VIA Rail Canada Reports 7.7% Revenue Gain And Fleet RFP

OTTAWA, CANADA – VIA Rail Canada Inc. released its 2025 annual report showing a 7.7% rise in revenue to CA$36.8 million, while operating expenses grew 3.3% to CA$894 million. The national passenger carrier’s ridership held steady at approximately 4.4 million passengers for the year. The company also highlighted improved financial performance, covering 58% of its operating costs with self-generated revenue.

What Is the Full Scope of This Development?

The 2025 financial results indicate a period of managed cost growth alongside modest revenue gains, leading to a reduced reliance on public funding. Government subsidies for the year totaled CA$736 million, a decrease of approximately 24% compared to 2024. Operationally, VIA Rail completed the final delivery of its 32 new Siemens trainsets for the high-density Quebec City-Windsor corridor and formally launched the Request for Proposals (RFP) to replace its entire long-distance, regional, and remote service fleet.

Key Development Data

How Does This Compare to Industry Trends?

VIA Rail’s self-sufficiency rate of 58% shows progress but remains below that of its US counterpart, Amtrak, which reported covering approximately 70.5% of its operating expenses with revenue in fiscal year 2023. (Source: Amtrak, 2023). VIA’s 2025 ridership of 4.4 million passengers is still below its pre-pandemic level of 5 million in 2019, indicating an ongoing recovery challenge. The launch of the long-distance fleet RFP aligns with a broader North American trend of significant investment in passenger rail, including multi-billion dollar high-speed rail projects in California and the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Program. (Source: Construction Dive, 2025).

Editor’s Analysis

VIA Rail is navigating the dual pressures of improving operational finances while executing a generational, capital-intensive fleet renewal. The flat ridership, despite the introduction of new trains on its busiest corridor, suggests that recovering and growing its passenger base remains a primary challenge. The major procurement for a new long-distance fleet is a critical step towards modernizing the service offering, but its success will depend on securing long-term capital funding in a competitive public finance environment.

FAQ

Q: What is VIA Rail’s self-sufficiency ratio?
A: In 2025, VIA Rail covered 58% of its operating costs through its own revenue, with the remainder covered by government funding. This represents an improvement in financial self-sufficiency for the national carrier.

Q: What is the status of VIA Rail’s new fleet?
A: VIA Rail has completed the acceptance of all 32 new trainsets for its Quebec City-Windsor corridor. It has also officially launched the Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure a new fleet for all its long-distance, regional, and remote services.

Q: How much did VIA Rail’s operating expenses increase?
A: Operating expenses increased by 3.3% to CA$894 million in 2025 compared to the previous year. The value of the new long-distance fleet RFP was not disclosed in the report.