Excellent service today from Ottawa to Toronto. The staff, particularly the service directors in my car, ensured that my first train ride was comfortable and enjoyable - quick to attend to needs in a friendly manner and going above and beyond to create an exceptional travel experience! Looking forward to my next trip! read more

Gone are the days when Via Rail was a pleasure to ride. Toronto to Montreal, Montreal to Kingston, whichever me and my family uses, they are almost ALWAYS delayed. Minimum half hour from the jump, and then continuous delays of one to even two hours. For the first time ever we're considering the bus. Ugh read more

We enjoyed traveling round trip from Windsor to Toronto. The stops in between were quick and efficient. I recommend the train for comfort and a relaxed experience. read more

Not sure why there are so many negative reviews however my experience has always been wonderful! The only time I experienced a delay was on my trip home from Montreal the last time. They were apologetic but it was fine. Stuff happens. It's not like they like being delayed either. Friendly staff & smooth ride. Beats driving in traffic! read more

VIA Rail should be shut down permanently. What a total sham. No service, endless delays. I'm on a 4.5 hr ride from to Toronto to Ottawa that is now in its seventh hour and we are still 100km from our destination. I will pay triple to fly next time and you should too. What an absolute shit show. read more

VIA rail was a great way to travel across Canada. Toronto was our last stop on it and the staff was very helpful to get me a wheelchair and help my wife and I get our luggage through the large overwhelming station. read more

Union Station in Toronto is where our Via Canadian Train #1 journey started. The Station was bustling with commuter traffic and the Go Trains came and went into and out of the City. As Gayle and I exited our Cab, she was interviewed by a CBC reporter about the fire-related smoke. As she was a former reporter herself, she was more than happy to help her fellow professional. Then it was onto the Business Lounge to check in and relax over coffee until it was Boarding time. Luggage was checked in separately at any VIA desk or the baggage area below. All aboard! Reflections on our 4 Day/4 Night Trip - Excellent Food and Coffee - Great staff on the train - Variable schedule largely due to freight train priority. - Comfortable and a bit roomier "F" room Sleeper Plus accommodation. - Our berth had a bathroom and sink. The shower was down the hall. - Nice observation car, especially in the limited availability Park Car. - It's a long journey and we really appreciated the stretch your legs stops. read more

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I booked 3 return tickets from Montreal to Toronto (Economy class) and Toronto to Montreal (Business class) so that I can compare and see the difference. All seats are false leather and have headrests. They are comfy enough for the 6 hours ride. They are identical in both economy and business class. If you sit at the windows, there is a cup holder. Train left exactly on time, both times. I chose seats with a table across so that I could get my laptop on it to work. It was wide enough to have laptop and mouse pad. There is one 3 prong outlet at the feet of each of the 4 seats. From my view, can see that all the seats have an electrical outlet. If you need to charge your phone, you should bring a usb block charger. The cars were reasonably clean. Washrooms are also reasonably clean, automatic tap. They are twice the size that of an Airplane. Business class The main difference is that food and beverages are included, but more importantly drinks are served 20 minutes after departure. Choices of non-alcoholic beverages are apple and orange. Alcoholic drinks are house Red/White wine, beer, whisky, rhum, vodka and gin. Main course choices are: Lasagna Alfredo, salmon with garlic potatoes or Tandoori chicken and rice. This is served exactly one hour after departure. Via Rail is a nice alternative to air travel, as it provides less stress since you can arrive about 10-15 mins prior to departure and there is no security check to go through. My experience is a 4 star but unfortunately have to deduct 1 star for the downgraded experience on their booking AND in addition that no one picks up calls or returns messages anymore read more

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VIA Rail has become completely unreliable. Trains are consistently late, with no meaningful communication, no accountability, and no concern for passengers who have planned their day around the schedule they advertise. Traveling under these conditions is frustrating enough, but traveling with a child makes it almost unbearable. Long, unexplained delays, poor coordination, and a lack of basic consideration create unnecessary stress for families and anyone who depends on public transportation to function properly. The level of incompetence is alarming. Delays appear to be treated as normal rather than a failure of service. There is no sense of urgency, no ownership of the problem, and no visible effort to improve. Excuses replace solutions, and passengers are left waiting, again and again. For a service that positions itself as a national rail provider, this performance is unacceptable. Reliability should be the bare minimum. Instead, VIA Rail delivers chronic lateness, poor planning, and a travel experience that feels disorganized and careless. This is not a one time issue. It is a pattern and a very bad one! read more

