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Building the Train Canada Needs
Reimagine passenger rail service on modern, accessible trains with improved operational performance, connecting Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City.
With speeds of 300 km/h or more, on a primarily dedicated, and electrified rail network spanning approximately 1,000 km, Alto will connect millions of Canadians living along the Corridor.
What is Happening with the High-Speed Train project?
Follow the constant headways of Alto and Cadence and stay up to date on everything that happened so far.
Public participation
We want to hear from anyone interested in the project. Our goal is to build strong, lasting relationships grounded in mutual respect and trust. That means keeping the conversation going, not just once, but throughout the life of the project. Canadians will be given the opportunity to share their views on the project’s design, alignment and benefits at different stages of the development.
An alternative that will transform the way we travel
A faster alternative
Alto will cut travel times between cities in half compared to current train journeys, with travel times competitive with cars and planes.
A more frequent alternative
Alto will offer more frequent departures between major cities (Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City) and will become a complementary means of transportation to cars and planes. Passengers will be able to leave at their convenience, even at the last minute, and return the same day.
A more reliable alternative
The High-Speed Rail Network will operate on primarily electrified and dedicated tracks, minimizing interference with other rail traffic and improving punctuality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Alto is the Toronto–Québec City high-speed rail network and is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Canada in the past half-century. The new high-speed passenger train will run on approximately 1,000 km of dedicated and electrified tracks that will connect Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City. It will travel at speeds of 300 km/h or more, which will significantly cut travel times between major cities.
By offering short travel times and frequent departures, Alto will make it easier—and faster—for people to travel.
This is a nation-building project that will be built by Canadians, for Canadians.
The corridor between Québec City and Toronto is Canada’s most densely populated region. It is home to 18 million people, which represents roughly 44% of the country’s population, and that number is growing fast. Current transportation systems can’t keep up with the increasing transit demand caused by population growth. This creates delays both for commuters and goods transported by freight.
Alto will deliver significant benefits, including:
- Reduced traffic congestion and shorter travel delays
- Improved connections between major cities and communities
- Freed up freight rail capacity by running on dedicated passenger tracks
- Economic growth
This new intercity travel option is designed to keep the corridor moving efficiently, connected, and competitive for decades to come.
The new passenger rail service will travel between Toronto and Québec City, including stops at Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montréal, and Trois-Rivières.
The exact route—which is often called ″alignment″—is still being developed in collaboration with Cadence. Through extensive consultations and technical evaluations, Alto and Cadence will ensure that the final route takes the needs of all stakeholders into account and maximizes the benefits for all Canadians.
The full network will be built into segments and should be completed in approximately twelve years.
The first construction segment between Montréal and Ottawa (the central segment) is expected to begin in 2029–2030. There is no official launch date yet and we anticipate each construction phase will take between 7 and 10 years.
At this stage of project planning, it is too early to confirm specific construction dates for Ottawa-Toronto (the western segment) and Montréal-Québec City (the eastern segment). However, construction on the eastern and western segments will launch simultaneously and work will start before the central segment is completed.