VIA Rail: A sensible choice for travel this winter

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 24, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) launched an advertising campaign today that convincingly shows the general public how taking the train this winter – specifically during the holiday season – is a sensible choice. The new VIA Rail ad, which will run on major television networks, the Internet and social media, draws Canadians' attention to the comfort and peace of mind that passengers enjoy when they travel by train, as well as the satisfaction of arriving at their destination safely and hassle-free.

"This ad campaign was developed with Canadians who will be travelling during the holidays in mind. Our mission is to make their trips enjoyable, safe and worry-free," declared Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail. "We wanted the general public to see this message as a reflection of themselves, so we used winter scenes and the on-board experience, as well as original music composed and performed by local artists. The involvement of musicians Jonas and Les Trois Accords outlines our commitment to encouraging local artists and promoting Canadian culture."

Simon Proulx, Les Trois Accords (an image is available at www.viarail.ca)

Jonas (an image is available at www.viarail.ca)

With as many as 79 daily departures in Ontario and up to 27 in Québec, travellers who take the train can reach several cities in the Québec City-Windsor corridor, downtown to downtown, while avoiding traffic bottlenecks, roadwork, inclement weather or other drawback of driving. With increased frequencies, exceptional on-board service and a variety of rates to fit all budgets, VIA Rail offers an enjoyable, efficient and reliable transport experience.

This holiday season, choose VIA. (an image is available at www.viarail.ca)

For further details on the holiday schedule or to make a reservation, visit viarail.ca or call 1 888 VIA RAIL (1 888 842 7245) or 1 800 268 9503 (TTY for the hearing-impaired). Arrival and departure status information is available online for the Québec City - Windsor corridor at viarail.ca/tsi.

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail Canada (viarail.ca) and its 2,500 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking 450 communities across Canada, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years, and was the recipient of the 2012 Agent's Choice Award voted by Canadian travel agents and presented by Baxter Travel Media. Since 2007, the Government of Canada has invested almost a billion dollars in VIA Rail. Read more about our transformation at www.viarail.ca/transformingVIA.

Follow us on our Evolution Blog at viaevolution.ca - On Twitter @VIA_rail and @VIARailPrez - On Facebook.

SOURCE: VIA Rail Canada Inc.

For further information: Mylène Bélanger, Senior Advisor, Media Relations, VIA Rail Canada, 514 871-6137 | 1 877 393-8787, [email protected] | [email protected]