August 29, 2018

SEAMLESS TRAVEL BETWEEN VIA RAIL AND TRAIN DE CHARLEVOIX

QUÉBEC, August 28, 2018 - With the imminent arrival of colourful fall foliage, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces a partnership agreement with Train de Charlevoix. The pilot project allows customers to reserve seats on board a VIA Rail train as well as on the Train de Charlevoix in a single transaction. They are able to plan a trip originating in Ottawa or Montréal and ending in Québec City, Côte-de-Beaupré, or the coastal cities and towns of Charlevoix, or vice versa. A shuttle provides ground transportation between Gare du Palais in Québec City and the station at the base of Montmorency Falls.

"We have been waiting for this breakthrough for a long time. The connectivity between Le Train de Charlevoix and VIA Rail provides our respective customers with seamless rail transportation. One call, one transaction between Ottawa or Montréal to discover Charlevoix!" said Nancy Belley, General Manager of Le Train de Charlevoix.

“VIA Rail is constantly looking at innovative ways to make it more enjoyable and easier for our customers to travel. We are pleased to offer our passengers the opportunity to travel along the St. Lawrence River on board Train de Charlevoix and take in the sweeping views of the Charlevoix region. Thanks to our many intermodal partnerships and a simple and unified travel experience, we are increasing the number of available sustainable mobility options and helping Canadians reduce the carbon footprint of their travels. This project facilitates smoother travel and encourages passengers to leave their cars at home and explore the regional attractions of the communities served by both our railways,” said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail.

Customers are able to reserve tickets for both services throughout Train de Charlevoix’s operating season (which runs until October 21, 2018), online at viarail.ca or through the VIA Rail Customer Centre by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (deaf or hard of hearing).

About Train de Charlevoix

Train de Charlevoix is operated by Réseau Charlevoix, a non-profit organization with an environmentally friendly development vision that encourages partnerships and local economic and social benefits. Our goal is to provide a respectful and safe public transportation alternative and a unique scenic tourist experience between Québec City, Côte-de-Beaupré and the coastal towns and villages of Charlevoix.

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada’s national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its 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 4.4 million passengers annually. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the “About VIA Rail” section at: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.