Latest VIA Rail Operations Update in Response to COVID-19

MONTRÉAL, May 21, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Due to an increase in demand resulting from the progressive deconfinement implemented by public health authorities in Québec and Ontario, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces service changes effective June 3, which will be in place until further notice. Trains 62 and 669 will resume service between Toronto-Kingston-Montréal and trains 52,48,59 will resume between Toronto-Kingston-Ottawa.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the owner of the infrastructure (CN) between Prince Rupert-Prince George-Jasper has been performing infrastructure and maintenance improvements which temporarily impacted the available capacity. VIA Rail service offered on this route will however resume in July.

https://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-advisory-information

SERVICES STARTING JUNE 3

* This information is subject to change without notice.

https://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-advisory-information

FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR PASSENGERS

All passengers with reservations affected by suspension of services will be contacted and reimbursed automatically. To facilitate cancellations and refunds, we have extended our cancellation policy to include all travel through November 1, 2020, to allow passengers to cancel their upcoming reservations autonomously online at any time prior to departure and receive a full refund in addition to not incurring any service charges, regardless of when the ticket was purchased.    

Alternatively, customers may contact the VIA Customer Centre by email at service@viarail.ca or by phone at 1-888-VIA-RAIL (1-888-842-7245), TTY 1-800-268-9503 (hearing impaired). Due to the current situation related to COVID-19, the VIA Customer Centre is open 9:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday and it may take some time to speak with an agent due to a reduction in staff.

https://www.viarail.ca/en/COVID-19

REMINDER 

VIA Rail continues to adjust its operations and deploys a strict protocol of sanitary measures on board its trains, in its stations, maintenance centres and call centres in response to the pandemic and in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We have limited the number of bookable seats aboard our trains in order to provide passengers physical distancing space when travelling.

Furthermore, we constantly remind our passengers and employees of the importance of following the recommendations of the public health authorities, to stay at home, avoid non-essential travel, practice physical distancing as much as possible, and to rigorously follow good hygiene practices (wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of their arm, avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth without first washing their hands).

In order to limit the risks of propagation of COVID-19, VIA Rail recommends to all its passengers to wear a non-medical mask or face covering that covers the nose and the mouth when travelling on its trains and when it is impossible to respect a distance of 2 metres with others. 

Passengers will be denied boarding our trains if they are experiencing symptoms similar to a cold or flu (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) or if they have been denied boarding for travel in the last 14 days due to medical reasons related to COVID-19.

We continue to monitor the developments of COVID-19 and we remain in close contact with public health agencies and the federal and provincial governments.

The most recent updates are available on our website. 

About VIA Rail

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 transported over 5 million passengers in 2019. 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 https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

VIA RAIL CANADA WILL BE PUBLISHING REGULAR MEDIA UPDATES TO KEEP ITS CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT ITS RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. PLEASE VISIT OUR MEDIA CENTRE TO GET THE LATEST INFORMATION.

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SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc.