 per item per direction.

Furthermore, you may bring one bicycle onboard for each adult ticket. Most trains have baggage cars with a rack that supports 12 bikes. Your bike should not be in any carrier or otherwise covered.

Are there power points or USB points on the train?

Yes, there are power points onboard VIA Rail trains. You can generally find one or two sockets per row of seats, so be a good traveller and check if your seat neighbour might want to charge up their devices as well. With the onboard power points, you can charge both a computer and USB devices with a power point USB converter that typically comes with most phones and tablets.

Since VIA Rail might sometimes use replacement train vehicles, not all trips are guaranteed to have power points. We recommend to bring a power bank to charge your phone for all trips over 2 hours, just in case.

Where can you travel with VIA Rail?

The VIA Rail system spans 8 Canadian provinces from coast to coast: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It is comprised of 9 distinct routes:

Perhaps the two most well known routes are the Canadian and the Ocean. One of VIA Rail’s signature trips as the longest, the Canadian takes you from Toronto to Vancouver. This train is world-renowned and is even featured on the back of the Canadian ten dollar bill. During the ride aboard the Canadian, you will get a view of incredible scenery out the window, from the lakes of Ontario, to the prairies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, to the boreal forests in Alberta, to the Canadian Rockies, with stops in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Jasper along the way. The Canadian train even has a dome car, made specifically to appreciate the incredible views aboard VIA Rail.

The Ocean is yet another amazing train ride offered by VIA Rail. Its route extends from Montreal to Halifax. Enjoy the beauty of French Quebec before you head through the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

What is VIA Rail's schedule?

On a typical day, VIA Rail has 4419 scheduled train trips in total. However, the exact departure and arrival times vary depending on the day and route. The best way to find the exact schedule for your trip is to use the search tool on this page.

Does VIA Rail allow pets?

Yes, you can travel with a pet on VIA Rail. You must make special pet reservation after you've purchased your ticket. The pet must fit inside a carrier with a total weight of pet and carrier not to exceed 10kg or 22 pounds.

Do you need an ID to get on the train?

Yes, VIA Rail requires you to present an ID to an agent to be allowed to board the train. Make sure you have identification issued by a government agency that meets the carrier’s requirements. Alternative IDs, such as a college ID, won’t work.

What are VIA Rail’s COVID-19 policies?

Visit our COVID-19 Travel Guide to view the most up-to-date information about VIA Rail’s cleaning protocols and adjusted ticket change policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are there toilets on VIA Rail trains?

Yes, there are bathrooms on VIA Rail trains. The bathrooms are pretty basic and include a toilet, toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Most bathrooms don’t have running water. As you will be using a bathroom on a moving vehicle, please use caution and hold on to a rail at all times.

Can tickets be canceled and refunded?

Yes, you can modify or cancel a VIA Rail reservation whether it’s an electronic or paper ticket. The easiest way to do this is by phone at 1-888-842-7245 or online on VIA’s website. A cancellation fee may apply.

Do you have to print your VIA Rail ticket?

VIA Rail does not require a printed ticket to board the train. Instead, an eTicket is sent to you by email when you make your reservation. You can use your smartphone to show this eTicket to the ticketing agent as you board.

Does VIA Rail offer any premium features like extra legroom or movies?

VIA Rail goes the extra distance to deliver premium features to its customers.

Movies are provided during the train trip to keep you entertained. Don’t forget to bring your favorite pair of headphones, as headphones are not always included on the train. We recommend in-ear noise cancelling headphones due to their small size.

Do you find yourself squished in a regular seat or just love having extra room to sprawl out? Well you’re in luck as VIA Rail offers extra legroom seating. Since there is no standard of what extra legroom is, the extra space you get may vary between train lines, but getting extra is always good.

Cheap VIA Rail tickets recently found on Wanderu

With 4,419 VIA Rail trips per day, there are a lot of great deals to uncover for the bargain hunter and VIA Rail tickets start at just £14.13. Check out some of the latest and greatest deals snatched up by Wanderu users.

More transportation options

Top VIA Rail Routes

Top VIA Rail Destinations

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