| MONTRÉAL, May 14, 2024 (CNW Group via COMTEX) -- HIGHLIGHTS From January 1st to December 31, 2023 ÂMore than four million passengers chose to travel by trainÂin 2023 with VIA Rail marking its highest ridership numbers since 2019. Year over year, ridership was up 24.7 per cent, and the Corporation achieved important milestones in its modernization projects delivering on its vision to be the smarter way to move people. "2023 was a pivotal year for VIA Rail as we introduced new equipment, launched a modern new reservation system, restored several key train frequencies in the Québec Cityâ??Windsor corridor, and achieved a significant increase in revenues," said Franà§oise Bertrand, VIA Rail's Chairperson of the Board of Directors. "The end result is that we were able to better serve our customers and build the foundation for our future growth." 2023 also marked the arrival of VIA Rail's new President and Chief Executive Officer, Mario Péloquin, who joined the Corporation in June. "It has been an exciting journey to be jumping aboard at a time when VIA Rail and passenger rail worldwide are inÂthe midst of a profound and far-reaching transformation," said Mario Péloquin. "VIA Rail has already made substantive progress towards shaping the future of rail travel in Canada, and in 2023 we took significant steps forward, reflecting our commitment to modernization and a better travel experience for our passengers." The progressive entry into service of the new Corridor fleet continued in 2023, allowing VIA Rail to offer a more comfortable, fully accessible, and more sustainable experience to more Canadians along the Québec City â?? Windsor corridor. In October 2023, VIA Rail officially launched the commercial service of the new fleet on the Ottawa â?? Toronto route. As a result, the four major cities in the Corridor (Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa, and Toronto) and all communities in between are now connected by these new trains. As of December 31, 2023, 12 of the 32 new train sets had been received, and the Corporation eagerly anticipates connecting more Canadians in the Corridor with its new fleet in 2024. In November, VIA Rail launched its new reservation system offering a simplified, more convenient, accessible, and autonomous experience for our customers. More than an update of the reservation process, this modernization project fully overhauled all related infrastructure and systems (such as the loyalty program and point-of-sale system). This new reservation system allows customers to enjoy new features, such as autonomous seat selection, as well as a simplified process to book online for a wider variety of needs. VIA Rail always aims for excellence. This year its efforts were recognized in Léger's 2023 Reputation Study, where the Corporation earned the title of most reputable company in the transportation sector. VIA Rail increased its point total in the survey by 4 points from the year prior and bypassed all other transportation companies for the first time since the launch of this study. The study also recognized the efforts made by VIA Rail to foster a positive and inclusive company culture, by ranking VIA Rail as Canada's first employer of choice among transportation companies. Across Canada, VIA Rail operates on long-distance, regional, and remote (LDRR) routes, such as the Canadian or the Ocean. While parts of these services are geared toward offering a unique tourist experience to Canadians and visitors from around the world, these routes also serve as a lifeline for isolated communities across the country, who rely on them to access essential services and goods. We are thrilled that the recent federal budget has allocated funding for VIA Rail to proceed with its transformative project to replace the trains operating on our long-distance, regional, and remote routes. This significant investment marks a milestone in our journey to redefine passenger rail in every region of the country over the coming years. We'd like to thank the Government of Canada for their continued support and confidence in our vision. This demonstrates a shared commitment to enhancing sustainable transportation across the nation. VIA Rail's annual report is available at: https://media.viarail.ca/en/reports VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to operate the national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada, and to provide a safe, accessible, efficient, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally responsible service that meets the needs of Canadian passengers. VIA Rail operates intercity trains connecting over 400 communities across Canada and ensuring rail transportation services to regional and remote communities. The Corporation safely transported over four million passengers in 2023 and has been awarded nine Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada. For more, visit our website: https://corpo.viarail.ca/en. Follow VIA RailTwitter @VIA_railFacebook: viarailcanadaInstagram: @viarailcanadaVIA: the blog SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc. SOURCE: VIA Rail Canada Inc. medias@viarail.ca
COMTEX_452356470/2197/2024-05-14T10:00:00 Copyright (C) 2024 CNW Group. All rights reserved. Please read the End User Agreement. News provided by COMTEX. |
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FAQs
A STRONG YEAR FOR VIA RAIL AS RIDERSHIP CONTINUES TO BOUNCE BACK? ›
4.1 million passengers rode VIA Rail trains in 2023, an increase of 815,000 (24.7%) compared to 2022; The Corporation pursued its modernization with the introduction of more new trains in the Corridor and the launch of a new reservation system offering a more intuitive booking experience for our customers.