Toronto is highly populated and this train station when barding makes you feel like sardines in a can. There is not enough seating and so people just wait in line. The building itself is beautiful in architecture from the outside and the main area. Something I found very odd is there is no food court close to the train station like Montreal. If you are picking someone, forget about parking. read more

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'd give it a zero star if allowed. Customer care is absolutely despicable to begin with. I was yelled at by an attendant upon disembarking and heading for the exit at the Ottawa main station coming from Toronto. I was headed towards the exit but he felt I should have followed the crowd. once confronted he pretty much cowered and ran away. When I escalated the situation to upper management they apologized but couldn't give me a reason for the reprimand. I wrote to customer service, only to get a full reply of basically sorry not sorry almost 8 months later! But this is only one factor in what seems to be a very poorly managed Canadian institution. People in Canada are reliant and therefore compliant. Via rail trains and rails are archaic, and prone to delays and even halt's in service constantly, and unapologetically. The prices are ok, but you are getting bare minimum service for the cost, particularly should something go wrong. They have only one train per day between Kitchener Waterloo and Toronto which is ridiculous considering this is one of their most congested routes and many people would benefit from having more access to travel between the two cities that avoids driving and would help to dissuade congestion on the highways, and reduce carbon emission. The people at the top of Vis Rail get more for doing less and as long as customers do nothing, which I'm sure this company counts on, they will continue to offer subpar services. read more

Consistently 1-hour late or more between Toronto and Montrea. Expensive and slow. You get a discount when the train is more than 1 hour late that applies towards your next purchase. Terrible train service. I will be avoiding VIA Rail from now on until the lateness issue is resolved. Not worth it. read more

Now with some regular trips to our nation's capital I find the via rail option to be a no brainer when compared to driving/being driven or even flying there (did that eons ago so maybe things have changed) Skip the security lines and trip to the airport and just go from downtown to downtown without a hitch. I found both regular class and business class to be very comfy and roomy. One can put on noise cancelling headphones and go through a season of the season of the series you have been meaning to watch by just having it downloaded to your device and watching it while traveling. Charging ports at each seat. Not to mention the prices are very reasonable to boot. I tried the business lounge in Ottawa and found it clean and quiet if one can snag the conference room. No food but lots of drink options. Their coffee offerings could be better imo. The food was ok and the drinks were your regular Canadian stuff. A few things that could improve are when boarding the platform isn't lined up to the train level so one had to lug the suitcase up a few steps which are very tight. Otherwise I think it's a good way to travel for trips that last around the 5-6 hour marker as wouldn't save much by flying. read more

VIA Rail Canada - Atlantic cod meal - Train Stations Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Via Rail has lovely staff and generally is a pleasant ride, but you will be very hard pressed to find a train that actually arrives and departs on time. This is especially noticable when travelling away from Toronto, specifically on the Eastbound lines. I understand a 15-30 minute delay is not incredibly inconvenient, but when it happens *every time* I depart Oshawa Eastbound, it's problematic. read more

The Toronto-Ottawa schedules are a joke since the trains are always behind without fail. You're stuck on the train sitting on the track forever. The seats are uncomfortable for someone who's 5'3". The elevator on to the train for a wheelchair broke which is shameful. Business class didn't have the promised meal so the poor staff phoned ahead to the next stop and got cold, barely passable pizza delivered to the train. All in all, travelling with Via Rail is a sh*t show. read more

Was stuck in one spot for over an hour . It was delayed and then delayed again. What was suppose to be a 2 hour trian ride took just over 3 hours. One of our chairs were broken which hurt my partners back. Not a good experience wouldn't take the train again. Better off using another service or just driving your self. For the price we paid we were better off just driving would have saved time and money ag that point. read more

