VIA RAIL REACHES OVER 100,000 BOOKINGS WITH ITS NEW RESERVATION SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS FOR A SIMPLIFIED, MORE CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE AND AUTONOMOUS EXPERIENCE

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) recently reached its 100,000th booking with its new reservation system which offers passengers an easy and intuitive booking process and a wide range of new functionalities.

The scope of this key modernization project goes far beyond the update of a reservation system as the Corporation completely replaced the booking platform and carried out a full overhaul of all related infrastructure and systems (such as the loyalty program and Point-of-Sale systems) along with the integration in other existing systems. Knowing that it was such a complex and large-scale endeavour, VIA Rail is pleased to report that there were very few disruptions for its passengers. Any issues raised were addressed quickly and VIA Rail continues to closely monitor the system's behaviour.

"This new reservation system, designed with our customers in mind, is a crucial element of our transformation," said Mario Péloquin, President and Chief Executive Officer. "2023 is a pivotal year for all of us at VIA Rail with the realization of various modernization projects and, with the implementation of this nationwide initiative, we are laying the foundations for tomorrow's improved customer experience."

With this new system, our passengers will be able to enjoy, amongst others:An increased autonomy and a simplified process to book online for a wider variety of needs (specific needs, pets, service animals);
A fully user-friendly experience on all devices;
Autonomous booking modifications and upgrades;
Autonomous seat selection in the Corridor.

Passenger rail is a future-oriented mode of transportation. As such, this new reservation system was also developed with organizational sustainability in mind and is designed to evolve over time so that VIA Rail can stay aligned with the changing needs and expectations of present and future passengers.

For more information on VIA Rail's new reservation system, we invite you to consult our website.

About VIA Rail

As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail and all its 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 over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transported over 5 million passengers in 2019. The Corporation has been awarded ten Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the "About VIA Rail" section at https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.
* SOURCE VIA Rail Canada Inc. at medias@viarail.ca