VIA Rail reports 2018 ridership, revenue increases

VIA Rail Canada Inc. logged 4.7 million passengers and CA$392 million in total revenue in 2018, marking a four-year trend of steadily increasing ridership. 

The number of VIA Rail passengers increased by 353,000 last year compared with 2017's level. The railroad's total revenue increased by CA$26.9 million, according to VIA Rail's annual report.

“The increase in revenue combined with efficient cost management and economies of scale have helped the company reduce the cost of mobility on Canadian taxpayers by 15 percent (subsidy per passenger mile, excluding pension past service cost)," said VIA Rail President and Chief Executive Officer Yves Desjardins-Siciliano in a press release. 

Total operating expenses were CA$665 million in 2018, an increase of CA$34 million compared with 2017 expenses. 

Operating expenses increased in part due to additional expenses associated with added capacity.