# VIA Rail Canada — user reviews > 163 indexed App Store user reviews of VIA Rail Canada by VIA Rail Canada inc., rated 4.72/5 from 7,806 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/via-rail-canada/id1023455499/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/via-rail-canada/id1023455499.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 3 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 2 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 29 ## What do users think of VIA Rail Canada? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - ✅ Improved stability - no crashes in recent versions - 📱 Convenient mobile app alternative to website - 🎫 Real-time trip status and boarding pass management - 👍 Simple and straightforward booking process when working - 🌐 Bilingual support (English/French) - ⚡ Faster than web-based booking **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and 'something went wrong' errors - ❌ Payment processing failures and freezing - 🔐 Login and authentication issues - 📱 Poor optimization for iPad and larger screens - ♿ Accessibility problems with font scaling - 🔄 Session timeouts and unexpected logouts - 🎯 Unintuitive UI with navigation issues - 📊 Missing travel information (schedules, maps, prices) - 💳 Payment confirmation issues after Verified by Visa - 🚫 Inability to modify bookings without restarting **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch with 'something went wrong' message - Payment screen hangs after Verified by Visa popup - Calendar date selection glitches - Close button overlapped by notch on newer iPhones - Forms scroll off-screen when adding traveler information - Email verification codes not working - Login credentials rejected despite working on website - Booking confirmation screen remains blank - Postal code not saved for credit card information - App logs out unexpectedly, especially day of travel - Search data resets when exiting search - Inability to select desired trip from list - QR codes on black background unreadable by scanners - Confirmation codes not working in app - Text scaling broken on larger devices - App not optimized for iPhone X and newer models **Most requested features** - Add trip history to 'My Trips' section - Social login options (Google, Apple, Facebook) - Ability to add VIA Preference card to Apple Wallet - Notifications for trip updates and delays - Display multiple trips simultaneously for round-trip bookings - Integration with GO Transit and UP Express - Softer page transitions and animations - Permanent navigation button at bottom of screen - Ability to add existing reservations to app - Travel time display (beginning to end of trip) - Better error messages with actionable solutions - iPad-optimized interface - Support for rail passes in app - Improved QR code contrast for scanner compatibility ## Newest reviews (12 of 163) ### 4/5 — Stations *2026-07-26* I found it difficult to look up station and the name of the stations. ### 2/5 — Will never get 5 stars for making travel inaccessible *2026-06-15* Staff are quite nice and journey is fine. However, Via rail jacking up prices so sharply is just distasteful you can’t have a monopoly on passenger travel by train and expect to not be hated on ### 3/5 — Bikes *2026-06-05* Reduce fares and more trains!!Super duper happy I can bring a bike onboard. However looks like there’s only room for two. Encourage VIA to do better! ### 2/5 — Why must I create a user *2026-06-03* I’d love to use the app to check fares and schedules, but I don’t want to create an id. Why must every app collect my personal data? ### 3/5 — Site Manque de clarté *2026-05-29* Pour les bagages au téléphone on nous dit que c’est ok d’avoir une valise de 23 kg et sur le site il faut payer et les points soit disant utilisés pour bagages en plus et quand on confirme le total les points n’ont pas réduit le total tel que convenu. Sinon train toujours agréable. ### 2/5 — Not easy *2026-05-12, version 2.21.0* I thought I purchased these tickets earlier but had not when I looked at the app , may have been the validation process . Ugh ! I want to like Via. But! ### 2/5 — Trouble booking *2026-04-21, version 2.21.0* It took over an hour to book online because of error messages. ### 5/5 — Great service *2026-03-25, version 2.21.0* VIA has provided great service during our March break trip. My kids took the train for the first time and the staff was amazing, even with the few hiccups due to car change. We were also lucky to get the same staff on the train for both ways. The staff took time in their busy day to answer my kids questions and make them feel special. They even had an activity for them to do. My kids are hoping to be able to take the train again in the summer, so they can meet them again and hopefully ride business class after hearing it was the first car behind the engine on our trip. ### 5/5 — Updated App is excellent *2026-03-14* The functionality is excellent. I was very impressed how it anticipated workflow during/after trip by presenting alerts if the train was late snd messages regarding connections and processing compensation. One suggestion is to no longer show completed leg boarding passes so only the correct one is available on the connection leg during busy boarding process. ### 4/5 — Functional, But Could be Better *2026-03-08, version 2.21.0* This is basically the same platform that they use on their website. It crashes from time to time, but does keep your Privilege profile ready and on-hand for ease of use. Would be nice if they could expand booking options to give more diverse, connecting itineraries instead of just direct routes. That would incentivize travel throughout multiple corridors instead of just point A to point B. they need to think big, osti. ### 5/5 — Lama *2026-03-05, version 2.21.0* Excellent ### 4/5 — User Friendly *2026-02-27, version 2.21.0* I always enjoyed traveling by via and the booking process till I use the Eurostar app which is very convenient. Please make it easy also to select and safe our seats facing preferential. