Canada: Via Rail Update In Response To COVID-19

To support the ongoing efforts deployed by the public health authorities across Canada to limit the COVID-19 propagation, including recommendations for social distancing and in order to further reduce health risks to our passengers and employees, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces a reduction of some of its services as well as additional preventive measures.

As a result of significant reductions in passenger volumes experienced in the last week, combined with the need to deploy our resources to more effectively deal with the pandemic, as of Utorak, Mart 17, services will be reduced by 50% in the Québec City-Windsor corridor.

Regional services (Sudbury-WhiteRiver, Winnipeg-Čerčil, Senneterre-Jonquière) will continue to operate according to their respective schedules with no change.

As well as the schedule changes, VIA Rail will be introducing a modified meal service aboard its trains. In line with the health authorities’ social distancing guidelines, we will limit the amount of staff and passenger interaction to a minimum, including our meal service. Passengers in economy class will receive a complimentary snack and water. In business class, the regular meal service will be replaced by a light meal and water. In both classes, no other food or beverage service will be offered and passengers with food restrictions are being asked to plan accordingly.

Additional onboard employees will be deployed on all of our trains in order to sanitize our coach cars while in operation. This is in addition to the previously announced enhanced cleaning protocol in effect at terminal stations. Via Rail continues to deploy additional strict cleanliness and hygiene protocols for its other trains in operation as long as they are in use.

Passengers showing symptoms similar to a cold or flu (fever, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulties) are asked not to travel aboard VIA Rail. If those symptoms develop on board, they are asked to immediately report it to one of our employees.

“As a public passenger rail service to all Canadians, we remain committed to providing as much services as possible under the circumstances, as well as a safe travel environment for our customers and our employees. As we are already seeing an important reduction of ridership, these additional measures will help to allow us to maintain the service”, said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO.

“We are deploying these additional precautions knowing that they will have an impact on our capacity to run our trains on time. We thank our passengers for their patience and understanding during this challenging period for all Canadians and want them to know that all of us at VIA Rail remain dedicated to offer the best possible service and travel condition, especially on board our trains, in our stations and our call centres”, continued Cynthia Garneau. “Until the situation returns to normal, I invite all our passengers to consult our website to get the latest updates about our operations”.

VIA Rail continues to closely monitor the development of COVID-19 and we remain in close contact with public health agencies and the federal and provincial governments.

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