Alstom wins landmark contract to renew VIA Rail Canada’s long-distance fleet
updated on 10th Sep 2026 18:59 posted on 4th Sep 2026 10:51
Following the order for new Stadler locomotives, VIA Rail Canada has signed an agreement with Alstom on 3 September 2026 to design, engineer, manufacture and support a new Long Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) fleet that will shape the future of passenger rail mobility across Canada.
The agreement includes the delivery of 313 Adessia coaches worth around 4 billion CAD (i. e. 12.8 mil. CAD = around 8 million EUR for one car in average) and a 15-year Technical Support and Spare Parts Supply Agreement (TSSSA) valued at nearly 700 million CAD (a total value of around 3 billion EUR). The new fleet with a maximum speed of 100 mph (161 km/h).will replace VIA Rail Canada’s existing long-distance fleet and will serve eight major routes connecting nearly 400 communities across the country, including services linking Montréal, Halifax, Gaspé, Jonquière, Senneterre, Toronto, Vancouver, Churchill, Prince Rupert, Jasper, Sudbury and White River. The first cars are scheduled to start operation in 2031, deliveries are scheduled to finish in 2035.
Designed, engineered and manufactured in Canada, the new Adessia cars will expand opportunities for regional and remote travellers, including many First Nations communities, and are built to withstand the country’s climate extremes. The cars will retain the iconic look and feel that people love and cherish while integrating the world class experience that travellers today expect. Replacing 77-year-old cars with a modern fleet will set new standards for passenger comfort, universal accessibility, digital connectivity, and sustainability.
Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas, said: “This is an emblematic project for Alstom, and we’re honoured to be entrusted by VIA Rail and the federal government with delivering it. This project marks the beginning of a new chapter between Canada’s national passenger railway company and the country’s local rail manufacturer. Together, we are building a fleet for Canadians, by Canadians, and it will move the country forward for generations to come.”
Mathieu Paquette, VIA Rail’s Interim President and CEO, added: “Today’s announcement marks a defining step in shaping the future of VIA Rail’s pan-Canadian fleet. These new cars will retain signature features such as dome cars, full-service dining and social areas, while incorporating modern amenities, improved accessibility, and greater reliability. They will help us preserve essential services to remote communities and elevate the unique onboard experience that allows passengers to discover Canada in a way that only train travel can offer. We are very proud to partner with Alstom to create lasting value for Canadians by having these new cars designed, engineered and manufactured in Canada, and we thank the Government of Canada for this historic investment in the future of passenger rail.”
Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, said: “Canadians deserve a passenger rail system that is modern, reliable and built to serve them for generations to come. This investment delivers exactly that while supporting good-paying Canadian jobs and strengthening our domestic rail manufacturing sector. By assembling these railcars in Thunder Bay and La Pocatière, supported by Canadian design and engineering expertise in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, we are investing in Canadian workers, Canadian innovation and a stronger, more resilient economy.”
More comfortable, more spacious and better-connected cars
The new Adessia fleet will be available in nine different car configurations to support the diverse needs of long-distance, regional and remote travel, including coach, sleeper, accessible, berth, prestige, panorama, dome, dining and baggage cars. Passengers will benefit from brighter and more spacious interiors and full connectivity. The fleet will also incorporate the latest cybersecurity protections to support safe and reliable operations.
The modern rail cars for VIA Rail are part of Alstom’s diverse range of Adessia commuter rail solutions. The portfolio includes a wide range of high-floor multiple units and coaches, available in both single- and double-deck configurations and designed to operate in all climatic conditions at speeds of 120 - 200 km/h on both electrified and non-electrified networks.
This generational investment by the Canadian federal authorities will help grow national rail industrial capacity and strengthen Canada’s resilience to current and future trade disruptions. The contract is expected to create or support up to 670 direct jobs at Alstom Canada and hundreds more indirect and induced jobs throughout the local supply chain and communities. Design and engineering activities will be carried out at Alstom’s facility in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Québec, with bodyshell manufacturing in La Pocatière, Québec and final assembly in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Alstom intends to leverage its extensive Canadian supplier network in delivering the new fleet, reinforcing its commitment to local manufacturing and innovation. The company estimates that this Made-in-Canada project will add more than 1.6 billion CAD (around 1 billion EUR) to the country’s GDP.
Alstom in Canada
With 5,200 highly skilled Canadian employees, Alstom is the only manufacturer of passenger trains in the country, working annually with over 900 local suppliers and providing a full suite of rolling stock, signalling solutions, and operations and maintenance services for major rail projects in Canada.
We asked Alstom, if these cars will be individual cars? Or will they be coupled to the fixed units of the permanent length (non-traction multiple units, like Viaggio/Vectouro from Siemens)? Or will there be married pairs?
Alstom answered us: „They are individual cars that VIA Rail will organize in locomotive-hauled consists.“
Is this the very first contract for Adessia as individual cars? Until now there were only EMUs?
„This is not the first contract for Adessia as individual cars. As an example, the Connecticut Department of Transportation awarded Alstom in 2023 for 60 single-level coach cars.“
With 12.8 mil. CAD for one car in average, is this price (around 8 mil. EUR) usual in Canada? Or is this so high on account of the special equipment?
„VIA Rail selected Alstom through an open, fair and competitive procurement process conducted in accordance with Canada’s procurement and international trade obligations. Alstom’s proposal best met VIA Rail’s technical, operational and commercial requirements and offered the best overall value for Canadians.
On background, the $4.7 billion contract value includes the acquisition of 313 passenger cars as well as 15 years of technical support, spare parts and maintenance services. Prices for passenger cars vary between markets due to different volumes, technical characteristics, etc. VIA Rail ordered nine different types of cars to retain the iconic features of its pan-Canadian fleet.“
