A route map of Via Rail frequencies from 2013.
Via Rail operates 497 trains per week over nineteen routes. Via groups these routes into three broad categories:[ 1]
"Rapid Intercity Travel": daytime services over the Corridor between Ontario and Quebec. The vast majority of Via's trains–429 per week–operate here.
"Long-distance travel and tourism": the famous Canadian and Ocean , providing traditional transcontinental service.
"Mandatory Services": rural services mandated by the Canadian Government for areas which otherwise lack reasonable year-round transportation.
Current routes
Name
Route
Route numbers
Notes
Canadian
Toronto – Vancouver
Westbound: 1 Eastbound: 2
Ocean
Montreal – Halifax
Westbound: 15 Eastbound: 14
Québec City–Windsor Corridor
Toronto – Kingston – Montreal
Westbound: 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 669 Eastbound: 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 668
Toronto – Kingston – Ottawa
Westbound: 41, 45, 47, 53, 55, 59, 643, 645 Eastbound: 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54
Ottawa – Montreal – Québec City
Westbound: 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 633 Eastbound: 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 38, 622
Toronto – Niagara Falls – New York (Maple Leaf )
Southbound: 97 Northbound: 98
Operated by Amtrak while in the US
Sarnia – London – Toronto
Westbound: 87 Eastbound: 84
Windsor – London – Toronto
Westbound: 71, 73, 75, 79 Eastbound: 70, 72, 76, 78
Jasper–Prince Rupert
Jasper – Prince Rupert
Westbound: 5 Eastbound: 6
Formerly the Skeena and Panorama
Montreal–Jonquière
Montreal – Jonquière
Southbound: 600, 602 Northbound: 601
Formerly the Saguenay
Montreal–Senneterre
Montreal – Senneterre
Southbound: 604, 606 Northbound: 603
Formerly the Abitibi
Sudbury–White River
Sudbury – White River
Westbound: 186 Eastbound: 185
Formerly the Lake Superior
Winnipeg–Churchill
Winnipeg – Churchill
Southbound: 690, 692 Northbound: 691, 693
Formerly the Hudson Bay and Northern Spirits
The Pas–Pukatawagan
The Pas – Pukatawagan
Southbound: 290 Northbound: 291
Operated by the Keewatin Railway
Full listing
Intercity routes
Transferred from Canadian National Railway (CN) Transferred from CP Rail (now Canadian Pacific Kansas City ) Active route
Name(s)
Route
First service
Last service
Notes
Atlantic Limited
Montreal – Sherbrooke – Saint John
October 29, 1978
June 16, 1979
Renamed as Atlantic
Atlantic
June 17, 1979
October 27, 1979
Extended to Halifax
Montreal – Sherbrooke – Saint John – Moncton – Halifax
October 28, 1979
November 14, 1981
June 1, 1985
December 16, 1994
Bras d'Or
Halifax – Sydney
2000
2004
Weekly summer tourist train
Calgary–South Edmonton
Calgary – Edmonton
October 29, 1978
October 26, 1985
Campbellton–Moncton
Campbellton – Moncton
October 28, 1979
January 14, 1990
Capreol–Winnipeg
Capreol – Hornepayne – Nakina
April 1, 1978
September 28, 1980
Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg
April 1, 1978
September 28, 1980
Extended to Armstrong
Armstrong – Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg
September 29, 1980
November 14, 1981
Capreol – Hornepayne – Nakina – Armstrong – Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg
October 28, 1979
May 31, 1981
Briefly rolled into the Super Continental during 1981
November 15, 1981
January 14, 1990
Subsumed by the Canadian
Capreol – Hornepayne
June 1, 1981
November 14, 1981
Farlane – Winnipeg
Seasonal train
Chambord–Dolbeau
Chambord – Dolbeau
April 1, 1978
June 16, 1979
Chaleur
Montreal – Gaspé
April 1, 1978
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Montreal–Gaspé
May 1, 2009
August 2013
Edmonton–Drumheller
Edmonton – Drumheller
April 1, 1978
November 14, 1981
Now partially served by Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions
Edmundston–Sainte-Foy
Edmundston – Sainte-Foy
April 1, 1978
October 27, 1979
Enterprise
Toronto – Montreal
January 16, 2000
October 29, 2005
Night train
Evangeline
Halifax – Yarmouth
October 29, 1978
January 14, 1990
Flin Flon–Osborne Lake
Flin Flon – Osborne Lake
April 1, 1978
October 27, 1979
