VIA Rail is now running fewer trains on the Ottawa-Toronto route as part of schedule changes to accommodate passenger volume this fall. In September, VIA Rail announced adjustments to its schedule, saying it will “better align service with passenger demand, strengthen network resilience and support more reliable and predictable service.” The changes, which take effect on Oct. 25, include the cancellation of the early morning Train 641 from Ottawa to Toronto. The train departed Ottawa at 4:13 a.m., stopped in Kingston at 6:16 a.m. and arrived in Toronto at 8:48 a.m. As part of the changes, VIA Rail Train 41 now departs 25 minutes earlier from Ottawa to Toronto at 4:56 a.m. Other changes to the VIA Rail schedule include: VIA Rail has added Train 55 on the Ottawa to Toronto route, running daily. Eastern Ontario mayors expressed frustration with VIA Rail’s plans to cut trips along the Ottawa-Toronto ridership. Kingston Mayor Bryan Patterson said said Kingston will see the number of trains reduced from 187 to 179, “eight less VIA trains coming into and out of our community each week.” “At a time when our community is growing, highways are increasingly congested, and people are looking for reliable alternatives to driving, we should be investing in and expanding VIA service—not cutting it,” Patterson said in September. In a statement, the Town of Cobourg said it was concerned the service changes this fall “could make passenger rail less accessible and convenient for residents and visitors and believes the potential cumulative impact of schedule changes on communities throughout the corridor warrants further discussion.”
