27 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

VIA Rail press release
 

VIA RAIL ANNOUNCES A GRADUAL SERVICE RESUMPTION IN WESTERN CANADA

 

MONTRÉAL, October 20, 2020 – VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces the gradual return to service in Western Canada by providing intercity transportation exclusively between Winnipeg and Vancouver as of Friday, December 11, 2020.
 

After a very thorough evaluation of its health and safety protocols, including physical distancing measures, enhanced air ventilation systems, and improved measures for passenger access and the protection of its employees, one weekly round-trip will thus be offered on this portion of the Canadian route.  

 

"The health and safety of passengers and our employees remains our top priority. We are offering our customers in Western Canada an additional choice in regions where intercity transportation is more limited as a result of this pandemic," said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO.

 

VIA Rail deploys a strict protocol of sanitary measures on board its trains, in its stations, maintenance centres and call centres to deal with the pandemic and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Our teams continue to apply the latest health and safety guidelines and are evaluating VIA Rail’s overall service offering in the context of the pandemic. Thus, in the event of major changes related to the health crisis, VIA Rail will revise its service offering in line with the latest developments.

 

VIA Rail remains committed to a full recovery of its long-distance service for Western Canada, the Canadian, providing service between Toronto-Vancouver, and will continue to work closely with public health authorities as well as the federal and provincial governments to ensure this occurs as quickly as possible.

 

FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR PASSENGERS

 

All passengers with reservations affected by this progressive resumption of service will be contacted and reimbursed automatically. To facilitate cancellations and refunds, we’ve extended our cancellation policy to include all travel through December 31, 2020, to allow passengers to cancel their upcoming reservations autonomously online at any time prior to departure and receive a full refund in addition to not incurring any service charges, regardless of when the ticket was purchased.      

 

Alternatively, customers may contact the VIA Customer Centre by email at service@viarail.ca or by phone at 1-888-VIA-RAIL (1-888-842-7245), TTY 1-800-268-9503 (hearing impaired). Due to the current situation related to COVID-19, the VIA Customer Centre is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday and it may take some time to speak with an agent due to a reduction in staff. 

 

REMINDER 

 

Wearing a mask is required at all times in our stations and on board VIA Rail trains. For the health and safety of all passengers and employees, passengers who do not wear a mask during their trip will be required to disembark the train or will be refused entry upon boarding.

 

Wearing a mask over the nose and mouth is one more way we can protect one another and will help us safeguard the travel experience of our passengers and employees. Since ramping up service levels in the Québec City-Windsor corridor, all enhanced health safety measures introduced during the pandemic have been maintained, including enhanced cleaning, pre-boarding screening of travellers, modified onboard services.

 

Furthermore, we constantly remind our passengers and employees of the importance of following the recommendations of public health authorities, to avoid non-essential travel, practice physical distancing as much as possible, and to rigorously follow good hygiene practices (wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of the arm, avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth without first washing their hands).

 

Passengers will be denied boarding our trains if they are experiencing symptoms similar to a cold or flu (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) or if they have been denied boarding for travel in the last 14 days due to medical reasons related to COVID-19.

 

The most recent updates are available on our website. 

 

[KevinKorell]

Trains magazine, 11/11/20:

   VIA Rail Canada five-year plan says third 'Canadian' trip won't be restored, casts doubt on train's future  

 
 
 
 
VIA Rail Canada sees no prospect for restoring a third full Toronto-Vancouver round trip of its flagship long-distance train, the Canadian, and says the train’s current business model is “no longer sustainable,” although it does not indicate plans to discontinue service.

 
Article
 
Cross posted in regular Passenger Trains in Canada thread as well as Coronavirus & VIA Rail thread.

[CNJRoss]

Railway Age, 12/1/20

 

For VIA Rail, Plunging Revenues, Ridership

 

 

VIA Rail Canada’s third-quarter 2020 results include an 86% drop in rider revenue and 82% decrease in ridership from the same period last year due to the pandemic. Total revenues for 3Q20 fell 84%, on a 79% reduction in capacity as travel demand plummeted. Total operating expenses decreased by 27.5%. (See chart below.)

 

VIA Rail reported that to help manage the pandemic’s financial impacts, it has taken these measures, among others: temporarily laying off unionized, management and professional employees; reducing “certain operating expenses in proportion with the level of operations,” publicity and advertising activities, and in-station services; and reducing administrative costs and postponing non-essential initiatives.

 

The savings, however, will “not be sufficient to offset the reduction in revenues,” VIA Rail reported, which is why it is “still in discussion with Transport Canada to obtain additional emergency funding.”

 

Continue here.

[KevinKorell]

Globe & Mail, Toronto, ON, 12/29/20:

 

    The Canadian is coming back – here’s why everyone should take the train  

 

 

Last December, travelling by Via Rail from Vancouver, I reached Toronto, having avoided being subjected to an electromagnetic wand, a cramped seat or the big-box stores that now pass for large airports. I’d also managed to read a couple of books and have a number of deeply touching exchanges with fellow travellers.

 

Article

[CNJRoss]

CNN Travel, 8/13/21  (Note 'incomplete' headline)

Canada announces vaccine mandate for air travel

 

 

Ottawa, Ontario (CNN) — Canada will require most commercial passengers traveling by air, rail or large ship to be fully vaccinated by fall.

 

The vaccination requirement "includes all commercial air travelers, passengers on inter-provincial trains and passengers on large, marine vessels with overnight accommodations such as cruise ships," said Omar Alghabra, Canada's transport minister, during a virtual press conference Friday.