Halifax–Fredericton
Moncton – Saint John
April 1, 1978
October 27, 1979
Extended to Halifax
Halifax – Moncton – Saint John
October 28, 1979
November 14, 1981
Extended to Fredericton
June 1, 1985
January 14, 1990
Halifax – Moncton – Saint John – Fredericton
November 15, 1981
May 31, 1985
Truncated back to Saint John
Halifax–Sydney
Halifax – Sydney
April 1, 1978
January 14, 1990
Havelock–Toronto
Havelock – Peterborough – Toronto
October 29, 1978
January 14, 1990
Hearst–Nakina
Hearst – Nakina
April 1, 1978
May 31, 1986
Hornepayne–Manitouwadge
Hornepayne – Manitouwadge
April 1, 1978
April 26, 1980
International Limited
Toronto – Chicago
October 31, 1982
June 12, 1983
Operated by Amtrak in the US. Renamed as International
International
June 13, 1983
April 23, 2004
Operated by Amtrak in the US
Jasper–Prince Rupert
Jasper – Prince Rupert
April 1, 1978
June 16, 1979
Named as Skeena
May 1, 2009
Present
Skeena
June 17, 1979
November 14, 1981
Extended to Edmonton
April 30, 1989
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Edmonton – Jasper – Prince Rupert
November 15, 1981
June 2, 1984
Extended to Winnipeg and renamed as Panorama
June 1, 1985
April 29, 1989
Truncated back to Jasper
Panorama
Winnipeg – Saskatoon – Edmonton – Jasper – Prince Rupert
June 3, 1984
May 31, 1985
Reverted to Skeena name and route
Limoilou–Rivière-à-Pierre
Limoilou , Quebec City – Rivière-à-Pierre
April 1, 1978
June 16, 1979
Replaced by Sainte-Foy–Rivière-à-Pierre train
Sainte-Foy–Rivière-à-Pierre
Sainte-Foy – Rivière-à-Pierre
October 28, 1979
February 2, 1980
Toronto–Niagara Falls
Toronto – Niagara Falls
April 1, 1978
January 18, 1992
Renamed as General Brock
November 23, 1997
December 9, 2012
Service continued by the Maple Leaf and Lakeshore West line
General Brock
January 19, 1992
November 22, 1997
Name dropped
Toronto–North Bay
Toronto – North Bay
April 1, 1978
January 14, 1990
Maple Leaf
Toronto – Niagara Falls – New York
April 26, 1981
Present
Operated by Amtrak in the US
Moncton–Edmundston
Moncton – Edmundston
April 1, 1978
November 14, 1981
October 28, 1984
January 14, 1990
Montreal–Chicoutimi
Montreal – Hervey – Rivière-à-Pierre – Chambord – Jonquière – Chicoutimi
April 1, 1978
April 30, 1988
Truncated to Jonquière
Saguenay
Montreal – Hervey – Rivière-à-Pierre – Chambord – Jonquière
April 25, 1993
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Montreal–Jonquière
May 1, 1988
April 24, 1993
Named as Saguenay
May 1, 2009
Present
Sainte-Foy–Cochrane
Sainte-Foy – Senneterre – Cochrane
April 1, 1978
Abitibi
Montreal – Hervey – Senneterre
April 25, 1993
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Montreal–Senneterre
May 1, 2009
Present
Montreal–Sherbrooke
Montreal – Sherbrooke
April 1, 1978
October 30, 1982
Ocean
Montreal – Halifax
April 1, 1978
Present
Ottawa–Sudbury
Ottawa – Sudbury
November 15, 1981
May 31, 1985
Replaced a section of the Canadian when it was rerouted through Toronto following the first cancellation of the Super Continental
Saint-Laurent
Montreal – Mont-Joli
October 28, 1979
May 28, 1983
Quebec City – Mont-Joli
June 1, 1985
January 14, 1990
Regina–Prince Albert
Regina – Saskatoon – Prince Albert
April 1, 1978
November 14, 1981
Winnipeg–Saskatoon
Winnipeg – Regina – Saskatoon
November 15, 1981
June 2, 1984
Replaced a section of the cancelled Super Continental . Subsumed by the Panorama
Saskatoon–Edmonton
Saskatoon – Edmonton
November 15, 1981
June 2, 1984
Saskatoon–The Pas
Saskatoon – The Pas
April 1, 1978
April 26, 1980
Scotian
Montreal – Campbellton – Halifax
April 1, 1978
October 27, 1979
Same route as the Ocean but with more stops
Senneterre–Rouyn-Noranda
Senneterre – Rouyn-Noranda
April 1, 1978
June 16, 1979
Lake Superior
Sudbury – White River
April 28, 1996
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Sudbury–White River
October 29, 1978
April 27, 1996
Named as Lake Superior
May 1, 2009
Present
Canadian
Toronto – Sudbury – White River – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Banff – Vancouver
October 29, 1978
June 16, 1979
Exchanged sleeper cars with the Super Continental at Winnipeg
