VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) operates Canada’s national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada. An independent Crown corporation established in 1977, VIA Rail provides a safe, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible service from coast to coast in both official languages. The Corporation operates close to 514 train departures weekly - intercity, regional and transcontinental trains - on a 12,500-km network, connecting over 400 Canadian communities, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships. With 3,115 employees at the end of the calendar year, VIA Rail carried close to 4.8 million passengers in 2018.  The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. For more information about VIA Rail, please visit our website.