Canada - Montreal to Ottawa VIA Rail usually on time?

I am going to travel to Canada during the first full week of February, and I am going to be spending a few nights in Ottawa and a few in Montreal. I don't have a car and I don't think I want to rent, so I'm planning on taking the Greyhound and VIA Rail.

Do the Montreal-Ottawa trains usually run on time in general, and are they victims of the cold/bad weather like Amtrak usually is during cold snaps?

Thanks in advance.

The VIA equipment is maintained in Montreal so there should be no problem. There can be delays for all sorts of reasons but equipment is designed for cold weather use. VIA sometimes tends to be a bit late because freight trains have priority and they don't coordinate well. But VIA has been better in recent years. Of course, derailments and other sorts of blockages do occur. The bus is fine too.

Via owns the track between Montreal and Ottawa, so no freights to contend with. I've only taken that route a few times, but it was ontime and a plesant trip. I much prefer the train over Greyhound.

Major Canadian VIA winter travel issues are the train switches icing up after ice/freezing rain or major thaw followed by massive temperature drop.

Yes this might happen on branch line trackage but not on the heavily used multi-track mainlines in the corridor. Propane heaters are used which keep the switch-points free of snow and ice build-up. The famous ice storm in the northeast US, Ontario & Quebec in the late 90’s did suspend trains for a few days but that was one of those exceptional weather events.

I travel VIA frequently in the winter especially in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle. When the traffic is crawling on the highways and flights delayed, VIA is essentially on time or very close to it. Sure there’s the occasionally late or very late train but they’re rare.

I travel VIA frequently in the winter especially in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle........

One memorable trip last winter: Air Canada was delayed but I was taking VIA back to Ottawa anyway. I boarded at Guildwood and by the time we were passing thru Ajax and Whitby at 95mph……I was enjoying a pre-dinner drink in Business Class, watching everything over on the parallel 401 nearly at a standstill in a major snowstorm. We reached Fellowfield (Ottawa) only 10 minutes late.

Via owns the track between Montreal and Ottawa, so no freights to contend with. I've only taken that route a few times, but it was ontime and a plesant trip. I much prefer the train over Greyhound.+1

I use via 1-2 times per year YOW-YUL round trip. My last trip was 20 mins late arriving in YUL, but that is the exception and not the rule.
--
13F

Thanks, y'all. Now I just have to figure out how to get to Montreal now that I've decided that I won't be able to stand the bus ride after a nice six-hour NYC-Boston ride.

.......Now I just have to figure out how to get to Montreal now that I've decided that I won't be able to stand the bus ride after a nice six-hour NYC-Boston ride.

Other than flying, the bus from Boston to Montreal is the most direct route but it’s a long ride.

You could also do Boston to Albany or Schenectady on Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited one day. Overnight there than catch the Adirondack to Montreal the following day……a very scenic ride up along Lake Champlain.

VIA > Greyhound (especially in the winter)

VIA > Greyhound (especially in the winter)

I'm sure, but that's a moot point considering that the VIA Rail won't get me from Boston to Montreal (not much will ever get me to Ottawa and I'm surprised that this will). I have a feeling I'll end up flying, though.