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Over the past few months, VIA Rail has had to pay out an astonishing $31 million in travel credits to delayed passengers, with many of the delays stemming from the dispute with CN over grade crossing activation.
Until recently, passengers had to phone the call centre to apply the credit to a new reservation, or convert it to VIA Preference points.
Naturally, this was increasing call volumes and hold times, so we are pleased to see that it is now possible to claim these credits through the VIA Rail website and mobile app, saving passengers time and helping to ensure everyone receives delay credits they’re entitled to.
Any previous trip which was delayed by more than an hour will show a clock symbol alongside the trip history, and viewing the reservation will allow the credit to be claimed as a voucher code valid for twelve months and usable online on the reservation checkout screen, or as VIA Preference points, which do not expire, at a ratio of 8 points per dollar.
If you are owed a travel credit for a delay before this change, you may still have to call the call centre to claim it.
However, there is also a less welcome change: The lowest-cost Economy “Escape” fares for the Quebec-Windsor corridor will now only be available online or through the VIA Rail app from October 15, 2025. This could be a problem for people who have limited access to the Internet or online payments, which could include passengers with disabilities. When contacted by Transport Action, VIA Rail suggested that the call centre will have discretion to assist passengers without Internet access. We will be monitoring this issue because we believe it is very important to ensure inclusivity access to in public transport, including for access to the best fares.