- VIA Rail offers travel credits for delays exceeding one hour or trips replaced by alternate transportation when the final destination is in the Québec City-Windsor Corridor. In such cases, the travel credit is based on the cost of the portion in the Québec City-Windsor Corridor portion only.
- Depending on your final destination, a delay of one (1), two (2) or four (4) hours or more entitles you to a travel credit representing 50% of the fare price paid for the delayed journey (excluding accommodation price).
- The value of your late train travel credit is calculated on the basis of the price before taxes that you paid for the journey affected by the delay. If your tickets are for a round-trip, the travel credit is based on the journey (there or back) during which you experienced a delay, and not on the total price of your tickets, unless your train has been delayed in both directions.
- This credit is applicable towards the purchase of a new train ticket in the following 12 months, depending on the final destination of the delayed train.
- When you arrive at your final destination at the scheduled time, you are not entitled to a late train travel credit, even if one or more corresponding trains have been delayed along the way.
For more information, please consult the chart below.
Conditions when trains are replaced by alternate transport
In exceptional circumstances (e.g., when track works cause a section of track to be taken out of service), buses may be used to ensure connections between one or more of our stations.
- For the portion of the trip made by bus, we will grant you a travel credit equal to 50% of the fare (taxes not included) you would have paid to travel the same distance by train.
- In Business, the travel credit is equal to half the price you would have paid in Economy class.
- Depending on the situation, you might be eligible for a partial refund of the accommodation price.
- Late train travel credits are not applicable for trips outside the Québec City-Windsor Corridor.
Only the segment of your trip travelled by bus will be considered. As an example, if you are travelling from Montréal to Québec City and must complete the Saint-Hyacinthe/Montréal leg of your trip by bus, you may obtain a credit equal to 50% of the amount you would have paid (taxes not included) for a journey between Saint-Hyacinthe and Montréal.
Conditions when trains are cancelled and no alternative transportation is provided
In exceptional circumstances when VIA Rail must cancel a train service and no alternative transportation is provided, passengers are entitled to a full refund with no service charges.
Travel credit eligibility for delayed trains
This travel credit chart is provided for your information. Eligibility for the following travel credits also varies according to the length of your journey. If you make a transfer during your trip, the final destination determines the amount and terms of your credit (ex. for a trip from Halifax to Toronto, Corridor terms will apply).
How your credit will be applied?
A stopover breaks a trip into separate "segments", with each segment treated as a distinct trip when applying credit.
In the case of connecting travel aboard the Toronto-Vancouver (the Canadian) train, Toronto is always considered a stopover, and any travel east of Toronto is considered a new segment.
For example, if your connecting train to Montréal arrives late, the credit will be based on the Toronto-Montréal segment only.
In the event that your trip takes place exclusively on The Ocean between Halifax and Montreal, without any connection in the Corridor, there will be no entitlement to a travel credit.
| Train | Delay | Credit | Grace period |
Québec City-Windsor corridor Credit valid for 12 months. | 1 hour | 50% | 5 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 hours or more | 100% | 10 minutes |
Québec City-Windsor corridor
Credit valid for 12 months.
Delay | 1 hour |
Credit | 50% |
Grace period | 5 minutes |
Delay | 4 hours or more |
Credit | 100% |
Grace period | 10 minutes |
Also, if you are a VIAPréférence member, you can choose to receive eight (8) VIA Préférence points for every dollar of credit in lieu of a late train travel credit. To claim points, contact VIAPréférence and indicate that you are requesting points instead of a travel credit.
Please note that it is the delay at destination that determines the conditions of the late train travel credits.
Notice: VIA Rail reserves the right to modify or cancel its late train travel credit policy when faced by major events beyond its control, such as extreme weather conditions. Passengers are notified in advance of anticipated delays like work on the tracks.
*Credits calculated on the basis of Economy class.
