VIA Rail service resumes in northern Manitoba, between Gillam and Churchill

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 26, 2018 /CNW/ - VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) is pleased to announce that passenger train service will resume in northern Manitoba, between Gillam and Churchill, on December 2, 2018. Trains will once again travel in both directions, according to the regular schedule that was in effect prior to the suspension of service in spring 2017.

Upon completion of the repairs and inspections that were required, the infrastructure owner, Arctic Gateway, confirmed that the track is now safe for passenger operations. The Gillam – Churchill route has been restored following the suspension of service in May 2017 after major flooding severely damaged the rails.

"We are very pleased to be able to once again offer passenger transport service throughout northern Manitoba. We understand the major inconveniences the interruption of this essential service may have caused the people living along the Winnipeg – Churchill route, and specially the Town of Churchill" said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail. "The restoration of service will enable VIA Rail to continue to honour its commitment to remote communities, and enable those in northern Manitoba to hopefully return to a more normal life by being better connected, especially with the holiday season right around the corner. Moreover, the reopening of this Adventure route will satisfy visitors smitten by the vast landscapes of the area."

VIA Rail invites customers to buy their tickets today online at viarail.ca/en or by phone by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (for persons who are hard of hearing).

Schedule* as of Sunday, December 2, 2018

* Main stops only. Please visit viarail.ca for a full list of stops.

About VIA Rail's services in Northern Manitoba
VIA Rail's trains provide a unique and unparalleled way of discovering the Northern Manitoba region and communities along the route. From one season to the next, Canadians and tourists from all over the world can travel by train to the vast subarctic region of Northern Manitoba and enjoy the region's rugged northern beauty.

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transports nearly 4.4 million passengers annually. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the "About VIA Rail" section at www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

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SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc.