A proposed high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City could see as many as 72 passenger trains operating daily, according to internal documents obtained by The Canadian Press.
The estimate comes from draft 2023 briefings prepared for the Crown corporation now known as Alto, which is leading development of the roughly 1,000-kilometre network. The system could cut travel time between Montreal and Toronto to about three hours.
Alto spokesperson Benoit Bourdeau said current planning envisions 20 to 30 trains per day in each direction between Toronto and Montreal, up from about eight each way currently run by VIA Rail. Some services would be express, with departures as often as every 30 minutes during peak periods. He said the figures are working assumptions, not final decisions.
VIA Rail says an average of 39 trains now operate daily across the corridor.
The project was announced in February by then-prime minister Justin Trudeau as the country’s largest infrastructure initiative, with electric trains running up to 300 km/h on dedicated tracks. In September, Prime Minister Mark Carney said work would be accelerated, and Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon confirmed last week that the first segment will link Montreal and Ottawa, with construction expected to start in 2029.
Alto estimates the full project will cost $60 billion to $90 billion, though the government has not yet approved full funding.
The documents also show the high-speed option was expected to outperform a previously planned high-frequency system, with forecasts of 26.5 million annual trips by 2059, compared with 17.7 million under high-frequency rail and 6.4 million if current VIA services continue.
Experts say demand could be strong but remains uncertain as future travel patterns and competition evolve.