August 11, 2017

VIA RAIL SETS NEW RECORD OVER AUGUST LONG WEEKEND

HIGHLIGHTS

From Thursday, August 3, to Tuesday, August 8, 2017:

VIA Rail Cross-Canada Services

- 84,400 passengers | 9.5% increase compared to 2016

- More than 33 million kilometers travelled | 7.7% increase compared to 2016

- 13% increase in passenger revenue compared to 2016

- Busiest day: Friday, August 4th

- Most popular destinations: Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa

Quebec City – Windsor Corridor

- 77,000 passengers | 11% increase compared to 2016

- 14% increase in passenger revenue compared to 2016

Toronto – Vancouver (the Canadian)

- 3,500 passengers | 5%increase compared to 2016

- 15% increase in passenger revenue compared to 2016

Montreal, August 11, 2017 –Revenue derived from the sale of tickets by VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) over the August long weekend hit their highest level. With ticket sales up by 13% compared to the same period in 2016, this was the most successful long weekend. In total, 84,400 travellers decided to board one of the 372 VIA Rail trains that were criss-crossing the country from August 3 to (and including) August 8 – an increase of 9.5% over 2016. Passengers covered more than 33 million kilometers. Friday, August 4th was the busiest day of the weekend, with 17,000 people travelling. The Québec City-Windsor Corridor saw 77,000 people on the move – primarily between Toronto, Montréal and Ottawa; these three cities were the destinations for 24,000, 15,000 and 11,000 travellers during this period.

“The outstanding results from last weekend are further evidence of the popularity of VIA Rail’s trains with Canadians. Whenever our trains are operating at almost full capacity, as was the case these past few days, our front-line staff offer services that meet the highest quality standards, and our equipment is strictly maintained to ensure that these thousands of passengers reach their destinations safely and comfortably. No detail is too small when it comes to providing the best possible experience,” said VIA Rail President and CEO, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano.

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and its 2,700 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years. For more information, visit: /en/about-via-rail.