VIA Rail Canada unveils 2025 annual report, delivers revenue growth and stable ridership
VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) unveiled its annual report for 2025, revealing the company maintained stable ridership during the year, welcoming 4.4 million passengers. Despite operation and infrastructural challenges, VIA Rail reports total revenues increased to C$514.8 million (US$377.7 million) as more travelers utilized the wide range of options available through the new reservation system.
“Canadians rely on us every day, and we know how important it is that we deliver for them,” said VIA Rail Interim President and CEO Mathieu Paquette. “2025 was a complex year, marked by access constraints and the integration of a new fleet, and we recognize that some of these challenges affected the experience of our customers. As a result, we are determined to strengthen reliability, deepen our operational discipline and deliver the level of service Canadians deserve.”
Operational focus and modernization
With the reception of 32 new trains in the Québec City-Windsor corridor now complete, VIA Rail notes that teams have shifted their focus to stabilizing system performance. The company says the emphasis is on strengthening maintenance practices, enhancing operational readiness before departure and improving responsiveness when issues arise.
“Modernizing our fleet is only the first step,” Paquette said. “Our priority now is ensuring that our operations reflect the full potential of this new equipment. We are concentrating on what we can control: maintenance discipline, departure readiness and continuous improvement across our operations.”
Financial discipline and efficiency
VIA Rail says it improved its financial performance this year, covering 58% of its operating costs through self-generated revenue. The company also notes it continued to advance initiatives aligned with the government of Canada’s goal of responsible spending, including technology-driven efficiencies and the use of artificial intelligence tools to reduce the consumption of fuel.
“Passenger rail is a public service designed to connect and support Canadians from coast to coast to coast,” said VIA Rail Board Chairman Jonathan Goldbloom. “While this essential service is subsidized to ensure it remains accessible to all citizens, we are proud of the meaningful progress we are making to reduce our reliance on public funding. Through strong financial stewardship and a commitment to innovation, VIA Rail is working hard to narrow the subsidy gap while continuing to deliver safe, reliable, accessible and sustainable service for Canadians.”
Through its VIAction 2030 Strategic Plan, the company says it is pursuing operational optimizations, technology-driven efficiencies and stronger governance to ensure long-term financial sustainability.
Progress on the Pan-Canadian fleet renewal
VIA Rail says it reached major milestones in the procurement of its new fleet for long distance, regional and remote services. The request for qualifications process was completed, and the request for proposals was launched in 2025, advancing the largest single investment in VIA Rail’s history. The company says this renewal is essential to ensuring reliable, modern service for Canadians across the country for decades to come.