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Latest update unusable *2026-07-19* Come on guys. Is there no QA? ### 1/5 — Johnny Naysayer *2026-06-11* Terrible, slow, overpriced railway. Booking website useful only as a detailed illustration of Viarail‘s horrid glory. ### 1/5 — Very, very disappointed. *2026-05-21* This app is pure trash. I spent over an hour trying to sign in, using generated passwords from the passwords app and even trying to write my own, but it kept saying that either username or password were incorrect. Maybe this app just doesn't like Voiceover, I don't know, but it obviously doesn't work. ### 1/5 — Via Rail is a national disgrace *2026-04-11, version 2.21.0* Our national passenger carrier owns 2% of the tracks that our taxes built. The track’s priority is business (which could run at night, instead of systematically delaying passenger trains). Via lies to its customers (when a train broke down near Brockville for six hours, Via claimed buses had been called, but bus companies in the region denied ever being called; when a tree fell on the tracks, delaying the train for 12 hours, Via claimed the tree had been removed, when anyone could see it was still on the tracks). Knowing that it’s trains are *customarily* late, Via leaves its passengers with no extra food, toilets unusable.. Now the *brand new* cars have no room for luggage… Honestly, if you can’t run a decent train company, stop embarrassing us as a nation and just close it down. ### 1/5 — Via preference *2026-03-22, version 2.21.0* Unacceptable that I pay for a ticket for someone else and am not able to claim my via preference points. You’re still getting my money just not offering the reward of taking it. ### 1/5 — App Functionality *2026-02-28, version 2.21.0* The app functionality is not just poor, it’s rubbish. I add my daughters to my profile, then when booking tickets for them I’m asked to add them (again??) Sorely inefficient ### 1/5 — Worthless if booked through an agency *2026-02-27, version 2.21.0* This might be the only travel app in existence that doesn’t let you modify your booking if done through an external agency (ie. for work). Simply ridiculous in 2026. ### 1/5 — Can’t book through this app *2026-02-24, version 2.20.0* I go through all the steps to book train ticket, and after entering card details it will always come up error ### 1/5 — Repeated Delays and Poor Service on bord *2026-02-09, version 2.20.0* I want to share my disappointment regarding my recent trip from Montréal to Toronto. This route experiences delays almost every time, and the information provided in the app often does not match the reality of the schedule. Today, our trip was delayed by more than two hours, which is extremely frustrating when passengers rely on the timetable to plan their day. What made the situation worse was the onboard experience. In business class, after such a significant delay, there was no gesture of goodwill—no additional refreshments or acknowledgment of the inconvenience. For a ticket costing around $250, I expect a higher level of service and customer care. Delays can happen, but repeated delays combined with poor communication and lack of service recovery are not acceptable. I would appreciate an explanation of how you plan to improve reliability on this route and what steps are being taken to better support passengers when major delays occur ### 1/5 — Unreliable *2026-02-04, version 2.20.0* Voucher never works when they compensate ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great Way to Travel this Beautiful Country *2026-08-11* I’ve travelled in both economy and business class along the corridor. If you’re not in a rush to get where you’re heading, a window seat with a great view is awesome. Staff are always super nice and if you’re in business class, the meals are pretty good. ### 5/5 — Vacay Week *2026-08-09* Really great service ❤️❤️❤️ ### 5/5 — Easy on the App *2026-08-03* The app is easy to follow. I like the way the options flow from one to the other and are easy to follow. ### 5/5 — Love it great *2026-07-27* Love it great. Just wish we could actually change itinerary on it. ### 5/5 — Voyage en train *2026-07-23* J’ai toujours eu un très bon service avec VIA Rail Canada lors de mes voyages Drummondville/Ottawa et Ottawa / Drummondville ### 5/5 — Great *2026-07-11* The best train app well organized ### 5/5 — Epic *2026-07-09* I recommend everyone to travail via rail Canada ### 5/5 — Book with ease *2026-04-26, version 2.21.0* I enjoy how easy the train booking is with the app. Also enjoy the preference points. ### 5/5 — Linda Denver *2026-04-17, version 2.21.0* Excellent Would be nice to receive notice if reservations are filling up quickly especially ones I have booked on a yearly basis Unable to book Reddit to Vancouver this year as full , months in advance. I love travelling by train!!! ### 5/5 — Every Trip is Memorable *2026-03-31, version 2.21.0* Thank you to the staff at stations and on the train for making all my trips a great experience! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-03.*