VIA Rail train tickets—Search & book deals

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 film 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 favourite show.

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

Hand luggage allowance in the Québec—Windsor Corridor

Escape, Economy & Economy Plus class passengers:

• 1 personal item that must fit under the seat in front of you – max. size: 17 x 13 x 6 in (43 x 33 x 15 cm), max. weight: 25 lb (11.5 kg)
• 1 medium item of hand luggage – max. size: 25 x 16 x 12 in (64 x 41 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg)
• Additional hand luggage for Escape and Economy: 1 large item – fee: CA $25 + tax per direction., max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg). Limited space available.
• Additional hand luggage for Economy Plus: 1 large item – fee: CA $15 + tax per direction., max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg). Limited space available.

Business & Business Plus class passengers:

• 1 personal item that must fit under the seat in front of you – max. size: 17 x 13 x 6 in (43 x 33 x 15 cm), max. weight: 25 lb (11.5 kg)
• 2 large items of hand luggage – max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg) each

Hand luggage allowance for long-distance trains (Trains travelling on the Western, Maritime and Regional ways)

Escape, Economy & Economy Plus class passengers:

• 1 personal item that must fit under the seat in front of you – max. size: 17 x 13 x 6 in (43 x 33 x 15 cm), max. weight: 25 lb (11.5 kg)
• 1 medium item of hand luggage – max. size: 25 x 16 x 12 in (64 x 41 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg)
• 1 large item – max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg)
• 1 additional checked large item – fee: CA$40 + tax per item and per direction, max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg)

Tourist, Sleeper Plus & Prestige passengers:

• 1 personal item that must fit under the seat in front of you – max. size: 17 x 13 x 6 in (43 x 33 x 15 cm), max. weight: 25 lb (11.5 kg)
• 1 medium item of hand luggage – max. size: 25 x 16 x 12 in (64 x 41 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg)
• 2 large items – max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg) per item
• Additional checked baggage: 2 items – fee: CA$25 + tax per item and per direction, max. size: 30 x 19 x 12 in (76 x 48 x 30 cm), max. weight: 50 lb (23 kg) per item

Oversized baggage:

• Between 61 and 71 linear in (154 and 180 linear cm)* – fee: CA$25 + tax per item and per direction

*Linear dimensions are obtained by adding the length, width and height.

Surcharges for overweight or oversized items apply to checked baggage only.

Overweight baggage:

• Between 50 and 70 lb (23 and 32 kg) – fee: CA$25 + tax per item and per direction

Oversized baggage:

• Between 61 and 71 linear in (154 and 180 linear cm)* – fee: CA$25 + tax per item and per direction.

*Linear dimensions are obtained by adding the length, width and height.

Surcharges for overweight or oversized items apply to checked baggage only.

You'll be charged in CAD when booking VIA Rail tickets through Wanderu, even if the price is displayed in USD during checkout. As a result, keep in mind that your bank may apply online foreign conversion rates and/or fees, depending on your card's terms & conditions. For more information, please contact your credit card provider directly.

Yes, there are power sockets 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 sockets, you can charge both a computer and USB devices with a USB power adapter 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 bringing a power bank to charge your phone for all trips over 2 hours, just in case.

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:

• The Canadian, which connects Vancouver to Toronto
• The Ocean, with connects Montreal to Halifax
• The Quebec City to Windsor Corridor, which passes through Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and London
• Jasper to Prince Rupert, aka the “Rupert Rocket”
• Winnipeg to Churchill, aka the “Hudson Bay” or “Northern Spirits”
• The Pas to Pukatawagan, aka the Keewatin Railway
• Sudbury to White River, aka the “Budd Car” or “Lake Superior”
• Montreal to Jonquiere, aka the Saguenay
• Montreal to Senneterre, aka the Abitibi

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.

On a typical day, VIA Rail has 469 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.

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.

Yes, you must carry valid identification when travelling with VIA Rail. Acceptable forms include:—One piece of valid government-issued photo identification that includes your full name and date of birth.—Two pieces of valid identification issued by a federal, provincial, or territorial government, with one including your full name and date of birth

Yes, you can track a VIA Rail train with real-time updates using the carrier's online tracker.

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.

Yes, some VIA Rail tickets are exchangeable and refundable prior to scheduled departure time according to the fare conditions of the fare type you selected when you booked your trip. Pleae check out the VIA Rail Cancellation Policy section above for more details.

You don't need a printed train ticket for VIA Rail routes. Instead, VIA Rail offers e-tickets, which you can show from your smartphone or other device. Just have your screen ready to scan when boarding!

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

Films are provided during the train trip to keep you entertained. Don’t forget to bring your favourite 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.

VIA Rail offers an Unaccompanied Minors service for young travellers aged 8 to 17 travelling alone, with specific policies based on age groups:

• Children aged 7 and under cannot travel alone and must be accompanied by a parent or an adult aged 18 or over.
• Children aged 8 to 12: The Unaccompanied Minors service is mandatory for this age group.
• Teenagers aged 13 to 17: The service is optional for these travellers. Unaccompanied Minors Service:
• Request the service at the time of booking, at least 48 hours before departure to ensure availability. Tickets for unaccompanied minors cannot be bought online; you must purchase them at the station ticket counter or contact a VIA Rail sales agent at +1 888 VIA-RAIL (+1 888 842-7245).
• A fee of CA $25 applies for each one-way trip per minor.
• Available in Economy and Business classes only.
• Journeys must occur between 05:25 and 23:59 on the same day.
• Minors may not board or disembark at unstaffed stations.
• Only direct trains without connections or transfers are permitted unless a guardian or parent can meet the minor at the connecting point.
• Minors with serious illnesses or severe food allergies may be denied travel unless medical authorization is obtained 48 hours prior to departure. Learn more about VIA Rail's Unaccompanied Minors Service.