VIA Rail

Canada's railway system is vast and well-established, and an integral part of this network is VIA Rail Canada. Established in 1977, VIA Rail was founded as a solution to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's call for rail service between cities to become essential. There were few options for passenger train travel before this, as much of the track in Canada was dedicated to freight service. VIA Rail became the first national passenger service in Canada at the time; it has now served passengers for more than 40 years.

VIA Rail took over track from the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways to create its first long-distance cross-country passenger route from Vancouver to Montreal for its flagship route. It named the train that ran the course the Canadian as a nod to its predecessors. This occurred in 1978, just one year after the line's founding. Since then, VIA Rail has expanded to reach over 400 cities and towns throughout Canada, including major destinations - such as Jasper, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City - and more elusive locales, including Churchill. There is a total of over 7,765 miles of track within the VIA Rail network.

Passengers can capture the changes in the vast Canadian landscape from the large picture windows that line the train cars. Most trains are equipped with power outlets, and some journeys even feature Wi-Fi Internet access. Guests are comfortable during travel in any season, thanks to full air conditioning and heating on all rail lines.

Our customers love our VIA Rail tours

Canadian Snow Train with Jasper

21 Mar 2020

CES

“The Canadian Snow Train with three nights in Jasper was just spectacular! We always wanted to take a train across Canada and this one filled the bill. This trip takes you through five Canadian Provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. I highly recommend doing this trip in winter because the snow just makes everything so beautiful and you are sitting on the train just taking it all in, not even wearing a coat! The three nights in Jasper was also wonderful and yes, you will need a coat but not as many layers as you might think. Yes, it is cold but it is a dry cold and not the damp coldness we have in the east.