Absolutely hate VIA rail, expect for at least an additional hour added on to the trip. The funny thing is it's every time, every time. Pisses me off so damn much. Currently on the train hungry, tired, and an hour and a half behind. read more

Traveled from Toronto to Vancouver on Via rail. Was impressed with the onboard service. Everyone was friendly, polite and helpful. The dinning was a great experience. The food was delicious and had multiple choices at each meal. A shot out to Jennifer who ran the dome car and activities from Toronto to Winnipeg. She was very knowledgeable and had some great activities to keep us entertained. Our porters were Jenna Lucas. Very helpful and friendly. We got off to walk around on our early morning stop in Jasper. Lovely little town and several of the souvenir shops were open plus we found a great bakery. A great way to travel across Canada read more

We took Train 66 in business class from Toronto to Montreal. Left on time and arrived almost on time. Good seating, excellent meal and drinks. WiFi was good throughout the trip. Staff on the train were outstanding. Much superior to the airlines. read more

Comfy seating overall. AC is blasted too much sometimes; I was freezing and they don't have blankets anymore... The old trains should be retired and replaced with the new trains. Didn't even have a table on one of my train rides... The wifi never works properly. It's always slow and video just doesn't work, even though the wifi name is literally VIA_WIFI_VIDEO. read more

This was my "first" train trip. Three days from Toronto to Jasper. Had a private cabin; very compact, but it worked. I didn't think I would like the communal shower, but taking it at night proved the best - no one else waiting. The "food" was excellent, as was the service! Plenty of coffee all day as well as snacks. Great"Bingo" with other passengers each afternoon. The observation car had plenty of seating for everyone to take a seat during the three days. Beautiful scenery. Great way to unwind and relax. Very clean, masks were required; coming from the States that was not something I relished - but I wore it! Charming, quaint experince. Good Red Wine - "Don't Poke the Bear"! Recommend this trip! read more

Moldy train cars. Smell awful. Serious health ramifications. I have no doubt these train cars would fail an air quality test. If you have asthma, bronchitis, COPD or environmental illness, recommend you stay away. read more

I had an awfull experience with customer services! This is a company that does not care about their customer and is only looking to make as much money as they can to the detriment of us users. A ticket that I booked in advanced for 80$ turned out to cost me 170$ (more than double) for the exact same train ride that left 1 day earlier! Very hard to understand how the cost of a train ride can double since it's the exact same service ... I asked if they could accomodate me with a discount to lower the price to a more reasonnable price but they said no and yet they offer 20% off for new ticket purchases ... I do not whish to encourage a company that operates that way and will not be using their services anymore! read more

over an hour late! making me potentially miss my flight... running through the airport and extremely pissed off.

On average I use the Toronto/Belleville or Toronto/Cobourg route, once a week. Nine times out of ten, the train runs significantly late. Some delays are understandable and unavoidable, however with Via, all too frequent. On every delayed trip an on board announcement is made, "thanking us for our understanding". My "understanding" ran its course years ago. Just an FYI. To add insult to injury, the Via staff in both the business lounge and gate area at Union are rude, dismissive and extend zero customer service skills. This below par travel experience, all provided at a premium price. On a positive note, the staff on board the trains are as a rule very helpful and professional. If there were any other carrier available, I would happily, be delighted to, rejoice in, taking my business elsewhere. Alas, there is not. Sean Ward Toronto read more

Wow... What a POS this service. For the amount of money we pay the service should match it. 45 minutes late for no reason, a bunch of incompetent MF are running this company to the ground. Lack of proper planning leads to delays, also how is it possible with a full train going from Ottawa to Toronto they only have a handful of food available, please explain. Get rid of these stupid old farts running this company and replace it with more customer focus individuals. read more

Completely incompetence company. Sketchy practices, wastes everyone who depends on it's time without remorse, gouges prices, rude service.

