Fees and Optional Services | VIA Rail (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between economy and economy plus on VIA Rail? ›

Economy Plus Class offers an upgraded experience compared to Economy Class. Passengers in this class benefit from enhanced seating comfort, including additional legroom and wider seats.

Escape. Non-refundable. Economy. Partially refundable (fees of 50% of fare or minimum of $20 per segment). Economy Plus.

It's best to arrive at the station half an hour before departure for travel within the Corridor, and one hour before departure for long distance trains.

VIA Rail is one of the most accessible travel options in Canada, and you can always count on us for a safe, comfortable, and more autonomous way to travel. You'll enjoy a unique experience, one-of-a-kind services, and a warm welcome.

You can bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic drinks on the train. We also offer a selection of refreshments and food, prepared with carefully selected local products from Canadian artisans.

Economy class

Spread out and let the gentle motion of the train rock you to sleep while you glide through the wilderness. Extra blankets and pillows can be purchased.

Any baggage weighing more than 23 kg/50 lb will not be allowed on board the Corridor trains. Each passenger is responsible for their own baggage. Please only bring baggage that you can carry and store unassisted (under the seat in front of you, on the overhead shelf or in the towers).

Hotel and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car.

Fee: $25 + tax per item and per direction. Surcharges for overweight or oversized items apply to checked baggage only. Any baggage that does not meet the weight or dimension criteria will systematically be subject to additional charges.

You can now easily view and change your assigned seat during or after booking a train in the Québec City-Windsor Corridor. A seat will always be assigned, on all our trains, when you purchase a ticket.

Do I need to wear a mask on VIA Rail? ›

Wearing a mask is required at all times in VIA Rail's stations and on-board VIA Rail trains. For the health and safety of all passengers and employees, passengers who do not wear a mask during their trip will be required to disembark the train or will be refused entry upon boarding.

Yes, there are washrooms on every VIA Rail train. There are showers on some of our trains, depending on the route. For long distance trains (e.g. the Canadian and the Ocean), private washrooms and shared shower rooms are available for cabins. Berths have access to a shared washroom and a shared shower room in each car.

Safety Tips

Stand back: Always stay behind the yellow lines at train stations. Enter or exit a station platform at designated areas. Stay off the tracks: Train tracks, bridges and yards are private property. Never walk, bike, skateboard or run on or along the tracks; it's illegal and dangerous.

Firearms, weapons and sharp objects are always prohibited as carry-on baggage, except for on-duty law enforcement officer and other authorized armed personnel (provided they have given prior notification to VIA Rail). However, some of these items can be accepted as checked baggage.

Yes, all VIA Rail passenger cars are fully heated and air-conditioned.

Basic economy tickets are ineligible for refunds and don't include seat selection. Economy Plus features standard economy seats with extra legroom. Standard economy includes seat selection and a free carry-on. All three economy classes charge for checked bags on domestic flights.

There is no getting away from it, whilst Premium Economy is not to be compared with a Business Class seat, it is certainly a step-up from Classic Economy. A bit more legroom space and a bit of a wider seat does make for a little more comfort.

It's important to note that Economy Plus doesn't provide upgraded service or additional amenities. The seat itself is identical to those in the main economy cabin—with the exception of having a few extra inches to the seat in front of you.

On average, you can expect Premium Economy tickets to cost approximately 1.5 to 3 times more. The big selling point for premium economy tickets is more space. The seats are, on average, four to twenty centimeters wider than economy class, and the rows are further apart, providing a few centimeters' more legroom.