Why is Via Rail so slow? ›The reason it's so slow is that we're sharing tracks with freight trains. There are so many freight trains, they have complete priority, and because of that, we're always delayed.
Why are via rail trains always late? ›The majority of the tracks that Via Rail uses are owned by other freight companies, so the freight trains get priority (ex. The Canadian. Those tracks are owned by CN or CP, so the train has to wait on a side track until the freight train passes.).
What is the on time performance of VIA Rail? ›While Via's on-time performance has hovered around 70 per cent for roughly a decade, it dropped to 57 last year.
Who owns Via Rail? ›VIA Rail Canada, Inc., Canadian state-owned passenger-railway system.
Why is my train moving so slowly? ›A few more reasons for unplanned slow downs – vegetation obstructing signals, earth moving near or under the track, or bridge defects all require trains to slow down.
Is VIA Rail losing money? ›But Via's operating losses grew eight per cent year-to-year to $381.8 million, as the company continues to rely on government funding. The Crown corporation received $773 million in subsidies in 2023, which represents a 15 per cent increase from 2022. It has not reached a full-year profit since 2017.
How long does a train need to be delayed for compensation? ›If you're delayed and arrive at your destination more than half an hour late, you'll usually be able to get some money back. Some train companies will also give you compensation if your train is more than 15 minutes late.
Which train is most late? ›According to independent data for the last six months from the analysis platform RailYatri, New Jalpaiguri Express is the most delayed train in India taking an average of 20 hours extra to cover its 1,500 km distance. Under normal conditions, this distance is to be covered in 27-and-a-half hours.
Can I get a refund if the train is delayed? ›In case a train is delayed by more than three hours and one does not want to travel, refund can be claimed and the entire amount can be taken back. Passengers will have to file Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) to claim refund. Read to know process of filing TDR..
What is the top speed of the VIA Rail? ›
VIA Rail trains' top speeds vary depending on the route and the type of train. In the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor, which is the most heavily traveled and where their high-speed trains operate, trains can reach speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h).
How early should I be VIA Rail? ›It's best to arrive at the station half an hour before departure for travel within the Corridor, and one hour before departure for long distance trains.
What is the fastest train in the world? ›The maglev train service began operating in 2004 with trains reaching a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph), and remains the fastest high-speed service in the world. Maglev, however, was not adopted nationally and all subsequent expansion features high-speed rail on conventional tracks.
What railroad does Warren Buffett own? ›Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway acquired BNSF Railway in February 2010, obtaining all of its shares and taking the company private.
Does Bill Gates own a railroad company? ›Bill Gates acquired 54.8 Million Canadian National Railway shares worth $6.75 Billion. That's 15.15% of their entire equity portfolio (4th largest holding). The investor owns 8.42% of the outstanding Canadian National Railway stock. The first Canadian National Railway trade was made in Q3 2002.
Does VIA Rail go to the USA? ›We have a partnership with Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail service. If you are in Canada and wish to book a one-way or round trip between Toronto and New York City, you can do so on the VIA Rail website or by phone at 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing).
Why is VIA Rail WIFI so slow? ›Our mobile Wi-Fi network relies on bandwidth provided by cellular carriers who have towers along our routes. The bandwidth available from these towers is limited and our speeds may not match what you are used to receiving from stationary Wi-Fi networks.
How fast is the VIA Rail train? ›Top speed of 160 km/h is attained on all routes where this locomotive is used.
Why are trains so slow in Canada? ›The trains and tracks we're using now haven't changed much in decades. If anything, thanks to more traffic, they've gotten slower. Gabrielle Drolet wrote about Canada's train system in Mainsonnneauve magazine. She said it's not just about the time spent travelling, it's also about cost.
Why is train network slow? ›Mobile masts are primarily located in densely populated areas, with few along rail routes going through the countryside. Tunnels, deep cuttings and the so-called “Faraday Cage” effect of the metal infrastructure of train carriages also interfere with mobile connections.