Following a meeting with Gaspé regional leaders in February, VIA Rail Canada has announced that it will reinstitute hot meals in the dining car of the Montréal – Gaspé train on a year-round basis. In addition, a VIA-Gaspé region joint working group was created to study ways of enhancing service on the Montréal-Gaspé line and promoting tourism in the region. Read the full story

Cars to be used in Northern Ontario and on Vancouver Island

The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Atlantic Gateway; Marc Laliberté, VIA Rail Canada’s President and CEO; and Richard Carpenter, President of Industrial Rail Services Inc today announced funding for the complete modernization and upgrading of six self-propelled rail diesel cars (RDCs). Read the full story

I’m not a frequent visitor to Baltimore’s Penn Station, but on a recent drop-off of a friend I happened to wander inside to wait with her. As I was sitting there I noticed something different -the old mechanical arrivals/departure board was missing. In its place was a large LCD screen with signs attached that said “testing in progress.” At the service counter, a small TV screen displayed train times and as I looked around I saw other locations where TV screens appeared to also be in testing phase. I guess the times they are a-changing. Read the full story

Rocky Mountaineer, owner and operator of the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train is pleased to announce its sponsorship of Kamloops, BC Speed Skater, Tori Spence through a continued partnership with BC’s Growing Champions. With a strong commitment to sustainable development and supporting the communities through which the train operates, it was a natural choice for Rocky Mountaineer to foster the ambitions of an athlete from Kamloops, one of the overnight stops along the two-day rail journey. The sponsorship will help Tori pursue her goal to qualify for the national team and represent Canada in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games. Read the full story

WASHINGTON – The long-distance trains that serve as the backbone of America ’s national intercity passenger rail network are attracting more passengers as Amtrak continues to implement its comprehensive and multi-year Route Performance Improvement (RPI) program. Read the full story

Book your tickets now for travel during the school break

TORONTO, March 10 /CNW Telbec/ – March Break is almost here and seats are going fast! VIA Rail Canada wishes to encourage those planning on travelling this weekend to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to ensure availability and to take advantage of the best fares available. Discount fares are still available on certain departures just ahead of March Break. To help travelers make the most of their trip, kids, youth, students and travellers 60 years of age and over can also benefit from special discounts and savings. Read the full story