Northumberland County is calling on VIA Rail Canada to reconsider its decision to cancel an early-morning train that connects Cobourg and Port Hope commuters with Toronto.
The county says VIA Rail has announced that Train 641 will stop operating on October 25.
The train currently runs from Ottawa to Toronto Monday through Thursday, stopping in Cobourg and Port Hope before arriving at Union Station ahead of 9 a.m.
VIA Rail has indicated that changes to Train 41 will preserve an early-morning option, but the county says the revised service will arrive in Toronto at approximately 9:37 a.m.
County officials argue that the later arrival will make the train less practical for residents travelling to Toronto for a conventional workday.
The cancellation comes just over two years after VIA restored an early-morning connection in May 2024, following advocacy by Northumberland County and municipal partners across Eastern Ontario.
That campaign included a 2022 report based on feedback from more than 2,800 residents. Among respondents who had previously used the service, 96 per cent said they intended to return if it was restored. Another 31 per cent of all respondents identified themselves as prospective new users.
The report identified employment, education and medical appointments as reasons residents needed a morning rail connection. Those figures reflect responses gathered in 2022, rather than a current ridership count.
Northumberland County Warden Bob Crate says the reasons for restoring the service have not disappeared.
“Our residents continue to travel west for employment, education and medical care,” Crate said. “They continue to need affordable, reliable alternatives to driving Highway 401. Eliminating this service takes us backwards.”
The county is asking VIA Rail and the federal government to work with local communities to maintain a morning connection that accommodates commuters.
It plans to share community feedback with VIA Rail and the federal Minister of Transport and is encouraging residents, businesses and commuters to provide their input.
The county’s 2022 report on morning rail service is available online.