 

Continue here.

 

Cross-posted in VIA Rail & Coronavirus and Amtrak & Coronavirus.

[CNJRoss]

RT&S, 1/14/22

 

VIA Rail reducing service due to spread of COVID-19 Omicron variant

 

 

VIA Rail has joined several transit operations in limiting service due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

 

In a press release, VIA Rail said the following:

 

“Given the impact on travel demand of tighter COVID-19 restrictions due to the rapid spreading of the Omicron Variant, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) will temporarily reduce frequencies in the Québec City-Windsor corridor starting Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

 

“’These decisions, while difficult, are consistent with the balanced approach we have maintained throughout the pandemic in order to fulfill our important public service mandate while proactively managing the financial impacts on our operations,’” said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO of VIA Rail. “’Every change we have made to our services has been, and continues to be, closely linked to the evolving health crisis and following market demand.’”

 

“This temporary service reduction in the Corridor has been carefully planned in order to continue to provide essential intercity service on all routes.   . . .

Continue here.

 

[CNJRoss]

VIA Rail Canada press release

 

January 13, 2022

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON VIA RAIL SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO THE OMICRON VARIANT

 

MONTRÉAL, January 13, 2022 – Given the impact on travel demand of tighter COVID-19 restrictions due to the rapid spreading of the Omicron Variant, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) will temporarily reduce frequencies in the Québec City-Windsor corridor starting Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

 

“These decisions, while difficult, are consistent with the balanced approach we have maintained throughout the pandemic in order to fulfill our important public service mandate while proactively managing the financial impacts on our operations,” said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO of VIA Rail. “Every change we have made to our services has been, and continues to be, closely linked to the evolving health crisis and following market demand.”

 

CORRIDOR SCHEDULE STARTING JANUARY 19:

 

ROUTES                                         SERVICES

Montréal-Ottawa                              51 (633) and 38

Québec City-Montréal-Ottawa         24/28 and 35/37

Toronto-Kingston-Montréal             62/64/68 and 63/67/69

Toronto-Kingston-Ottawa                51*(643)/53/59 and 52/42/54

Toronto-London-Windsor                72/76 and 73/75

Toronto-London-Sarnia                   1 departure per day maintained in both directions (trains 87-84)

 

* Some stops have been added on some trains. This information is subject to change without notice.

 

This temporary service reduction in the Corridor has been carefully planned in order to continue to provide essential intercity service on all routes. As we continue to closely monitor the evolution of the pandemic, VIA Rail is ensuring that we can offer our customers options for essential travel in all regions of the country. There will be no reduction in frequencies for the moment on any other routes, but some on-board services have been modified.

 

VIA Rail Business class will be temporarily suspended, and Business lounges are closed until further notice. For a full list of changes to our services please visit VIA Rail’s website.

 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have implemented various measures throughout the passenger journey, so that our customers can travel safely and with confidence. VIA Rail remains focused on implementing the final phase of our gradual service resumption plan for the spring of this year, and we are hopeful that the situation will have improved in time for us to deploy it as planned.   

 

FLEXIBILITY FOR PASSENGERS

For questions customers may contact the VIA Customer Centre by email at service@viarail.ca or by phone at 1-888-VIA-RAIL (1-888-842-7245), TTY 1-800-268-9503 (hearing impaired). The VIA Customer Centre is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) on weekends.

 

REMINDER 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, VIA Rail has implemented various measures throughout the passenger journey, so that our customers can travel safely and with confidence. These include, amongst others, a mask policy, enhanced cleaning, and a mandatory vaccination policy.

 

Since October 30, 2021, passengers over 12 years and 4 months are required to be fully vaccinated to travel on VIA Rail trains, as well as to access VIA Rail Business lounges. Click here for details.

Wearing a mask is required at all times in VIA Rail’s stations and on-board VIA Rail trains. For the health and safety of all passengers and employees, passengers who do not wear a mask during their trip will be required to disembark the train or will be refused entry upon boarding.

 

Furthermore, VIA Rail asks that passengers stay informed of public health guidelines and respect those that apply to them and their travel plans. The Corporation also constantly reminds its passengers and employees of the importance of following recommendations from public health authorities and to rigorously follow good hygiene practices (wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of the arm, avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth without first washing their hands).

 

Passengers will be denied boarding if they are experiencing symptoms similar to a cold or flu (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) or if they have been denied boarding for travel in the last 14 days due to medical reasons related to COVID-19.

 

The most recent updates are available on VIA Rail’s website.

 

 

[KevinKorell]

Northumberland News. 5/19/22:

 

 

    Northumberland to launch survey for input on reinstating VIA commuter train 651  

 

 

Northumberland County will be launching a survey to capture input about the potential use of VIA Rail commuter train 651, which used to service the Kingston-to-Toronto corridor.

 

Story

[KevinKorell]

CBC, 6/8/22:

 

 

    Via Rail axed its London-to-Toronto train during the pandemic. There's a push to get it back  

 

 

A London, Ont., woman who regularly commutes to downtown Toronto wants Via Rail to restore its once bustling passenger route that took commuters from London to their big-city offices before 9 a.m. ET.

 

Story

[KevinKorell]

Quinte News,  7/7/22:

 

 

   A call for the return of VIA Rail Train 651  

 

Eastern Ontario municipalities are coming together to build a case to restore commuter Train 651.

 

The City of Belleville, as well as Hastings County, Northumberland County, Quinte West, and the City of Kingston, are asking for community support by filling out a short survey.

 

The municipalities say the train is a vital link that connects our region to the GTA.

 

This is the story