Train ride was bearable but everything else was annoying and expensive. I arrived at the station earlier than expected so I asked about getting on the earlier train only to find out the same type of seat would cost $191 more even though the train leaves within the hour. Airplane can do this for free why can't trains? The workers have always been so accommodating and kind but I always feel like VIA is money grabbing for a service that used to be the cheaper alternative. read more

I am currently on the train from Toronto Union station to Montreal. I am still fuming! When boarding the train I was notified I was 3 lb overweight. This is Christmas, I'm sure everybody is a couple of pounds overweight. They actually made me remove three pairs of jeans from my suitcase, and I had to carry them in my arms up to the train. All this could have been avoided if business class did their job properly, and weighed my suitcase while I was in the lounge. I would have had time and space to organize my luggage. And not get blocked going up the escalator to the train. There is a little blonde French lady who works for via rail at the Toronto Union station, who was a mouthy piece of work and a bully! I had told another lady this was horrible! And the blonde French lady kept yelling. We're not horrible. Do you hear me? "We're not horrible! I will stop you from traveling!" And put her arms out to block me from the escalator making a big scene. So I carried my jeans in my arms and my suitcase up the escalator. While on the platform, a dark skinned lady approached me and said if you put your jeans in your suitcase, I'm going to prevent you from traveling! Wow! I have never experienced such aggressive behavior in my life! I travel with via rail about 5 or 6 times a year. I will start reconsidering flying. It is no longer a pleasant experience. I don't understand the issue..... Whether I have an extra 3 lb in my suitcase, or I'm carrying them in my hand, what's the difference? And as soon as I got on the train I put my three pairs of jeans back in my suitcase. Complete idiots at Toronto Union station via rail! Especially the short blonde French lady. You will not bully anyone! I will be calling via rail read more

I booked a train ride from London to Toronto online and was able to get a return rate just over $81. Not bad for a trip that would take about 2.5 one way. I was assigned a seat forward facing which was great as I think I would have got nausea facing the back. The train arrived at the station on time and it was quick to get everyone boarded and easy to find my car and seat. There's a lot of legroom and I could put my backpack at my feet and there was still lots of room. There's also space for luggage at the front of the car and you self serve to put it there and take it off. Luckily the trains were pretty much on schedule and at one stop, we waited as the train was early so we didn't move for about 10 minutes. The train left London and then they came by to scan tickets but in Toronto, they scanned my ticket while standing in line waiting to board and then again on the train. I'm not sure why the extra security when leaving Toronto. On both trips, no one sat beside me so I had even more room and put my purse on the seat beside. There are plug ins which is great for a laptop, or cellphone. The wifi was also fairly reliable. They have a cart going in the car to offer snacks for sale and there were washrooms at the end of the car. This wasn't my first trip on VIA as I had travelled between Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa and each time I found it's comfortable and reliable. read more

VIA Rail Canada - Tons of legroom - Train Stations Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Overall, it was a good experience riding on the Via Rail. I rode the train from Montreal to Quebec City and then from Quebec City to Dorval. There were two incidents.... On the first leg of the journey, when we got to our assigned seats, they were already taken. And we had the awkward situation of trying to inform the occupiers they were in the wrong seats. But, as it turned out, our seats were reassigned to another car. We purchased our tickets one month ahead of time. Via Rail did send us spams, but not one email about our seats were reassigned. Second incident: While the train was parked at the Gare Centrale in Montreal waiting to go to Dorval. From my seating position, I can see the restroom door button in front of me was green. So I got up and headed to that direction and attempted to go inside, and that's when three ladies nearby said that they were all waiting in line. I didn't really realize they were waiting in line since the door button was GREEN. I thought they were just standing around mingling. Why wouldn't one of them go inside? So I said ok, I will get behind the line. And that's when Captain Obvious came out of no where and decided to interject. Captain Obvious was a female train attendant, whom I did not bother to remember her name tag. I wish I did, so I can write her name here. She said in a very condescending tone of voice "There is a restroom in your own car!". Basically, telling me to head back to my own rail car and use the restroom there. Well, thank you Captain Obvious. I was not born yesterday. I know there is a restroom in each rail car. My whole purpose was to look for a available restroom to go to. I didn't spend the time to do a scientific analysis on which car I was seating on, and which one I should go to use the restroom. The rail car that I was on and the ones next to it, were all the same class. The train was mostly empty, because it was waiting for the Montreal passengers to get onboard. I didn't think using the restroom of an adjacent car was such a big deal. My advice to some people at Via Rail....speak with a nicer tone of voice, even if you are trying to be helpful. Otherwise, people (like me) don't remember you were helpful, but they would remember you sounded rude and condescending. read more

