There is no word on when service will resume.
Anja Kundacina Updated on February 14 @ 09:52 AM
Allysha Howse | Narcity Allysha Howse | Narcity
If you were planning on travelling by VIA Rail in the near future, you will need to reschedule your mode of transportation. As of Thursday, February 13, all train service across Canada has been cancelled in the midst of the Wet'suwet'en solidarity blockades. In fact, VIA Rail stations are looking eerily quiet across the province on Friday morning.
Passengers have been sharing videos online of the empty stations, and they are looking absolutely deserted.
According to a news release, CN has been asking for legal assistance and court orders in removing the "illegal blockades."
The protests are still going strong in Ontario, which has led VIA Rail to cancel trains across Canada. All passengers will get full refunds on their already purchased tickets.
"You do not need to contact VIA Rail to confirm the refund, but note that due to the volume of transactions it may take up to 15 days to receive," a VIA Rail statement reads.
"We understand the impact this unfortunate situation has on our passengers and regret the significant inconvenience this is causing to their travel."
There is still no word yet on when service will resume, but it is not possible at this time to purchase tickets for future travel.
With no trains leaving across Ontario, the usually busy train stations look like ghost towns.
It’s eerily quiet at the Via Rail station in #LdnOnt this morning after the company cancelled most of its passenger rail services across Canada. No word yet on when service will resume. pic.twitter.com/2INLFgKWfr— Alvin Yu (@theyutimes) February 14, 2020
Entirely empty @VIA_Rail station at Tremblay in Ottawa - the mood here is tense among staff, train is not moving, there are no travellers in sight either. You could hear a pin drop. #ottawa #ottnews @ctvottawa pic.twitter.com/DKPHUG7Dan— Christina Succi (@CTVChristina) February 13, 2020
"It's eerily quiet at the Via Rail station in #LdnOnt this morning after the company cancelled most of its passenger rail services across Canada," one Twitter user wrote.
"Entirely empty @VIA_RAIL station at Tremblay in Ottawa - the mood here is tense among staff, train is not moving, there are no travellers in sight either. You could hear a pin drop," CTV reporter Christina Succi tweeted this morning.
Empty tracks, empty station and a parking lot full of cars.
I’m told the next Via Rail train to Windsor was supposed to arrive at 10 p.m. tonight.
READ MORE: https://t.co/UWGdEiy4zg https://t.co/dIbr8MgJOu pic.twitter.com/zmGZwJUtPh— Jason Viau (@JasonViauCBC) February 13, 2020
Train service is completely blocked across the country except for Sudbury-White River (CP Rail) and Churchill-The Pas (Hudson Bay Railway), according to CBC.
“With over 400 trains cancelled during the last week and new protests that emerged at strategic locations on our mainline, we have decided that a progressive shutdown of our Eastern Canadian operations is the responsible approach to take for the safety of our employees and the protestors,” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer at CN in a news release.
NEW | This VIA rail train leaving Windsor is the last scheduled train NOT cancelled.
It’s just left the station.
VIA has cancelled all trains as protests continue. https://t.co/gWF2N2q31N pic.twitter.com/hgZYt2Xxwk— Chris Ensing (@ChrisEnsingCBC) February 13, 2020
Luckily for commuters, Metrolinx has announced that GO buses and trains will still be running.
According to City News, the company states that they do not expect any GO or UP service disruptions on any of their lines.
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