VIA Rail posts holiday-season ridership gain

More than 274,000 riders used VIA Rail Canada Inc. during the holiday season from mid-December to early January, railroad officials announced.

Ridership for the period between Dec. 18, 2013, and Jan. 7, 2014, increased 9.5 percent compared with the 2012-13 holiday season, they said in a press release.

"The train was the preferred means of travel for many Canadians over the holidays, thanks to its comfort and the reliability of its service despite the winter conditions," said Sylvie Bourget, VIA Rail's chief marketing and sales officer.

The Montréal-Toronto line was the most popular route on the network, serving 61,163 riders. The line between Toronto and Windsor posted a ridership increase of 24 percent, which represents the largest year-over-year increase on any route.