I would give them a five but...there is a few things.. So I was taking the Canadian train from Vancouver to Winnipeg. economy.. I would recommend economy only if you go from Vancouver to Edmonton but not past Edmonton. what I noticed is after we passed Jasper, with each station after that more and more weird people were getting on, like homeless or those who do drugs, which seemed very creepy. there was also a pair of a few 19 year olds who we're super loud during the night time laughing and talking loud behind me when I was trying to sleep as it was 2AM. if I did the Canadian again I would only book economy if it was from Vancouver to Jasper. if you going longer then do not book economy as you may end up like me where I had one homless guy who seemed like he was on drugs beside me and 2 very loud teenagers behind me. I asked to change to a different cart and ended up having another homless guy beside me and a very sick woman who caught every 1-5 minutes. Also they don't accept debit cards, and very limited food for economy.... so you have to make sure you have your credit card or bring enough cash. you will mostly be eating chips, nuts and chocolate bars.. I do also want to say that the stuff was very impressive ( very friendly and helpful, every single one). read more

Tried to book seats on line- got all to the way to the final step and lost it 3 times. Couldn't book on line. Went to the station a half hour before the train - no tickets available for that train or the next. How do you stay in business????? read more

I wish there was the option to have 0 stars after the humiliating and unprofessional, insensitive verbal attack I went through this last Thursday on the VIA RAIL. I mask -exempt and the ticket-agent who sold me my $85 ticket confirmed my entrance to the train. I recognized the line was full of masked patrons, so I courteously waited at the back of the line to speak directly to the next service representative, before boarding the train. With approximately 5 minutes left before the train leaves, I am feeling uneasy and anxious about missing the train. With a medical exemption, I am rightfully travelling and was already permitted, yet this representative insists that I comply, wear a disposable mask upon entry, and then take it off when I am seated. I agreed in order to comply, and make the train, given my day plans, missing the train would have been very inconvenient to say the least. Although I am not legally bound to disclosing my reasons for exemption, the materials of the masks cause an allergic reaction within 5 minutes of being over my face and mouth area, but boarding the train took less than that and I began to experience only mild inflammation. I'm now seriously annoyed, yet, I'm aware many representatives in the service and transportation industries are NOT familiarized with the protocols for patrons who have mask exemptions. The train ride I was in for was 2 hours approximately. Half way through the train trip, I ordered a coffee from a pleasant representative. I am mask free and he is wearing his mask. The patrons around me, are all masked. It was bad enough that the dirty looks and heavy sighs from those around me reminded me of being in an immature, inexperienced elementary school scenario. I'm sensing tension at this point. The same service representative came back to notify me that his manager insists I put a mask on, even as I am drinking my coffee. The request came as a surprise, as the request was happening more than half way through my trip. In addition to that, being mask exempt or not, why am I being asked to wear a mask at the exact same time as I am enjoying a coffee purchased whilst on the train...? Does this make sense to any logical person? The service manager barges towards me and the other representative to move them out of the way, so he may now stand over me, and right in front of me. The train seats are already in close proximity, so he is standing very near to me in my personal space. Without any questions or even an actual introduction, I am now being yelled at with several claims, according to the service manager: 1. That I am causing trouble and the police need to be called to kick me off the train for non-compliance ... even though I am medically exempt! 2. That I am a loser - then he backtracked his words, and said I was a loser, only if I don't comply with him and place the mask on my face. At this point, I place the mask on, to help deescalate his tone of voice and aggression. 3. That I am stupid for not complying and that I am ruining "it" for everyone on the train (how that applies, I am still uncertain). The service rep (who sold me my coffee) was visibly uncomfortable and tried to walk away but was ordered by his manager to stay where he was and to not leave yet. I, even with a mask on at this point, ask him to stop yelling, and reminded him that calling the police would have been necessary only if I was committing a criminal act. Next, I calmly share with him that it's impossible that I was creating any trouble, since I was already permitted on the train, and that I was already sipping my coffee, so he needs to stop yelling and listen. I then asked him, "will you now listen to me?" This whole "conversation", which was humiliating and confronting and incredibly unprofessional, lasted almost 15 minutes. My face is becoming flush, and inflammatory reactions are starting to happen. Because I put the mask on, he started to calm down and the other patrons on the train felt it was necessary to yell at me as well, urging me to put a mask on, adding to the "bullying" effect. Any other type of professional service, such humiliation would not have been tolerated. At this point now, the manager agrees to leave me alone, since I was drinking the coffee with the mask around my ears and waiting to be put back up after I sip the coffee. To release tension, I am now sitting in my seat, crying, trying to finish my coffee and I take a picture of my face to document the reactions. There's approximately 30-45 minutes left of my train trip, and at this point, the service manager approaches me again, clearly seeing my face with tears and inflammation all around my chin and lower half of my face. He is at a loss for words, so returns again to ask me to leave my seat! He says "follow him", under his breath, "This is for your own good". I pick up my items and follow him. He seats me beside the luggage! Like the 1900's. read more

