VIA celebrates Car Free Day by offering a 40% discount

MONTREAL , Sept. 22 /CNW Telbec/ - To draw attention to Car Free Day and promote the train as a green mode of transportation, from September 22 through September 28 , VIA Rail Canada will be offering a 40% off e-coupon valid for travel in Economy class anywhere in VIA's network until December 14, 2009 .

"Passenger rail service is recognized as a mode of transportation that respects the environment, and VIA is working to promote this green mode of transportation. We are proud to have been involved in Car Free Day for over five years," said Paul Côté, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada .

To take advantage of the discount, customers must get the e-coupon from VIA's website at viarail.ca.

Car Free Day is an annual event celebrated by 100 million people from every continent. Car Free Day celebrations underscore the problems caused by our dependence on the single-occupant vehicle (including air pollution, global warming, stress, and safety issues) and highlight the need for and the quality of public transportation.

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada's national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to provide efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective passenger transportation services, both in Canada's busiest Corridor and in remote and rural regions of the country.

For more information on schedules or to book a trip in VIA's network, visit VIA's website at viarail.ca. You can also reserve tickets at most Quebec City-Windsor corridor stations, by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (TTY for the hearing impaired), or by contacting your travel agent.

For further information: Media contacts: Ashley Doyle, Corporate Communications, VIA Rail Canada, [phone]; Elizabeth Huart, Corporate Communications, VIA Rail Canada, [phone]