Trains between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal were once again cancelled on Boxing Day because of issues that began on Christmas Eve.
“We don't know if we're going to be in Toronto by Wednesday,” said Jose Martini Costa. He and his partner were expected to travel back by train on Boxing Day.
But on Sunday night, they received a message from Via Rail.
“We received an email from Via Rail saying our train was cancelled,” said Martini Costa. “For us it was less than 24 hours of notice. I imagine for people travelling this morning even less.”
Desperate to get back home, he paid nearly three times the price of his original ticket hoping now the schedule remains on track. He’s scheduled to depart the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
“If it's cancelled again we're going to have to take the bus or fly,” he said. “It's going to be very difficult to go back home now if it's cancelled.”
From the rails to the skies, the powerful winter weather wreaked havoc on travel plans throughout the country.
In Vancouver, several passengers are still stranded at the airport.
“First they said the flight was delayed due to not coming from previous flight,” said Caren Rapp on her way to Australia. “They couldn't get the baggage off the plane and couldn't get off the luggage.”
In Toronto, chilling temperatures caused one of the baggage machines to break down Sunday, forcing staff to move bags manually. Travellers are now being warned to expect luggage delays.
Wait times at Ottawa's airport are much shorter, but still creating hold-ups at baggage claim.
And while there are still delays, back on the rails, there are improvements.
“As of now everything looks great,” said Joao Goncalves, who is booked travel by train from Ottawa to Toronto on Tuesday. “I looked at the site I looked at the tracking.”
A statement from CN Rail says crews have been working tirelessly around the clock in very difficult conditions to restore the track to a safe and usable state as quickly as possible.
“At this point, we are aiming to have one of the two set of tracks passable later tonight, allowing for some traffic, passenger and freight, to resume on Dec. 27,” CN said.
Via Rail said some service would resume Tuesday on a modified schedule, with the 28 initially cancelled trains departing as 14 double-departures.