Prices are outrageously high for a train. Customer service is horrible when trying to contact them over the phone, systems are not strong, when trying to amend a booking the website had many issues, and told suggested I call, and was left waiting to speak to someone for an hour. 1/10 read more

If there was a better option in place I would say go with that, but because there is not, obviously this is the only option, and it takes you to destinations that not all buses and planes can take you too. Planes only go to major cities, buses go to some smaller cities, however for both of these options you have very limited room to stretch during transit. One of the only pro's to taking trains versus the above two, is the ability to get up and walk around and stretch, as well as walk through multiple carts. This is the equivalent for Go Trains and other trains, but Via is still designed the way it was in the 80s-90s. GoTrains had major updates, but unfortunately ViaRail trains, internally have not changed much over the past few decades. There used to be an economy Via Rail lounge at Union, but due to the infinite construction that is gone. The process could still be much better as well. People are expected to lineup similar to a plane ride, except, its not. It's a train ride and its assigned seats so I don't understand why people can't board simultaneously. If you think its because of ticket checks, you're wrong. On a trip to Montreal from Toronto I was woken up from my sleep at almost every stop by a ticket checker. read more

VIA Rail Canada - Train Stations Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Checked in waiting at the platform and the train changes tracks, missed the elevator ,took it w an elderly lady, get to the other side if track's w this lady and it was far ,I could barely breathe from running , they were leaving, I had to run a head hold my 350 dollar train from leaving 2 passengers when they last minute changed the track. Didn't give a reasonable person let alone a senior enough time to get there.how they gonna leave ,we checked in ,we're on the right place. Bad service read more

BE CAREFUL about reservations with this company. We made cross-Canada reservations through Vacations By Rail for October 2019, then needed to cancel in March 2019 before our trip was to take place. That is 6 months in advance. We were charged $1000 SERVICE FEE (they took the entire deposit we made) because we had to cancel. We could never get anyone on the phone to tell us what the $1000 was for. So if you schedule a trip, even months in advance, you had better go or you will lose $1000, perhaps more!!!!!! read more

VIA Rail Canada - CANCELLATION FEES ARE A RIP-OFF!!!!!!!!! - Train Stations Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wi-Fi did not work the whole trip, hour late, would not let anyone off the train for the half hour lay over at the train station. avoid the train at all costs. and no refunds or tixket exchanges for base tickets. a large charge applies. read more

I took the Via rail from Toronto to Montreal. The ride was smooth and efficient but one of the employee was the best. I was seated behind a lot of kids and about 3 hours into the trip an employee came out and started making balloon animals for all of the kids. No one asked them to do this. The smiles were so nice. The employee (Zach) went up and down the car and asked each kid what colours and what animal they wanted. I was very impressed with this Via Rail experience. read more