VIA Rail Canada signs 4.7 billion CAD deal with Alstom for new train fleet

VIA Rail Canada has entered into a major agreement with Alstom to design, manufacture, and service a new fleet of long-distance and regional passenger trains. The total value of the transaction is approximately 4.7 billion Canadian dollars (CAD), which includes roughly 4 billion CAD for the delivery of 313 Adessia passenger cars and nearly 700 million CAD for a 15-year technical support and spare parts agreement.

The new fleet is intended to replace aging equipment that has been in service for up to 80 years. The Adessia cars will be deployed across eight main routes connecting nearly 400 communities, including major destinations such as Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax. The fleet will feature various configurations, including economy, sleeper, panoramic, dome, and dining cars.

Production and assembly will take place within Canada, with design work in Quebec, body production in La Pocatière, and final assembly at Alstom’s facility in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2031, with the full order completed by 2035.