For the holiday season - VIA Rail will be offering its clients six additional trips between Montreal and Halifax

HALIFAX, Oct. 20, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - During the holiday season, VIA Rail Canada travellers will have more opportunities to leave their cars behind and enjoy the comfort of the train cars, freshly prepared meals*, unparalleled customer service, and the outstanding scenery of Eastern Canada. From December 18 until January 6, VIA Rail will offer 24 departures between Montreal and Halifax on its Ocean service, six more than its regular schedule. In total an additional 1,500 seats and 800 beds will be available on this route, giving more people the opportunity to take the train to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones.

"The addition of these six trips of the Ocean during holiday season shows our commitment to increase service for our clients in the Maritimes and to contribute to the development of public transport of the region," said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail. "Passenger rail is a smarter choice for all of us, and it's more environmentally friendly. Why not enjoy the comfort, the relaxation, and the beauty that train travel offers during this hectic season?"

Holiday departures for the Ocean are scheduled for the following dates:

*In Sleeper Plus class
**Added departures
Please note that the departures on Sunday, December 25 have been rescheduled for another date.  

For more information regarding the holiday schedule and VIA Rail's Sleeper Plus class, or to book your trip now, visit viarail.ca or call 1 888 VIA RAIL (1 888 842 7245) or 1 800 268 9503 (ATS for the hearing impaired).

About VIA Rail's Ocean service
Since 1904, The Ocean has travelled the 1,346 kilometers of track along the St. Lawrences through the Matapedia valley, linking the cities of Campbellton, Moncton, Truro, and Halifax with the rest of the country. Every year, this service - with its 28 stops - offers tens of thousands of passengers from across Canada and the world the opportunity to discover the Eastern Canadian provinces. Wi-Fi connection is available in the service cars. The Ocean service celebrated its 112^th anniversary in 2016.

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and its 2,600 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: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

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SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc.