Getting around by train Canada

VIA Rail trains serve Abitibi, Mauricie, Quebec, Saguenay, the south shore of the St. Lawrence as far as Gaspésie (Matapédia Valley), the Maritimes (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia), Ottawa and southwestern Ontario (Montreal-Windsor corridor), not to mention the rest of the country. Amtrak trains to the U.S. also depart from here (francais.amtrak.com). We recommend buying your tickets online in advance to get the best rates.

The train serves Canada from east to west, except for the three territories and Newfoundland and Labrador. A multitude of passes are available for frequent travelers, but also for short stays and getaways in the country through travel cards. Several services on board: free wifi, food and beverage service, etc. Note that it is possible to get off or on at a place where there is no scheduled stop. All you have to do is reserve your ticket at least 48 hours in advance, indicating the exact rail mileage of the desired stop.

VIA Rail services include Montreal, Mauricie, Abitibi, Saguenay, the south shore of the St. Lawrence as far as Gaspésie (Matapédia Valley), the Maritimes (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia), Ottawa and southwestern Ontario (Montreal-Windsor corridor), not to mention the rest of the country. In addition to the downtown station (also known as Gare du Palais), there are other stations in Sainte-Foy and Charny on the south shore of Quebec City. VIA Rail's new trains are available on certain routes between Montreal and Quebec City.

Located in the heart of downtown, the historic Union Station is directly connected to PATH and Union Station subway. The train is a good option if you are coming from surrounding Canadian cities such as Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston or London. On their website, VIA Rail often offers promotions. Amtrak trains to the U.S. also depart from here (francais.amtrak.com). Note that a plan to modernize Union Station is underway for several years, so plan to arrive a little early.

Three commuter train lines serve the South Shore  :

Montreal (Lucien l'Allier station) - Dorion (60 Church Street)/Rigaud (15, rue Charlebois)

Montreal (central station) - Mont Saint Hilaire (1000 Avenue de la Gare)

Montreal (Lucien l'Allier station) - Delson (1, chemin de la Gare)/Candiac (201 rue de la Sorbonne)

Connects Montreal to La Pocatière, Rivière-du-Loup, Rimouski and Trois-Pistoles towards Gaspé.

AMT manages many transportation agencies along the outskirts of Montreal. These are the South Crown companies connecting Montreal to the Montérégie  : Transportation Network of Longueuil, CIT Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan, CIT of the Richelieu Valley, CIT du Haut-Saint-Laurent, CIT du Sud-Ouest, CIT Le Richelain, CIT Roussillon, CIT of Sorel-Varennes, RPF Sainte-Julie and CIT La Presqu'Île. You can consult the website for a list of the municipalities served.

The Exo website provides all information on commuter trains (six lines linking Montreal to Vaudreuil/Hudson, Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Jérôme, Mascouche, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Candiac). This website also provides information on metro, paratransit and urban bus services in the Greater Montreal area (Montreal Island, North Shore and South Shore). Project in progress: the Réseau express métropolitain (rem.info).

The "Abitibi" train serves Senneterre through the Mauricie region. Three departures per week in each direction.

The train Le Chaleur serves among other Autres (44, rue de l'Anse à Beaufils) and Gaspé (8, rue de la Marina). Departures from Montreal and Gaspé three times a week. No service on the north shore between Mont-Joli and Gaspé. The train cut through the Matapedia Valley and follows the southern coast of the peninsula to Gaspé.

Connects Montreal to La Pocatière (95, Avenue de la Gare), Rivière-du-Loup (615 Lafontaine Street), Rimouski (57, rue de l'Bishopric Est) and Trois-Pistoles (231 rue de la Gare) towards Gaspé.

Dessert Charny (2326, rue de la Gare) and Montmagny (4 Station Street).

Serving Drummondville (263 Lindsay Street).

Connects Montreal to Shawinigan (1560 CN road), and La Tuque (550 St. Louis Street).

Serve Le Gardeur (rue Saint-Paul), L'Assomption (boulevard l'Ange-Keeper) and Joliette (380 Champlain Street).

The Via Rail train serves Abitibi, Mauricie, Quebec City, Saguenay, the south shore of the St. Lawrence River to the Gaspé Peninsula (Matapedia Valley), the Maritimes (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia), Ottawa and southwestern Ontario (Montreal-Windsor corridor), not to mention the rest of the country. A multitude of passes are available for frequent travellers, but also for short stays and escapades in the country by means of travel cards. Several services on board: free wifi, meals and drinks, etc.