Canada Is Building A 185-MPH Inter-city Rail Network

Canada is moving forward with its largest infrastructure project to date—a high-speed rail network designed to transform inter-city travel.

The project, called Alto, will cover 1,000 km (621 miles) and significantly cut travel time between Toronto and Montréal to just three hours, roughly half of what it takes today. The rail line will extend from Toronto to Quebec City, with stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, and Trois-Rivières.

The fully electric trains will reach speeds of up to 185 mph (300 km/h) and operate on dedicated electrified tracks. This will address longstanding issues of low-frequency service and delays caused by the current passenger rail system, which runs on freight-owned tracks. According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, Alto will offer more reliable service while also reducing carbon emissions.

Once completed, the high-speed rail network will serve around 18 million people—nearly half of Canada’s population—within the Toronto-Quebec City corridor. It is expected to carry 13 times more passengers annually compared to the existing rail system.

Transport Minister Anita Anand announced that the project has now entered the co-development phase, which will involve track design, station placement, regulatory approvals, and consultations with Indigenous communities. This phase is expected to last between five to six years before construction begins. The cost of this stage alone is estimated at CA$3.9 billion (US$2.7 billion), in addition to the CA$372 million (US$261 million) allocated in last year’s federal budget.

However, the future of the project remains uncertain due to Canada’s upcoming federal elections. Prime Minister Trudeau announced his resignation in January under pressure from the Liberal Party, and his successor’s stance on the rail project is unclear. A change in administration could mean adjustments or even cancellation of the initiative.

If successfully completed, Canada will join other countries with advanced high-speed rail networks, including China, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Italy, and the UK. Japan introduced high-speed rail in 1964 with the Shinkansen, while China now has the world’s largest network, spanning 45,000 km (27,960 miles).

For now, Alto represents a bold step towards modernizing Canada’s rail system. If it stays on track, it could reshape transportation across the country for future generations.