HALIFAX, N.S. — Acadian Lines has officially begun offering its 20 daily departures to and from Halifax at the newly renovated VIA Rail station on Hollis Street. The intermodal facility is part of VIA’s extensive renovation of the historic train station, the railroad announced in a press release.
“The new terminal offers our customers a more spacious and comfortable atmosphere in closer proximity to more amenities and the downtown core,” said Bob Odell, General Manager for Acadian Lines. Sharing the same location with VIA Rail offers our customers seamless bus/rail connections to and from the 47communities we serve throughout Nova Scotia.”
VIA’s Eastern Services Regional Director, Keith Moulton, said that both bus and rail passengers will benefit by bringing the two services together in one central station. “A cooperative relationship, and better integration of services, means better options and convenience for all travelers,” said Mr. Moulton.
The move will give bus/rail passengers more convenient intermodal connections through the Maritimes and to Western Canada.
Renovations to the Halifax station include new bus access and redeveloped parking, a joint VIA Rail/Acadian Lines concourse, and improved passenger facilities. VIA Rail has also undertaken major structural and restoration work on the station, a heritage landmark in Halifax since it was built almost a century ago. Work already completed includes a new roof and restoration of the exterior brickwork. Additional interior renovations will be completed over the next few months.
Mr. Moulton said that a transportation network is not made up of companies operating in isolation: “It is the entire travel experience that is important to the traveling public. We are proud to be associated with Acadian Lines, a company that understands the importance of delivering quality service to its customers.”
VIA Rail Canada operates Canada’s national passenger rail network, with more than 480 trains weekly on 14,000 kilometres of track, connecting more than 450 Canadian communities from coast to coast. VIA trains carried almost four million passengers in 2001. Recognizing the growing demand, the federal government recently invested some $402 million over five years to modernize VIA’s passenger rail network. This investment is giving VIA modern equipment, better tracks and infrastructure, and better stations – allowing it to deliver more trains, faster trains, and better service to Canadians across the country
Acadian Lines constitutes the region’s largest passenger bus network, serving 103 communities in the three Maritime provinces. The company’s 258 employees operate a fleet of state-of-the-art passenger coaches that log 7,200,000 kilometres per year.