28 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

E-mail from VIA Rail:
 

Your safety is our top priority

Dear Kevin,

This is a challenging time around the world and here at home in Canada. Knowing that you might have concerns, especially about travelling, I want to reinforce that your health and safety as well as those of our employees are at the heart of everything we do at VIA Rail Canada. As we continue to learn more about the risks of COVID-19 (also known as the Coronavirus), we remain committed to ensuring your experience, from booking to arrival, is safe and comfortable.

Currently, COVID-19 poses a low risk to Canadians, however, we’re working closely with public health agencies and the government to implement additional prevention measures as the situation evolves. We appreciate your understanding that, although we’re doing everything we can to maintain a safe and comfortable environment, your experience during this time may be a little different than what you’ve come to expect.

Although our daily cleanliness and hygiene practices already meet Health Canada’s standards, we’ve taken steps to help ensure both you and our employees are protected from the risk of infection and communicable diseases.
  • We’ve increased how often we clean our trains and stations. • We’re distributing additional antiviral products, such as hand sanitizer, on board and in our stations. • Our employees have been trained in preventive and reactive measures as recommended by Health Canada. • A dedicated committee has been created and is proactively meeting to monitor the level of risk associated with COVID-19 and ensure the procedures we’re implementing are appropriate and communicated to our employees and passengers.
If you choose to change your travel plans, we understand. You can cancel or modify your reservation at any time prior to departure during the month of March and April and receive a full refund in addition to not incurring any service charges, regardless of when you purchased your ticket. This includes all travel up to and including April 30, 2020. You can find out more here.

The COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and we’ll continue to respond to the latest developments, while keeping you informed. I invite you to visit our website that we will be updating on a regular basis.

Please remember that the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease are things you do yourself.
  • Wash your hands often. • When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue or the inside of your elbow. • If you have flu-like symptoms, inform the people around you, and postpone your travel plans. If your symptoms aren’t mild, seek medical care.
Thank you for your understanding. On behalf of all of us at VIA Rail, let me again say how committed we are to ensuring the safety of our passengers.

Sincerely, Cynthia Garneau
President & CEO

[CNJRoss]

CityNews Toronto  via YouTube 3/28/20
 

Canada bans sick passengers from domestic air, rail travel

 

The federal government has taken another dramatic step in its battle against COVID-19. Caryn Ceolin with more on what new domestic travel restrictions will mean for Canadians boarding planes and trains within our own borders.

 

 

[KevinKorell]

Progressive Railroading, 3/30/20:

 

   Canada requires passenger health screenings on intercity rail  

 

 

 

The Canadian government today implemented new requirements for intercity passenger-rail companies to follow to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Read this.

 

 

Intercity passenger-rail operators subject to the new measures include Amtrak, VIA Rail Canada Inc., Great Canadian Railtour Co. Ltd., Keewatin Railway Co., White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and Transport Ferroviaire Tshiuetin Inc.

 

Amtrak had already stopped running cross-border trains (Cascades, Maple Leaf, Adirondack) before the US-Canada border was officially closed to non-essential travel.

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading 5/8/20

 

Quote

Amtrak to restore modified Acela service in June

 

 

SNIP

 

Meanwhile in Canada, VIA Rail Canada Inc. has extended its suspension (emphasis added) of the Canadian and Ocean long-distance services until Nov. 1.

 

More here.

[CNJRoss]

VIA Rail Canada press release
 

VIA RAIL EXTENDS THE SUSPENSION OF THE CANADIAN AND THE OCEAN

 

MONTRÉAL, May 6, 2020 – As the COVID-19 crisis continues to disrupt its passenger services from coast to coast, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces the extension of the suspension of the Canadian and the Ocean services, its long-distance routes, and the suspension of the Sleeper class on the Winnipeg-Churchill route until November 1, 2020. While there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to when both domestic and international travel will resume, VIA Rail will continue to assess how it can support the recommendations of the public health authorities in their response to the pandemic and in preparation for the progressive service recovery. 

