November 6, 2013

VIA Rail a popular choice among Canadian military

Montréal, November 6, 2013 – Since the launch of a special program in 2010, more than 76,000 members of the military and their families have travelled within Canada on VIA Rail (viarail.ca) trains.

"Every year, the month of November is a time for all Canadians to reflect on the military’s efforts and sacrifices in times of war and peace. At VIA Rail, we like to make sure they know that their dedication is not forgotten, which is why we take this time of year to recognize the contribution made by the men and women of the Canadian military. As Canada’s national passenger rail service, it is an honour for VIA Rail to help them discover the many sights of the country they have vowed to defend with courage and determination," declared Marc Laliberté, CEO of VIA Rail.

Among the 76,000 military travelers, destinations within the Quebec – Windsor Corridor were the most popular, with close to 90% choosing the area, and a quarter of these travelled between Montréal and Toronto. The Canadian, linking Toronto to Vancouver, attracted more than 3% of travellers, while The Ocean, running between Montréal and Halifax, carried about 7%.

Since November 2010, VIA Rail has offered a 25 percent discount off the best available fare, with no route or date restrictions, to military personnel, veterans, and up to five members of their family.

 

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking 450 communities across its 12,500-kilometre route network. Recipient of the Railway Association of Canada's Safety Award in 2011 for the 11th time in 12 years, and of the 2013 Agent's Choice Award voted by Canadian travel agents and presented by Baxter Travel Media, VIA safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested almost a billion dollars in VIA Rail. Follow the progress of our transformation at viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/capital-investment.

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