Montreal – Ottawa – Sudbury – White River – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Banff – Vancouver
June 17, 1979
October 27, 1979
Montreal – Toronto – Sudbury – White River – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Banff – Vancouver
November 15, 1981
May 31, 1985
Montreal – Ottawa – Sudbury – / Toronto – Sudbury – White River – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Banff – Vancouver
June 1, 1985
January 14, 1990
Montreal and Toronto sections, divided at Sudbury
Toronto – Sudbury Junction – Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg – Saskatoon – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver
January 15, 1990
Present
Super Continental
Montreal – Ottawa – Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg – Saskatoon – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver
April 1, 1978
June 16, 1979
Exchanged sleeper cars with the Canadian at Winnipeg
Toronto – Sioux Lookout – Winnipeg – Saskatoon – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver
June 17, 1979
October 27, 1979
June 1, 1981
November 14, 1981
Exchanged sleeper cars with the Canadian at Winnipeg. Discontinued for the first time
Toronto – Sudbury – White River – Winnipeg – Saskatoon – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver
October 28, 1979
May 31, 1981
Combined with the Canadian between Sudbury and Winnipeg. Exchanged sleeper cars with the Canadian at Winnipeg
Winnipeg – Vancouver
June 1, 1985
January 14, 1990
Discontinued for the second and final time
The Pas–Lynn Lake
The Pas – Pukatawagan – Lynn Lake
April 1, 1978
May 22, 2004
Truncated to Pukatawagan
The Pas–Pukatawagan
The Pas – Pukatawagan
May 23, 2004
Present
Runs over the Keewatin Railway
Thunder Bay–Sioux Lookout
Thunder Bay – Sioux Lookout
April 1, 1978
May 31, 1986
Toronto–Barrie
Toronto – Barrie
April 1, 1978
September 3, 1982
Replaced by the Bradford line (now the Barrie line )
Toronto–Stouffville
Toronto – Stouffville
April 1, 1978
September 3, 1982
Replaced by the Stouffville line
Malahat
Victoria – Courtenay
October 29, 1978
April 30, 2009
Name dropped
Victoria–Courtenay
May 1, 2009
March 19, 2011
Winnipeg–Churchill , Hudson Bay , Northern Spirits
Winnipeg – The Pas – Churchill
April 1, 1978
Present
Commuter routes
Via operated some grandfathered commuter passenger routes from CN and CP from 1977 until financial constraints led to cuts in 1981. A few became provincial commuter rail lines after transfer from Canadian National Railways or Canadian Pacific Railway .
Route
Original Operator
Notes
CN Uxbridge Subdivision (Stouffville line )
CN
Toronto to Stouffville service by CN from 1971 to 1977, Via until 1981 and was restored by GO Transit in 1982
Guelph Subdivision (Toronto - Stratford/Georgetown )
CN
Never transferred to Via in 1977 but became GO Georgetown line in 1974. Extended to Guelph 1990 to 1993 (cut back to Georgetown by provincial cuts) and extended to Kitchener (line renamed) since 2011
Barrie line
CN
Began by CN Toronto-Barrie from 1972 to 1977, transferred to Via 1977 and became GO line to Bradford/Newmarket only from 1982 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2008, extended to Barrie from 1990 to 1993 and since 2008 (now to Allendale)
CP Havelock Subdivision (Havelock/Peterborough)
CP
Retained as CP freight subdivision and now used by Kawartha Lakes Railway
Streetsville
CP
Abandoned in 1971 and partially restored as GO Milton line 1981
Lakeshore West
CP
Transferred from Via to STCUM in 1982 and then to AMT in 1996, now Exo
Deux-Montagnes line
CN
Transferred from Via to STCUM in 1982 and then to AMT in 1996. Last operated by Exo . Ceased operations in 2020 and replaced in 2023 by Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light metro line.
Saint-Jérôme line
CP
Transferred from CP to Via in 1977 but abandoned 1981. Restored by AMT in 1997, now Exo .
Mont-Saint-Hilaire line
CN
Never transferred to Via and operated by CN until 1988 and later restored by AMT in 2000, now Exo .
References
External links
Current routes Former routes Infrastructure