Toronto to Ottawa, ON train

Trains from Toronto to Ottawa

Ottawa is the national capital of Canada, a diplomatic choice to counter the rival claims of the eastern metropolis of Toronto and Montreal. As well as being the nation's administrative and government center, Ottawa attracts plenty of tourists with sites such as the Rideau Canal and the innovative architecture showcased in the city's galleries and museums. The capital has excellent rail links with the largest city in Canada and culture-seekers and business travelers can take a direct train from Toronto to Ottawa seven days a week with the national operator VIA Rail. There are frequent direct departures in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with journey times of just over four hours for most services. Schedules are reduced a little at weekends, but there are still plenty of direct trains to the capital with VIA Rail.

Which train companies travel from Toronto to Ottawa?

VIA Rail is the primary rail operator in Canada and provides all the country's intercity services, including all direct trains from Toronto to Ottawa, running on the central stretch of the Ontario-Quebec corridor. VIA Rail trains on this route to the capital offer passengers a choice of Economy and Business Class seats. Train carriages are equipped with power points for charging personal devices, WiFi internet access and an onboard entertainment channel. Light meals, sandwiches, and drinks are available for Economy tickets holders from a trolley service for purchase onboard the train from Toronto to Ottawa, with complimentary meals and cocktails provided for Business Class passengers. Additional services on VIA Rail intercity trains include assistance in boarding and luggage handling for passengers with reduced mobility, and baggage check-in services for up to two large items per passenger.

How long is the train ride from Toronto to Ottawa?

The fastest VIA Rail train from Toronto to Ottawa is a mid-afternoon service from Toronto Union Station, taking four hours and seven minutes to complete the 277-mile (447 kilometer) north-east route through Ontario from Toronto Union Station to the capital city. Other direct trains take from seven to 42 minutes longer to reach the capital, with the early morning departure providing the slowest train from Toronto to Ottawa, taking four hours and 49 minutes to reach its destination. Indirect journeys would involve lengthy detours via Montreal and are not a practical consideration on the VIA Rail intercity route from Toronto to Ottawa.

How many trains are there from Toronto to Ottawa?

The VIA Rail weekday schedule offers ten daily direct trains to the capital from Toronto. Services begin in the early morning and continue with trains every 2 hours in the morning. This switches to an hourly service throughout the afternoon, until the final train from Toronto to Ottawa leaves Union Station in mid-evening for arrival in the capital a little after 11:00 p.m. Saturday timetables offer seven daily connections, operating a similar schedule to weekdays but without any late afternoon departures. On Sundays, VIA Rail provides eight direct trains to Ottawa, with no early morning or late afternoon departure from Union Station.

What are the departure and arrival stations for trains from Toronto to Ottawa?

Departure train station: Toronto Union Station is the busiest rail terminal in Canada and the second-busiest in North America. A national historic site, the station is located close to the waterfront on the south side of central Toronto and serves as a main hub for VIA Rail intercity services and GO suburban train services. Public transport connections to the station include GO express buses, TTC Subway trains, city buses, and streetcars from stops inside the station complex or nearby on Bay Street and Front Street. Passenger facilities at the station include baggage storage lockers, bike share racks, taxi stands, and free WiFi. The food court includes a pizzeria, Thai diner, sushi bar, fast food franchises, sandwich stall, and burger bar. Stores in the station mall include a book shop, grocery market, drug store, and news vendor.

Arrival station: Ottawa Station, located on the east side of downtown Ottawa, the capital's terminus for VIA Rail intercity trains. Public transport connections to the city center are provided by OC Transpo on light rail services on the O-Train Confederation Line from Tremblay station, adjacent to the terminus, and on frequent bus services downtown on routes 61 and 62. Passenger facilities at the station include car rental agencies, a business lounge, vending machines, baggage storage services, free WiFi, ATMs, and restrooms. Food options at the station include snack bars, fast food franchises, and coffee shops. The station's shopping mall has a convenience store, drug stores, and news vendors.