 

VIA Rail is also accelerating a previously established comprehensive program for the inspection and repair work regarding its Heritage Modernization Program that started in 2018. At that time, the Corporation undertook initiatives to renovate VIA Rail’s HEP equipment which have logged millions of kilometres since being put into service. In the course of recent weeks, some new structural issues have been discovered which will need to be addressed. “As a result, we will be in a position to progressively bring back our renowned long-distance services to full capacity for the upcoming 2021 peak season,” said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO. 

 

 “This was not an easy decision to make but, given the current circumstances, the health and safety of our passengers, crew members and local communities must come first. As the travel industry grapples with the effects of COVID-19, we will use this extended pause to assess and identify which measures to implement in order to get back on track as soon and as safely as possible,” concluded Cynthia Garneau.

 

CALL CENTRES

All passengers with reservations affected by this suspension of services will be contacted and reimbursed automatically. To facilitate cancellations and refunds, we’ve extended our cancellation policy to include all travel through November 1, 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 9:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday and it may take some time to speak with an agent due to a reduction in staff.

 

REMINDER 

VIA Rail is adjusting its operations and deploying a strict protocol of sanitary measures on board its trains, in its stations, maintenance centres and call centres in response to the pandemic and in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19.  We have limited the number of bookable seats aboard our trains in order to provide passengers social distancing space when travelling.  

 

Furthermore, we constantly remind our passengers and employees of the importance of following the recommendations of the public health authorities, to stay at home, avoid non-essential travel, practice physical distancing as much as possible, and to strictly 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 their arm, avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth without first washing their hands). Although not mandatory and in a view to limit the risks of propagation of COVID-19, VIA Rail also recommends to all its passengers to wear a non-medical mask or face covering that covers the nose and the mouth when travelling on its trains and when it is impossible to respect a distance of separation of 2 metres with others. 

 

We continue to monitor the developments of COVID-19 and we remain in close contact with public health agencies and the federal and provincial governments. 

 

The most recent updates are available on our website.

 

[CNJRoss]

The Canadian Press via CBC 6/20/20
 

Via Rail makes wearing a mask mandatory on all trains

New policy to take effect across the country Tuesday

 

 

As of Tuesday, Via Rail says passengers will be required to wear masks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

 

The Montreal-based passenger rail service says it's making the change as ridership increases with the gradual reopening of the economy.

 

The policy is in line with Transport Canada guidelines for wearing face coverings on planes, trains, ships and public transit.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading 7/10/20

 

VIA Rail lays off 1,000 employees

 

 

VIA Rail Canada Inc. on July 8 announced it will temporarily lay off 1,000 unionized employees due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

VIA Rail does not anticipate ridership to be back to pre-COVID-19 levels in the foreseeable future, and therefore has had to adjust to the increasing financial impacts the crisis has had on the company, VIA Rail officials said in a press release.

 

Continue here.

[KevinKorell]

Newswire, 7/9/20:

 

    Latest VIA Rail Operations Update   

 

 

 

Due to an increase in demand resulting from the progressive deconfinement implemented by public health authorities in Québec and Ontario, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces service changes effective July 14, which will be in place until further notice. Trains 28 and 35 will resume service between Québec City-Montréal-Ottawa.

 

Continue

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 9/28/20

 

VIA Rail extends long-distance service suspension

 

VIA Rail Canada Inc. today announced it will extend the suspension of its long-distance service routes, the Canadian and the Ocean, due to a rise of COVID-19 cases in some regions of Canada and to follow recommendations from public health authorities. 

 

Suspension of the sleeper class on the Winnipeg-Churchill route also will be extended until further notice. The routes were originally scheduled to resume Nov. 1.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading,10/23/20

 

VIA Rail to resume some service in western Canada

 

VIA Rail Canada Inc. earlier this week announced it will resume service between Winnipeg and Vancouver on Dec. 11.

 

After evaluation of health and safety protocols, including social distancing measures and enhanced air ventilation systems, VIA Rail plans to offer one weekly round-trip between those cities on the Canadian route, VIA Rail officials said in a press release.

 

Continue here.