Rail guide
Trains in Canada
VIA Rail's Corridor, the Canadian and the Ocean, remote northern trains and the Rocky Mountaineer, explained route by route.
VIA Rail runs Canada's intercity passenger trains. Most of its passengers ride the Corridor between Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, London and Windsor, where trains run several times a day in Economy and Business class. Beyond the Corridor, VIA's network is a small set of long distance and remote trains, each running a few times a week.
The Canadian crosses half the continent from Toronto to Vancouver through the lakes and rock of northern Ontario, the prairies and the Rockies at Jasper. The Ocean runs overnight from Montreal along the St. Lawrence River to the Maritimes and Halifax. In the far west, the Jasper to Prince Rupert train runs only by day down the Skeena River to the Pacific, and in Manitoba the Hudson Bay train is the only land link to Churchill. In Quebec and northern Ontario, small trains serve cottages and communities with no road.
Rocky Mountaineer sells luxury daylight rail tours through the Canadian Rockies, a different product from VIA's scheduled trains. Three Amtrak trains cross the border to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
- Amtrak long distance
- Amtrak corridor and state routes
- VIA Rail
- Brightline
- Rail tours
- Alaska Railroad
VIA Rail long distance
VIA Rail Corridor (Quebec City to Windsor)
- VIA Rail CorridorVIA Rail Montreal to TorontoMontreal to Torontoabout 5 to 5 hours 30 minutes
- VIA Rail CorridorVIA Rail Quebec City to Montreal and OttawaQuebec City to Ottawaabout 3 hours 15 minutes Quebec City to Montreal; about 2 hours Montreal to Ottawa
- VIA Rail CorridorVIA Rail Toronto to OttawaToronto to Ottawaabout 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes
- VIA Rail CorridorVIA Rail Toronto to London and WindsorToronto to Windsorabout 4 hours Toronto to Windsor
- VIA Rail CorridorVIA Rail Toronto to Kitchener, Stratford and SarniaToronto to Sarniaabout 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours end to end
VIA Rail regional and remote trains
- VIA Rail regionalJasper to Prince RupertJasper to Prince Ruperttwo days in daylight, with an overnight stop in Prince George (you book your own hotel)
- VIA Rail regionalWinnipeg to Churchill (Hudson Bay train)Winnipeg to Churchillabout two days and two nights end to end
- VIA Rail regionalMontreal to Jonquière (Saguenay)Montreal to Saguenayabout 9 hours
- VIA Rail regionalMontreal to Senneterre (Abitibi)Montreal to Senneterreabout 12 hours
- VIA Rail regionalSudbury to White RiverSudbury to White Riverabout 8 hours
Rocky Mountaineer rail tours
- Rail tour (daylight)Rocky Mountaineer: First Passage to the WestVancouver to Banfftwo days in daylight with an overnight hotel stay in Kamloops
- Rail tour (daylight)Rocky Mountaineer: Journey through the CloudsVancouver to Jaspertwo days in daylight with an overnight hotel stay in Kamloops
- Rail tour (daylight)Rocky Mountaineer: Rainforest to Gold RushVancouver to Jasperthree days in daylight with overnight stays in Whistler and Quesnel
Trains between the USA and Canada
- Amtrak state supportedMaple LeafNew York to Torontoabout 12 to 13 hours end to end, including the border inspection
- Amtrak state supportedAdirondackNew York to Montrealabout 10 hours 30 minutes to 11 hours end to end, including the border inspection
- Amtrak state supportedAmtrak CascadesEugene to Vancouverabout 3 hours 30 minutes Seattle to Portland; about 4 hours Seattle to Vancouver, BC
Planning guides
Frequently asked questions
Can you cross Canada by train?
Yes. VIA Rail's Canadian runs between Toronto and Vancouver in about four days, and the Ocean links Montreal with Halifax overnight. Together with Corridor trains between Montreal and Toronto, you can ride from the Atlantic to the Pacific, though not every day of the week.
Is VIA Rail the same as Amtrak?
No. VIA Rail is Canada's national passenger operator, a separate Crown corporation. Amtrak runs three trains into Canada: to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Read Amtrak vs VIA Rail for the differences.
Do Canadian trains run every day?
Corridor trains between Quebec City and Windsor run several times a day. Long distance and remote trains run a few times a week, so plan your dates around the timetable.